By Roy Maddox Press Officer

Earl Shilton Trials Club’s first event of 2012 saw Dan Tuley securing his first club win and The New Year Shield. This was a fitting reward for his hours of practice and a pleasing result for his sponsors Behind Bars of Kenilworth who support Dan on his Gas Gas.

In cold and blustery conditions he lost only 15 points over forty sections some 30 points ahead of his nearest rival. Dan also gained five useful points in the race for the club youth championship. On the same hard route Luke Dowsing took the Best Inter award recording a heavy 69 on his Sherco. Best Over 40 class winner was again Pete Jones and Tony Field took the Over 50 with 38 cleans aboard his Beta. Not far behind was Michael Lambert with 37 cleans helping him to the Best Novice Award.

Another bright performance on a generally dull day was beginner Mike Massey who dropped points in two sections (1 & 7) only to take the much coveted Best Beginners award, a rider to watch in the future.

Here Come the Girls

There were some excellent rides in the youth sections which is great for a club that makes a priority of encouraging young riders to become good riders. Regular monthly training sessions are held to improve standards.

Louis Bennett achieved a score of only 7 with 37 clean sections for the Best Youth OOC. Best Youth D was Alice Minta with 36 no scores and 7 marks on the observers card. Other youth award winners were Matt Dixon BOR Beta, Guy Bradley Gas Gas and Daniel Slack Beta.

As part of the clubs commitment to young rider development special conducted routes are part of every trial and here also there were a number of award winners on the Hard Route both Dale Freeman and Leanna Page collected awards as did Jessica Barnett on the 50/50 route and on the Easy Route it was Bailey Sulley who took the award.

A great event made possible by the legion of volunteer helpers that make it all possible. On a very windy day it was common sight to see riders and observers shouting at each other not for any abuse but just to heard above the wind. It was also pleasing to see how observers provided route advice to many of the riders. But I saw one very young rider making his way through the section when a gust of wind blew a branch from a tree into the section blocking his progress. He did not falter; he stopped, wrestled with the branch that was at least twice his height and thick as his arm placing the obstacle safely out of section. He then got back on his bike and continued to the next section there was no plea for a rerun; you meet the nicest people on a trials bike. This young man was a credit to the sport and the club, well done you know who you are.

All the sections were laid out well with the climatic conditions being taken in to consideration. All sections took points from the riders but most miserly was section 8 that only put 75 on the observer’s cards in comparison to sections 4, 6, 7 and 9 that gifted over 300 rider points each. In total some 2359 points were dropped by 67 riders averaging 35 points surrendered.

SECTION POINTS

1 = 243 (3.6)

2 = 113 (1.6)

3 = 288 (4.2)

4 = 318 (4.7)

5 = 196 (2.9)

6 = 364 (5.4)

7 = 334 (4.9)

8 = 075 (1.1)

9 = 302 (4.5)

10 = 136 (2.0)

(Rider Loss Average)