TrialGB 2019: In-depth report for St David's Trial
By Colin Bullock on 22nd May 19
The second round of this years RT Keedwell sponsored British Trials Championship was The St Davids held by the Neath MCC and at its usual venue, Aberdulais. The weather was set fair and it was pretty dry out on the rocky outcrops that started off the event.
No James Dabill in the Championship class but there was a welcome back to Iwan Roberts and the globetrotting Jack Sheppard. But it was Gas Gas rider Jack Price who took the Championship spoils with Ross Danby, Ben Dignan and Lloyd Price also winning their respective classes.
While Gas Gas and TRRS riders shared the spoils with the top step of the podiums, no manufacturer was able to block out any of the four classes, with a host of brands sharing the spoils. The trial underway at 9.30am for the first of three laps of 12 sections over the usual long lap.
Championship
Not too many early problems for the Premier class, they disposed of the opening hazards without much difficulty including the big jagged step known as the Dragons Tooth.
Toby Martyn took a two at Shooters 1 but it stopped both Billy Green and Jack Peace. Jack Price started with four cleans. He was at this point riding right at the back of the field but his first losses came at The Fence a traditional loose stream which took marks from all but Jack Peace on lap one.
The hardest subs came late on in the lap. Absolutely no one got through Washers or the Gully, it stopped everyone. Dan Peace cleaned section 12, the next best effort came from Toby Martyn on a dab. At the end of lap one Toby and Jack Price were on 17 with Dan Peace on 23 and Iwan Roberts 26.
Trial2 winner in Wales - Ross Danby
Lap two saw scores generally fall with Price on the days best score of just six, most of which went, not surprisingly, in the Gully. Toby Martyn lost eight in the subs but one on time which fortunately did not affect his overall position. Dan Peace was superb for seven which kept him podium bound as no one but the top three could post single lap scores in single figures.
Lap three saw Iwan Roberts at his best with no maximums and his two at Section 10 was the best ride here of the day.
Jack Price took a maximum at Stairway while his main rival Martyn got through for two which closed the gap until Jack reversed the fortunes at hazard 10. The 2017 Champion grabbed the win and with it the red leader plate. After two rounds Jack leads Toby by just one point.
Experts
Chris Stay held the red leader plate after his win at Hookwoods but this was not his day, after a lap 1 that left him just off the pace in what turned out to be a low scoring class. In fact it was Emma Bristow who led after the first with a score of just four marks lost.
She took a dab on section 2s rockery, another at Shooter 2s long uphill banks and a two at the Big Gulley near the end of the circuit. Sam Yeomans was holding second and he was consistency itself with three laps of five marks apiece. Holding third was Lloyd Price who was looking to improve on his seventh place from round one.
Trial 125 winner Ben Dignan
Lloyd certainly made that look likely as he went around lap two clean, making the Gully sub look straight forward this time as did Emma. Dan Thorpe dropped a dab here, his only loss on lap two which put him on nine along with Bristow and Gwynned Jones, leaving it very tight at the top with one circuit remaining.
Lap saw a couple of riders fortunes change Chris Stay put in a ride for two while Ben Morphett slipped the other way with two fives at sections Pink Floyd and Washers. This dropped him down to seventh place. Lloyd was in on a score of 10, Dan Thorpe on 14 and then Emma with a final lap for two got second place and that much hoped for podium finish.
Trial 2
This is now a properly competitive class with riders doing a mixture of Expert and Championship routes. The opening two subs did not create too many problems but no one cleaned Shooters 1 the third hazard.
Ross Danby and Sam Haslam needed single dabs as did Mitchell Brightmore and it was the rock step 20 yards from the ends card that was the problem. Last years Expert Champion Richard Sadler was starting steadily but along with many of his rivals found the last 2 sections tough.
He was however the only one to clean the Gully which was a problem all day. Danby held a four mark lead going into lap 2 from the ever consistent Sam Haslam with young Mitchell Brightmore third.
Lap 2 saw Richard Sadler make the best score by improving his rides on Wet Corner and Telegraph Pole the last two sections. Another rider to get in the groove was Sam Connor who by his standards had not started the event well.
Ross was however looking good for the win and by going around for just seven marks on lap three he put clear water between him and his rivals. Haslam made the only clean of the day in Trial 2 at Telegraph pole which just saw him make second place by one mark from Richard Sadler.
Emma Bristow was runner-up in the Expert class
Trial 125
This is a small class in terms of rider numbers but there is plenty of competition between the competitors. Ben Dignan had a special first lap losing seven most of which went on the Gully. It long and slippery and on a 125 not an easy proposition.
Brett Harbud did however see the ends card, for a hard earned three. Ben increased his advantage on lap two, the win was looking pretty well on as he went into his final circuit over 20 marks ahead of his rivals.
Lap 3 saw Adam Harris however make the best 125 lap of the day which still only netted his third albeit just one mark behind Harbud. Dignan did not have the best of fortunes however dabbing on sections he had previously cleaned but it was still the top place for him which now leaves him and Brett equal on series points scored.
Results
Championship Class
1 Jack Price (Gas Gas) 32
2 Toby Martyn (Beta) 36
3 Dan Peace (Sherco) 44
4 Iwan Roberts (TRS) 49
5 Billy Green (Montesa) 65
6 Jack Peace (Sherco) 67
7 Jack Sheppard (Sherco) 73
8 Andy Chilton (Scorpa) 80
9 Tom Minta (Scorpa) 121
10 Hugo Jervis (TRS) 122
Trial2 Class
1 Ross Danby (TRS) 40
2 Sam Haslam (Gas Gas) 52
3 Richard Sadler (Beta) 53
4 Sam Connor (Beta) 56
5 James Fry (Sherco) 67
6 Mitchell Brightmore (Gas Gas) 74
7 Dec Bullock (Gas Gas) 78
8 Josh Hanlon (Beta) 92
9 Luke Walker (Sherco) 97
10 Oliver Smith (Gas Gas) 106
Expert Class
1 Lloyd Price (TRS) 10
2 Emma Bristow (Sherco) 11
3 Dan Thorpe (Gas Gas) 14
4 Gwynedd Jones (Beta) 15
5 Sam Yeomans (Gas Gas) 15
6 Christopher Stay (TRS) 19
7 Ben Motphett (Montesa) 31
8 Charlie Smith (Beta) 33
9 Tom Culliford (TRS) 37
10 Richard Pallot (Beta) 38
Trial 125 Class
1 Ben Dignan (Gas Gas) 45
2 Brett Harbud (Beta) 63
3 Adam Harris (Gas Gas) 64
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