Chris once again thrashed the opposition to win the youth
D class of the Hobnail trophy trial at the Waltham chase southern centre championship
trial on Sunday , he also beat all the adults riding the same course as him
.Now with a untouchable lead in the championship he has become the southern
centre youth D champion for 2003. This sunday he will ride the C course in
the IOW summer trial , and next wednesday we will be travelling up to yorkshire,
to take part in the Douge Lampkin trials school , from which we will send
some meca pics ...A.Stay.
Sunday 3rd August 03
Danger, danger, red alert, he,s done it again. Riding in
the C class, in the IOW summer trial at Pitts down Calbourne, he only went
and won!, Beating some handy C class riders on there Shercos,and betas on
his litttle TY80. Chris lost 53 to Jim Wests 55 and all the rest lost over
70 marks. He could have been further ahead, if he calm down a bit, and not
keep doing tricks in the bloody sections. He`s been told before to just ride
out the end cards like everyone else, and not to hop out on the back wheel.
We know he can jump the TY up in the air, and spin it around 90 degrees (very
clever), but we dont want to see this at the trial thank you very much....A.Stay
Lampkin Training Day Wednesday 6th August
03
Click
here to see a few of the photo`s
This story is one for the history books. Will Wests dad Stewart
who owns the blue old LDV gas van, has bought a Talbot motor home to do 2004
British B class championships with. The evening before leaving for Yorkshire
whilst loading the bikes, he said that the only problem with the motor home
was the fact that it was petrol and would like to convert it to diesel. .
Wednesday and the 9.30 ferry is cancelled, so Stewart catches the late 9.00
boat which left Yarmouth at 9.20. Me Chris and his brother James travelling
with Rory Stephens in his Volvo estate with Josh who's Sherco was on the back
caught the 10.20 ferry, thinking we will catch the van up and meet them at
the cafe on the hill on the A5 near Silverstone.
The day was hot, Rory's foot is on the gas and we is flying,
but when we arrive at the cafe Stewart has gone 5 mins before. So after some
grub we are now 40 mins behind and up the M1 in hot pursuit, all is well until
the phone rings im now driving and Rory repeats what Stewarts saying to him
. " You've broke down " " the transmissions gone " where are you " Sheffield
by the cooling towers. ( S**T ) I said to Rory, tell Stewart to get my tool
box out the back of the van and start getting the prop shaft off and we will
try towing the bastard thing. Foot to the floor 20 mins latter and , yes its
true there it is the disgraced X gas van on the hard shoulder, two bikes leaned
against crash barrier every one out of the van and two legs stuck out from
under the side, Stewart at the end of them trying to get the prop off . Well
we had to laugh, but Stewart was more worried about getting run over. Prop
off, and we find some old chain and a strap out of which we make a sort of
tow rope thingy, so now the Volvo really has to work. 45 miles later and we're
of the motorway, ahead lies Bradford! with roundabouts, hills, traffic lights,
different colour people and all the things you don't need when towing a 3
ton X gas van with a Volvo estate. Any way there we was, towing the gas van
through Bradford when suddenly ahead lies this steep decent with traffic lights
at the bottom, and yes you guest it they changed to red . Not only this, but
some dick in a artic decides to cut in front of us ( O THE VERY DEEPEST OF
S**T ). Brakes applied to the Volvo, the tow chain starts to go slack and
drag the ground , brake applied to 3 ton gas van !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
( WHAT BRAKE ) they got so hot that we have no foot brake. Apply hand brake,
but nothing seems to be happening! Even with the two handed pull hand brake
out of floor application nothing seems to be happening. Stewarts in a panic
and nothing can be done as the gas van mates with the Volvos ass end for the
first time using only Joshes Sherco for protection, the Volvo brakes are applied
again and the show is brought to a close inches from the back of the artic
, whos driver is unaware of the fun he has created behind him. Bastard!
