Last Saturday, The Macclesfield Trials Club ran the first round of this years Yomee sponsored evening trials series. Sparrowgreave Farm near Wincle is a popular venue with the riders, confirmed by the healthy turnout of over 70  riders. Four laps of 10 sections, with a hard, clubman and easy route provided something for everybody.

With the first 6 sections set in the stream and a hillclimb taking riders to 3 more sections in the rock strewn top field, the riders were given a good blast round the scenic hillside venue.

Section one proved to be gentle opener, with only the hard route working up a sweat on the exit from the stream. The next section (Bill’s log challenge) took plenty of marks from the middle route. A tight turn in the stream followed by a hop over a fallen tree nearly had a few riders taking an early bath. Chris Garlick was one of the few to remain clean on the middle route, riding his twin shock Armstong with enviable skill. As usual the top lads made it look easy but anything other than inch perfect and it was quite a struggle.

The hard route exit from the stream on section 4 was a nasty undercut rock followed by a steep climb. Factory Kev, out for the first time on another one of his beautiful Gas Gas creations came unstuck on lap one, however from then he made light work of the rest of the evening, running out the winner on the hard route by a couple of marks from Terry Craig. The middle route missed the step but found the steep exit quite tricky.

The dry conditions away from the stream meant that the hillclimb was in a benign mood and riders enjoyed an easy blast up and through the woods. The rocks in sections 8 & 9 were not so easy. Adrian Bellis, was one of the few who kept a clean sheet through these two sections and duly collected the best over 40 award on the middle route. Top youth on the middle route, Jonny Stewart also went clean but as he helped to set out, at least he knew where he was going.

The 50/50 route provided the closest contest of the evening. Andy Hipwell cruised to an easy win but only 9 marks separated the other contestants, Gareth Salt took his Gas Gas 125 to win in the youth class but had to give best to Welsh visitor Alan Davies, who claimed top spot amongst the Intermediates.

The scores would tell you that the easy route was fairly gentle, the riders would try to convince you that they were just too good!! A two on section 2 were the only marks that winner Mark Renshaw lost all night. Runner up Carl Braddock out on an old Beamish Suzuki also lost two marks, but in separate sections, thus losing the top spot by virtue of most cleans. R.Carson on his Beta 80 beat most of the adults to finish top youth on this route.

Thanks must go to the landowners, section setters and observers without whom such an enjoyable evening would not have been possible.

The next round of the Yomee series is on the 21^st June, don’t miss it.

RESULTS

Hard Route      K.Hipwell 12       T.Craig 16   A.Williams 59      D.Turnnock 60

                        Best Youth         C.Dubik 31

50/50 Route     A.Hipwell 14  A.Davies 31  J.Beresford  40

                        Best Youth       G.Salt  38

Middle Route     Novice –        P.Scottney 9     C.Allison 9    P.Eardley  11

                          O/40               A.Bellis  3         D.Matthews  10         M.Beech  15

                          O/50               H.Rosenthal  10   A.Foot  21    S.Cripps  24

                          Twin shock     C.Garlick  2  S.Garlick  5   P.Carson  15

                          Best Youth     J.Stewart  15

East Route          M.Renshaw  2   C.Braddock  2   M.Kelly  5   R.Boyd  7