Report: Scarborough & DMC
By Team TMX on 13th Jan 16
JST Cloburn Gas Gas rider Dan Peace dominated Scarborough and DMCs Trial at Harwood Dale with Jack Howell finishing in second place.
The 60-odd entry faced a tough challenge – not only from Clerk of Course Andy Woodall's four-lap, 10-section course but also greasy conditions after heavy rain.
Breezing through the early sections, the rock gully of three caught Howell for six in total but it was sections five and 10 at Top Rocks and Middle Gully which appeared formidable under non-stop rules.
Michael Brown, looking in good form, fived on the very last step, as did Howell and Michael Todd.
Matt Ackerly and Jack Peace bailed out on the first massive step, Jack missing extra ccs.
Andy considered changing it for the second lap until Peace attacked it and with a fantastic demo of non-stop riding cleaned it, making Andy a happy man.
To prove it was no fluke he repeated it on the last lap and followed this with more of the same on the 10th, Howell suffering here with a max.
The formidable Sharp family were out in force, Pete grabbing the Intermediate class from the steadily improving Chris Brown who matched Sharp with a great clean on the awkward rocks of the first but Sharp's experience paid off as he remained unpenalised on the second and the graded hill climb.
Northallerton's Andy Keel split Mick and Matt Sharp to finish second in A class as Chris Jewell hit something like his old form, pushing up into fourth place with only the last two sections dropping him back.
There was a close battle in the Bs as Darren Johnson kept his winning streak going.
Johnson was the only rider to remain clean on the graded hill – and overall – as Andrew Dale, Mark Hardy, Paul Nelson and Brian Johnson (no relation as far as I know) all squandered marks as nerves made them wobble a bit.
Scarborough's Kelsey Williamson hung on to beat young John Turton by one mark to take the white route victory.
Results
Expert: Dan Peace (JST Cloburn Gas Gas) 14 marks lost, Jack Howell (Beta) 49.
Intermediate: Pete Sharp (Beta) 12, Chris Brown (Scorpa) 31, Shane Monkman (Haven Beta) 39.
Clubman A: Mick Sharp (Beta) 6, Andrew Keel (Beta) 10, Matt Sharp (Beta) 11.
Clubman B: Darren Johnson (Yamaha) clean, Andrew Dale (Sherco) 4, Mark Hardy (Beta) 8.
White Course: Kelsey Williamson (Gas Gas) 10, John Turton (Beta) 11, Mick Tanton (Beta) 21.