After the van had hit the Volvo we had to pull out of the
way and stop to check the damage but the only thing broken was the front grill
of the van and a few scratches on the bike rack. After the van brakes had
cooled down they started to work again so we slowly set of again on are way
to Skipton. About 15 miles latter we arrive at the guest house.After arriving
at Skipton and towing the van into a parking space out side the guest house
where we were staying , we noticed a white van for sale on the other side
of the road , A closer look revealed that it was a turbo diesel talbot van
like Stewarts motorhome for £500 , this is starting to look to good to be
true . We then went in to the guest house and the lady showed us to our rooms,
who owns that van for sale over the road asks Stewart , O that belongs to
my husband , if your interested he will be home later she said.That night
we all needed a drink, so we found our way to the Black horse pub at the top
of Skipton high street . Highly recommended is the black horse, bloody good
beer and cheep to , John Smiths extra smooth at £1.49 per pint, come on lets
have about six of them. By the time we left the pub it was to late and we
were to pissed to be buying vans, any way who gives a s**t when your half
pissed.
The next morning Stewarts up early, and by the time I went
down to breakfast the deal is done £400 cash no questions asked, so at least
we had some hope of getting the bikes back home , and a new means of towing
the 3 ton X gas van. ...The newly purchased van was connected to the old van,
and off we went to the trials school near Silsden , which is about 5 miles
away, this time Stewarts towing me, and its payback time. 60 is ok on the
motorway when your towing in a straight line but 50 around the bends near
Skipton calls for maximum consentration. As we enter Silsden we take the first
right turn after the bridge, whilst stopped in the middle of the road waiting
to turn, some one points to a fantic 200 in a shop window. The momentary loss
of coordination means a slack tow rope Stewart pulling away whilst we are
sill looking at the fantic, and BANG ! The tow strap brakes, leaving us stranded
in the middle of the road. Every one out of the gas van to push it to the
side of the road, the strap is repaired and of we go again. When we arrived
at the trials school location we had to turn tight left into the field , we
are now entering gods country and the Lampkin clan is spotted sitting out
side there palace on wheels , we all felt so humble,Once we got in the field
we where just towing the van past Dougies motor home when a sudden rise in
the ground put to much tension on the tow rope strap and the bloody thing
snapped again, right in front of Gods palace. Dougie, James , Martin, and
Ben Hemmingway all looked in disbelief , not used to people arriving in such
style at there trials schools. We all got out of the vans and Martin came
over to meet us, once we explained what had happen Martin burst out laughing
and went of telling everyone about us. We all pushed the van into a parking
spot and started to unload the bikes, the first impression you get is just
how friendly and down to earth everyone is. The start of the day was just
like the start of a trial with bikes being checked over & signing on but instead
of numbers on the front of the bikes every one has to put there name . The
next thing everyone had to do was ride a test section so they could divide
all the riders in two groups. Dougie went with the B group and Martin , James
and Ben Hemingway went with the A group, and then in the afternoon they changed
around. Right from the start Martin explained that if anyone had any problems
please ask, so off we all went and the gods set out sections, rode them like
main roads, and spent the rest of the morning trying to get everyone else
through them. And it came to pass, that god said ride through this rock stream
up the bank, back in the stream over this log up the other bank, back around
across the stream once more and out over the bank. A bit tough for a TY80
and Chris, but just as tough for his mate Chris Allford on his Gas Gas 50
auto, but it wasnt long before they both started to get the hang of it, with
Dougie shouting FIGHT IT, FIGHT IT. All was going well and a clean was on
one the cards, a last determined effort from Chris before dinner saw him safely
through the first part, in and across the stream for the second time, over
the log and up the bank in his usual Fugi Gas hang on and fight it to the
death style, a bit to much gas on the TY80 up on the back wheel, off the back
, and backwards down the bank, rolling down the stream and completely disappearing
under a rock pool , helmet and all . It was a classic, £250 in the bank for
anyone who had it on film, but did it happened so fast, I had the camera in
my hand but the TY was upside down and trying to join its rider so i had to
grab it fast. Dougie was in the water quick as a flash , grabbing Chris and
dragging him out in one swift move, this was the miracle, this was the hand
of god at work, but Chris didn't see it that way at the time. As he spat water
out of his mouth, and tried to get his breath back, i think he was in a state
of shock , but once he opened his eyes and saw that he had been saved by the
god , who was now trying to get his wet clothes off , a smile started to appear
on his face again . It was time for lunch so everyone rode back to there vans
and started to pig out , the gods sat around there motor palace and we could
here Dougie telling Martin James & Ben about Chris in graphic detail , and
all having a good laugh .Our thoughts turned to the disgraced X gas van once
again, and I remembered taking out some Green flag rescue cover before we
went to the British championship trial in Richmond . A quick rummage through
the litter, and I found the policy document complete with free phone number.
