Jones and Bennett are feeling 'rosey!
By TMX Archives on 26th Mar 09
MRS Sherco ruled supreme in the Derbyshire hills on Sunday, in the National Bemrose Trial, when Matthew Jones and Paul Bennett scooped the top two classes leaving Richard Allen and Mick Boam to slug it out for the Over 40's class. For the Scunthorpe teenager it was a great ride, considering that Dan Thorpe and Dan Farrer provide the menacing backdrop to the North Derbyshire MCC.
Matthew had just collected his new MRS Sherco from Rhoda Rathmell two days before the trial so the win, on a brand new machine was a bonus. It was a low scoring Bemrose, 18 for the title course. A low four on the Clubman Easy route and a dab sufficed for popular Richard Allen who got the Over 40's class.
Blasting across the open and unprotected High Edge countryside the very cool breezes blew riders off-course mid-section and quickly chilled the water-cooled engine radiators. Becky Cook found out the hard way when her MRS Sherco died in two sections. It was however a very nice day for the trial as opposed to the snow wipe-out two years ago.
Kidtor Dale at 7.15 in the morning on a spring morning is about as good as it gets for tranquillity, even when the first section borders the A6 trunk road by half a dozen yards. The changes were apparent with a great opening section with rock outcrop for the Experts, meanwhile the Clubmen dived to the right-hand side and missed the rock and root obstacle. All the front runners flew up although a spin-out was on the menu for lack lustre attacks.
Jones wobbled in the four section group as did Dan Farrer, but Dan Thorpe was not tuned in and headed for the disused Staden Quarry with seven on his card. Best ride in the group was Gavin Thornton with a dab on the steep third. Thornton must have had new rubber on the back of the Appleyard Beta to get a single dab on the huge and fast section which required a brains out attack to hit the summit. Only Jones, Farrer, Thorpe and Andy Cripps on Beta cleaned the three rock sections in the quarry.
Bennett was on a roll with a clean sheet that took him through Kidtor, Staden, and the tight twisty limestone craggs near the start called Wrights, then to lose a slack single dab at Booths. Nearest rider was Stuart Woodfield who lost a couple on the first at Kidtor then gathered a head of steam. Only Thorpe, Jones, Richard Timperley and Tony Scarlett bossed all three subs on the windswept hilltop from Hell.
Becky Cook lost the engine in the first sub which dived up and down grassy banks with tree roots as a special bonus. Thornton was again the hot property through Churnet with a single dab in the first of six rocky subs. Gav would have been right with the front runners but for two stops on Booth Edge.
The scores after Churnet put Jones in the lead on 15 with Farrer three down, then Thorpe just two dabs out.
For Thornton those stops at Booths stuffed him, otherwise he would have been on a cool nine. Only the red beck at Manor Steps, the dry Hawksnest, Robinsons Rocks and a finale on the big flat slabby Danebower were left.
Dan Farrer upped his game and closed Jones down cleaning all but Danebower where only Thornton and Thorpe cleaned. Some finish to a sensational 80th Bemrose Trophy Trial. The course was absolutely spot-on and provided a tiebreaker ending in two out of three classes.
NATIONAL BEMROSE TRIAL
Sunday, March 22 - (North Derbyshire MCC)
Hard course-Expert: Matthew Jones (MRS Sherco) 18 marks lost, Dan Farrer (JST Gas Gas) 18, Dan Thorpe (JST Gas Gas) 20, Richard Timperley (JST Gas Gas) 34, Andy Cripps (Beta) 42, Tony Scarlett (Beta) 53.
Inter: Gavin Thornton (Appleyard Beta) 24, Gavin Black (Montesa) 46, Becky Cook (MRS Sherco) 57, Ian Hopley (Beta) 91, Patrick Wardle (Beta) 99, Mark Raw (Beta) 99.
Novice: Jack Thompson (Gas Gas) 48, Lewis Black (Gas Gas) 74, Joe O'Blount (Beta) 118.
Clubman Expert: Paul Bennett (Sherco) 4, Stuart Woodfield (Beta) 7, Tony Rimmer (Gas Gas) 29.
Inter: Daniel Clark (Beta) 7 (fc), Ben Miles (Beta) 19, Torbjorn Eyre (Gas Gas) 26.
Novice: Matthew Timperley (Beta) 8, Sam Clarke (Beta) 8, Steve Swanson (Honda) 14.
Over 40: Richard Allen (Gas Gas) 1, Mick Boam (Scorpa) 1, Scott Dommett (Beta) 9, Mike Edwards (Gas Gas) 14, Mark Timperley 14 most 1's, Stuart Robinson (Gas Gas) 14.
In the Clubman Expert class a confident Paul Bennett stole the show.