It’s grin up North for Brownie
By Barry Robinson on 16th Nov 12
Michael Brown had a big smile on his face after he emerged on top at Manchester 17 MCCs 65th Northern Experts Trial on Saturday.
Brownie took the honours at a sunny but cold Wildboarclough, Cheshire, after a cliff-hanger battle with MRS Sherco teamster Richard Sadler.
After 40 sections Brown and his JST Gas Gas finished just a single mark up on Sadler.
Both cleaned 37 excellent sections plotted by Ken Roberts, which tested all three classes and every section was cleaned in both the title and 50/50 routes.
As far as the Clubman category is concerned the legendary Holt Gully, east of the A54 trunk road, resisted all efforts for a clean sheet.
Only class winner Sam Clarke and Gavin Black got close with a dab up the rock-strewn climb from the stream in the bottom of the valley.
The day had started badly for Black, who spent half an hour at Clough House trying to work out the mystics of his recently-purchased TLR Honda.
Despite the engineering problems, the bike got round and finished so it was not going back on sale first thing Sunday morning.
The trial was, as usual, staged like a military operation, with no clangers from Jude Mellor and Henry Rosenthal, the latter who also rode the Clubman route on his 250 Gas Gas, bedecked in green, including riding gloves.
A nice touch in the programme was that every section was named along with the observers on duty, the unsung heroes who stand and take what the weather throws at them.
As far as the routing, take 2011 and repeat the dose with the stream at Clough House raising the curtain right up through Plantation to the hostile little number at Ben's Ditch.
Hilda and Rupert Ellison camped at Clough House where the stream journey ended with a right-hand climb out onto the bank then into the water, for a tight right-hand climb up round the tree.
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE TMX NOVEMBER 16
RESULTS
Northern Experts: Michael Brown (JST Gas Gas) 3 marks lost, Richard Sadler (MRS Sherco) 4, Dan Thorpe (JST Gas Gas) 14, Chris Pearson (MRS Splat Sherco) 15, Guy Kendrew (Beta UK) 16, Richard Timperley (MRS Sherco) 18.
50/50 course
Expert: Tony Scarlett (Beta UK) 13, Rob Loney (Gas Gas) 25, Mark Reynolds (Kelcoat Gas Gas) 26.
Inter: Ben Robinson (Beta) 31, Ben Oughton (Beta) 32, Patrick Wardle (Montesa) 46.
Novice: Katy Sunter (JST Gas Gas) 44, Lewis Black (Gas Gas) 57, Shaun Hazelwood (Gas Gas) 66.
Over 40: Darren Wasley (Gas Gas) 28, Richard Allen (Montesa) 32 fc, Neil Savage (Gas Gas) 32.
CLUBMAN COURSE
Inter: Sam Clarke (Montesa) 27, Paul Waring (Gas Gas) 39, Gavin Black (Honda) 50.
Novice: Matthew Smith (Gas Gas) 38, Andrew Smith (Gas Gas) 50, Phil Hulme (Beta) 54.
Over 40: Andy Hipwell (JST Gas Gas) 32, Richard Mokes (Gas Gas) 33, Peter Ruscoe (Gas Gas) 34.