One phone call and YES! You are covered for recovery, what like 280 miles
to Portsmouth? YES, can you pick us up at 5pm NO PROPLEM, Great so now we
can enjoy the rest of the afternoon.So it was back to the trials . After lunch
I spent some time watching the A group riding and noticed that Chris`s brother
James is getting pretty good on that Beta of his,I never thought he would
get very far because of his fear of drops, and lack of attack but he might
prove me wrong yet. Martin was imprested with Will West on his Skoda, and
said " he gets away with things even when he's wrong, If he can sort himself
out he will be bloody good.The days riding ended with a knock out hill climb
competion , starting with a straight Hill , and then after each round they
put in a tighter , and tighter , bend mid way up the hill. After the last
man had been knocked out, Dougie rode all the way up it on the back wheel
and all the way down it on his front wheel even around the bends. Next while
James and Ben looked for some steps for him to ride up, he rode up to Lee
Haydons Beta which was stood up on its stand and just hoped over it as if
it wasn't there. After a few more displays of brilliance from god it was back
to the vans for the presentation, every one got attendance awards, but Chris
& Chris Allford got awards for the most improved riders in the B group , and
Dougie made a special award to our Chris for the best crash of the day. After
this it was pack up vans time everyone saying goodbye, no one wanted to go
home but we had a recovery truck to catch. We left Silsden at 5.20pm and after
a short stop at Lestershire we got to Portsmouth at 11.40 pm, we towed the
X gas van onto the ferry at 12.15am and arrived home at 2am. A brilliant time
was had by all in what was two days we will never forget, but beware THE TWIN
TOWERS OF SHEFFIELD.
the end by A.S.
Geoff Chandler Trophy Trial....17th
August 03
Chris continued his unbeaten run of D class victory's on
the 17 August, with a easy win in the Geoff Chandler trophy trial near Romsey.
A silly 5 on section one on the second lap nearly mest things up, but Chris
pulled himself together and didn't loose any more points all day. His D class
days are coming to and end, the good old TY80 is starting to hold him back,
after the last British championship round near York on the 13 Sept he must
move on. Having already won a C class on his Yam we know he will kick some
ass when he gets a real bike, the bet is that he will beat his 17 year old
brother James with in 2 years , James says no way, Chris says no problem ,
I say nothing would suprise me with Chris .
Exmoor clubs August trial
24th August 03
On Sunday the 24 August we drove down to the Brendon hills
in Somerset to compete in the Exmoor clubs August trial .catching the 7.00
am ferry and arriving at 10.30am Lee Haydon rode the A route and came second
, James rode the B route and came second, I borrowed Rory Stephens Sherco,
and would have came second had it not been for some dodgey marking . Will
West also rode the youth B route and had a day best forgotten , Chris rode
the C route on his TY, and I did the minding. From the start the west country
people looked at Chris as if to say : what are you doing here on that thing:
but after he did the first section of the day in fine style he got a round
of applause. At the end of the day everyone was asking how old he was, and
when you say he's only 8 they all thought he was brilliant. Chris was the
only D class rider in the trial, but the secretary of the meeting said that
they would give him a award any way for doing so well, he finished on 82 and
again beat many of the adults on the C route, which must piss you right off
i suppose.
Well
done Chris
This Friday its off to Yorkshire again for the last round
of the British youth C/D championships, and on the way we are going to pick
up Josh Stephens new 2004 125 Sherco if it arrives in time .It looks as if
Chris will be riding for GP BETA soon , but until the 04 bikes arrives nothing
can be finalised . I rejetted the carb on the TY , it has a 5 speed G/box,
and now goes better than ever . Chris has been practising really hard lately
on both his motorbike and even harder on the push bike and is getting better
all the time. I wont let him to go to Yorkshire and just enjoy himself , but
i think he's got it in his head to really kick some ass . By the way , Josh
Stephens dad Rory , Chris brother James, and Jack Ayres have all entered the
Scott trial , so that should be the end of them . I finished it in 1980 and
have never really been the same since. Last weeks IOW championship trial was
cancelled on Saturday night, due to a cock up with the permit. So every one
went practicing from 10.30 am to 7.00 pm, Chris was knackered, so roll on
the weekend. Chris won the last round of the British youth C/D championships
in Yorkshire, on Saturday the 13th Sept, beating the 03 British champion Joel
Edwards into second place by 5 points. Jack Ayres helped me with the minding
and it helped a lot having two people looking after Chris, it spread the pressure
and kept things cool. Thanks Jack we O you one. Chris was third after the
first lap on 4, but then went and cleaned the second lap. I knew that was
good when Jack handed in the punch card and came running out of the score
tent with a smile on his face, but i had to stop him telling Chris because
the same thing happened in the last round in Wales, and then lap 3 went wrong
and he ended up third. We pushed on and Chris had two easy dabs on the last
lap to take his score to 6 all day. When we got to the last and hardest section
of the day, Chris was the second to last rider through and everyone was waiting
there, someone asked me if i knew who Chris Stay was so i pointed him out
to them. Everyone waited and watched when Chris rode through the tricky rock
section for a one me and Jack knew he had it. What a way to end the British
championship, at the top of the tree, roll on next year. A.S.
jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
D
class 1st 2003
YMCA round Sept 28th 03
It was at the last British championship round in Yorkshire
that Chris Allford's dad asked me, (are you going to the Y.M.C.A. trial on
Sept 28?). Jack Ayres always rides in their trials and he was going anyway,
so i thought we would give it a go despite the fact that there was a trial
on the island the same day. The Y.M.C.A. have their own British championship
and all youth classes ABCD are held on the same day, also adults can ride
if they so wish, it seems to work ok despite some queuing. So Jack took Chris
off to Derbyshire on Friday diner time, as he had permission to practice on
the Saturday. They slept in Jack's transit Friday night, in a pub car park
near Alferton, and then went practising all day near Matlock. I travelled
up the 220 miles Saturday night in the car and met them in the aforementioned
pub. I've sorted out the B&B said Jack, every where is full but we can sleep
in the van in a barn down the road! But we can have breakfast and a shower
there in the morning. Nice one Jack. So after waking up to the sound of Jack's
ass letting go, we had the breakfast and shower, loaded up the bikes and headed
for the trial about 5 miles away. The venue was every trials rider's dream,
a wooded hillside full of rocks of every shape and size you could wish for.
Enough for a million club trials. With venue's like that it's no wonder that
all the top youth rider's in the country turn up to ride. Chris started the
first of the 4 lap's with a steady 4 mark's lost, but then but in two stunning
single mark lap's to take his score to 6. On section 5 on the last lap, to
much Fugi gas bounced him off a rock step in to a small hole, but some quick
thinking and determined leg work from Chris got him out for a three. He rode
the rest of the lap clean to finish the day on 9, a score that gave no indication
of the severity of the course, and another well deserved win over British
D class champion Joel Edward's. But how the mighty fall, after the trial Chris
was doing his no feet look back jumps, when he landed side ways on some bloke
on a Gas Gas minding his own business and cut his face on his footrest. So
not so clever mister smart ass, are we!.
Have today received results from last sundays Y.M.C.A. national
in Derbyshire. I knew Chris had won but didn't know the other's scores.
Well, Chris lost 9 and the runner up was British 03 D class champion Joel
Edward's on 26 , a stunning ride from chris which as i said didn't reflect
the toughness of the section's, he just seems to improve every time he gets
on the bike. Also Jack Ayres who chris travelled up to Derbyshire with last
Friday lost 88 to win the adult expert class, he deserved that for helping
with Chris and all the travelling to the nationals he's been doing lately.
We must be doing something right. A.S.
Scott Trial
This week it's flat out every spare minute, to try and get
every thing ready for the Scott on Saturday, and the last YMSA national in
Derbyshire on Sunday. The past 2 week's we have had 2 championship club trial's
on the Island, of which Jack Ayres won the expert class both time's with Lee
Haydon second. Jack has closed the gap, and there is only 4 point's between
the leader Martin Holbrook, lee, and Jack, three hungry dog's but only one
bone at the end of the year im afraid. Chris won by 12 point's the first week,
but George Gosden just beat him in the second trial when Chris had a silly
5 on the last section of the day. This is good news as a good beating now
and then; keep's him on his toes. But the real hot news form the island, is
that 14 year old Will West rode the A route for the first time, i went around
with him to do the minding, and will came fourth overhaul. Beating James,
Rory Stephen's, and nearly getting the better of Martin Holbrook. So that's
it on Saturday James, Rory, and Jack will all die on the north Yorkshire moor's,
and on Sunday what's left, plus Chris, Lee, Jack's brother Sam, and Will West,
will all ride in the YMSA trial, and by Sunday night we will all be F@@@@@!!!!
A hectic weekend for all not least the rider's. Friday and
off we go 10am ferry and up to BVM in our new sprinter, six bike's in the
back in various stages of dismantle, Rory, Josh, and his sister, James, Chris,
Lee, and me all on board. After picking up the bit's we need and a chat with
Steve (Sunders that is) off we go again M5, M42, M1, STOP. You don't go up
the M1 on a Friday, try A46, solid, try A1, for 3 mile's great and then STOP
again. 1hour later and 5 mile's on we finally start to make some progress,
arriving at Scotch corner at around 9pm. So off we got to the local chip ship
in Richmond, for chips, kebab meat, sauce on top, plus a drink, all for £1.80.
What sauce would you like with the meat said the very nice lady as she walked
around the corner to the sauce pots. Suddenly her inside leg was taken from
under her by a misplaced chip, up in the air went the large carton of chip
down on the floor she went, flat on her back, and then down on her rained
the chips. The height of embarrassment for her, but the height of amusement
for us, especially Lee who had to leave the shop in fit's of laughter. Saturday
7am and James is dragged out of his bed like a condemned man, we arrived at
the start at 8am which didn't leave much time to get the six petrol can's
required on to the fuel truck's which leave the start at 8.15.
It was bloody cold at the start as we finished getting the
bikes ready and prepared for the start. The first man was away by 9.am and
by 10am the last of the 200 rider's had left the start, including James Rory
and Jack. Having only ever ridden in the Scott and not actually watched it,
I was not shore wear to go so we just followed the works vans. About 15 miles
of single track roads later and we are at the side of a narrow country lane
in the middle of no where with about a 1000 other people. As we arrived the
first riders started to fly through a narrow gap in the middle of the crowed
at speed, locking their back wheels and flying around the corner and disappearing
across the moors. Jack was the first of our lads to arrive, 'Are you ok Jack"
we asked, no i looped the f`in bike on the second section and snapped the
back mud guard. Don't worry just go, there's nothing else to do. Off he went,
next to arrive was Rory 10 min's later, Rory was going like a train, everyone
started to leave but no James. We went up the road to the first fuel stop
but his can was still there so he hadn't got there yet. It turned out that
he run out of fuel a mile from the first stop and was trying to push his bike
across the moor. Me and Lee grabbed his can from the fuel stop and started
running across the moor to fill him up. All the top riders had gone through
so now James was at the back of the field. We moved on to the next road crossing
about 4 mile's away but most riders had gone on through, so we drove on to
Reeth and then followed some enduro riders up to a section called Surrender.
This is a real picture post card place high up on the moors,
but on Scott trial day it is just a section called Surrender. There must have
been hundreds of cars parked all over the road side, a bit like the M25 on
a Friday afternoon, and thousands of people watching the riders ride up the
rocky river bank. Jack had gone through but Rory arrived just as we got there
and was still going ok, about 35 min's later James came through and he was
catching up a bit, we had to change his left foot rest and he was starting
to tyre a bit but not to bad. So off he went to face the famous Grouse moor,
about 15 miles of bogs and rocky valleys that show no mercy. We moved up the
road about 1 mile to the next fuel stop and waited for our lads to arrive,
first through Jack now with a new mud guard and going fine 20 min's later
Rory, still smiling and feeling fine. So we waited for James, and we waited,
and waited, 1hr 30min's later the fuel stop is closed, and 15 min's later
down the hill side comes James. He got off his bike and collapsed on the ground
still panting, and totally knackered, he'd reached just over the half way
point, which is what he set out to do. He got up after 5min's and limped to
the van, he started to smile again and said next year I'm going all the way,
I'm going to beat this bastard trial. So we drove back to the last section
of the day just in time to see the front runners through, which meant our
lads would be about 2hr's away, so we drove back to the finish to get some
food and drink inside of James who was starting to get cold again. We had
some food and was waiting around when suddenly Josh come running up to our
van shouting 'Dads back' we all ran to the finish and yes there he was wandering
around in a daze, 7hrs and 35mins after he started Rory had finished the Scott.
And to top it all while we were still celebrating 10min's after Rory in came
Jack ''double cerebration''.
The celebrations moved to the large marquee where the main
sponsor T W bikesport was handing out the whisky Mac which went down a treat,
i think Roy & Jacks dose didn't even touch the sides. The atmosphere in that
tent was amazing, almost worth the 320 mile drive just to be there, but it
was starting to get dark so we had to load the bikes up and get back to the
travel lodge at Scotch corner. After a wash and change of cloths we drove
back to Richmond to attend the charity auction and awards presentation at
the Kings head hotel, The auction was cool with the likes of Malcom Rathmell
modelling some of his old 1970 trials cloths for sale, the large room was
packed like sardines, and it was great to rub shoulders with the likes of
Jarvis-Lampkin-Hemingway-Conner etc. etc, sort of hanging out with the who's
who of the British trials scene. The atmosphere built to a climax as the top
awards where announced, but when it got to Jarvis's turn some dick sat behind
us started booing every time his name was mentioned. He made himself look
a right idiot but everyone started looking in our direction, soon Jarvis's
misses came over to our table asking who was doing the booing, she was not
amused. I pointed to where he'd been sat but he'd gone through the crowed,
i said leave it it's just some dickhead making himself look stupid, but she
had red in her eyes. We got up and followed her out, as we past the bar James
saw the heckler and pointed him out to her, she went straight up to him, started
to give him a mouthful and then slapped the bloke right around the face, he
said something back to her so she hit him again, excellent stuff, and all
for free, some people will pay good money for that sort of treatment.
Sunday morning 7.30am and where on the road again, 2 and
half hour drive down to Mattock and the last Y.M.S.A. national of the year
at bracken rocks. An excellent venue for trials which as its name suggests
is a wooded bracken covered hillside full of rocks. All the top youths attend
these trials so it's the place to be. After dragging six bikes out of the
van and putting them back together, we are ready for the start. But first
they present the awards form the last round, so first up winner of the D class
Chris Stay, round of applause and a trophy nearly as big as him, nice will
come again. Then it's down to the trial, as it was the last round the sections
were spiced up a bit so Jack and James really struggled on the first lap,
and both retired unable to hold onto their bikes. The first section of the
day for the D class was the hardest section, but Chris worked really hard
for a well deserved 3, only one other rider got through on the first lap.
All the other sections were good but tricky. Chris had a steady day, nothing
special. But the small wheeled TY80 was no match for Joel Edward's larger
wheeled Beta over the slippery rocks, so we had to settle for second place
and more experience gained than staying at home. We had a better day than
Jonathan Stewart who finished forth in the British championship this year,
he rides one of those Gas Gas automatic things and snapped it clean in half,
forks in one hand, bike in the other. In the C class Josh Stephen's, inspired
by his fathers finish in the Scott, had his best ever ride on the new Sherco
to take 6th place. But Will West struggled against the big shots in the B
class and lost over 150. As the trial finished the light was going so we quickly
loaded up the bikes and headed south, 4 hours later and we are on the 9pm
ferry and home by 10. When we got home Chris received the best home coming
present he could have, his official invite to the A.C.U. 2003 awards ceremony
in Birmingham in January, so now he's really famous.
Latest news after last night's committee meeting is that
it's all go for the Charity trial on Dec 14, in aid of the local hospice and
Mc millan nurse appeal. The trial will start at 11am 4 route's punch card's,
award's for every class presented after the trial on the podium, plus Champagne.
10 meca section's put on by trial's rider's, each section hopefully sponsored,
food at the start, entry fee £10, and as much press coverage as we can muster.
Be there or be yellow bellied chicken shit. Tell your friend's, and they can
be chicken shit too. come and help us raise a stack of money for a bloody
good cause. Entry fee includes £2 day membership of the IOWMCC. More detail's
as I get them.
Just to let you know that Chris on his push bike and Jack
& Lee on their trials bikes are doing a demonstration at the Wight air extreme
sports festival, at Sandown on Saturday afternoon. They have spent 3 days
setting it up so it should be a wicked show. Both Chris and Lee are much better
on their push bikes than their motorbikes. On Sunday we are going to watch
James Lee and Jack ride in the southern centre championship trial at Fawley.
The Rest of the year look's like this:- Nov 5 BVM test day.
Nov 16 IW trial. Nov 23 Hungry hill trial Aldershot, Nov 30 IW trial, Dec
7 Southern championship trial Fawley, Dec 14 Wightlink charity trial Shorwell
IOW. Dec 21 Southern experts. Dec 26 boxing day trial IOW. Dec 28 IW trial.
Three members of the IOW motorcycle club took part in last Sundays southern
centre championship trial at Fawley, all three were in the point's this time,
but only just. In the expert class Lee Haydon finally got the better of his
main opponent on the Island Jack Ayres, when he came home in seventh place
loosing 76 marks. While Jack couldn't get to grips with the slippery course
over steep banks and tree roots, losing 99 points to finish tenth. In the
Clubman's class James stay was having one of his better days, and held the
lead until the half way point, but as the course became more difficult James
main rivals found their forum and he slipped back to third, despite this James
still holds on to third place in the clubman's championship. Back at home
James 9 year old brother Chris has become the first Island trials rider to
be invited to the A.C.U. awards presentation ceremony in Birmingham at the
end of the year, following his fourth place in the British championships and
his victory in the last round.
This week he will be testing new bikes, and is expected to
be one of the youngest riders in the country to be sponsored, by a major trials
team. Two days before Chris was due to go to Glostershire to test the new
2004 trials bikes, he has tonight been taken into hospital to have his appendics
removed. This now means that Chris won't be back on his bike until early December....
A.Stay
The latest news from the IOWMCC is that nearly all of the
sections at the forthcoming Wight link charity trial have been sold to local
businesses at £100 each, and a ground force from the club has already started
to work on some of the sections, some of which it is hoped will be world class.
There is enough scope at Shorwell chalk pit to challenge anyone without using
to many flags, all we need is the riders to come and help make it a great
trial. The owner of the venue has a collection of old lorries and his latest
toy is a 10 ton twin cylinder stationary engine, it has a crankshaft and flywheel
that weighs in at 4ton and on the day of the trial he's promised to fire it
up, so if you love real power be there just for the buzz. Following on from
yesterdays E mail all the sections at the trial have now been sponsored, which
means that over £1000 has been raised for the local hospice before the trial
even starts. The doctor said rest at home for 2 weeks after the operation,
no exercise for 4 weeks, and no trials until mid December, but after watching
trials videos none stop for 1 week it was too much to bear so out came the
trusty push bike when mum's not around. A weeks secret training instead of
school, and there is no stopping him. The IOW championship trial last Sunday
and Chris is back on the sean, much to everyone's disgust. The morning trial
on the D route for beginner's and youth D riders was a nice gentle start,
but a little bit harder than usual. Chris was not going to try too hard, take
it easy, have fun, but no he went and pissed everyone off, by not loosing
any points and thrashing everyone. In the afternoon he rode in the C class
on the C course and yes you guest it he lost 15 marks and won the class by
9 points, only 3 adults beat him, and some lost over 60, how can we stop him.
The frightening thing is that he will be getting his new BETA from John Lampkin
soon, and then no one will be safe. Last Sunday as it was a nice day we went
and rode in the jolly Hungry hill trial, kindly organised by those sporting
chaps from the Thames club. And a lovely day we all had too, despite the monsoon
that lasted from Saturday until Sunday evening, what fun. And by Monday evening
i could just about feel my legs again, after running 2 laps of Hungry hill
dressed in full waterproof gear. With 115 entries and little day light many
riders failed to finish, including Rory & Josh Stephen's, and Jim West from
the Island. But James & Chris did manage to get round after doubling up on
the second lap, Will west also finished despite loosing 20 marks through having
the flags pulled on him in the last 4 sections, he still came home in second
place in the youth B class. James had a poor first lap, but improved on the
second & third, to take third in the intermediates, while Chris took his D
class victories to 17 this year, despite loosing over 100 marks on a course
that was never meant for a TY80. Now this is the worrying bit, on friday 28
november we will be driving up to Silsden Yorkshire in the Sprinter to collect
Chris's new 04 BETA 80 from John Lampkin. It is the first in the country,
And from now on no one will be safe. Photo's to follow, in the mean time,
check out the shot of Chris doing a real ENDO.
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Wightlink
charity trial
Every so often in any club's history there are events that
people will remember for a very long time, and last week's Wightlink charity
trial held at Shorwell chalk quarry, was certainly one of the most successful
events that the IOW motorcycle club has ever held. The main objective of the
competition was to raise money for the local Earl mountbatton hospice, and
after all the sums are done the club expects to have raised over two thousand
pounds for the charity. Competitors came from all over the country to take
part, and not one of then went home disappointed, apart from D class rider
Chris Alford who lost the runner up spot by one point to local favourite Chris
Stay, so had an empty handed drive back to lincolnshire, another local rider
George Gosden took the top honours in this class losing just 7 points. The
C course was graced with the presence of the great Sammy Miller in the Pre
65 class, and Sam gave a master class in machine control,cruising to a four
point victory over local rider Howard Jacobs and the chasing pack. The youth
C class was always going to be a battle between the best two in the south,
Alan Ayres, and the Islands Josh Stephens. Alan had never been beaten before,
but Josh had the ride of his life to drop one point all day and beat Alan
by 8. It wasn't a good day for the Ayres family, as Alan's dad the great Big
Benny Ayres, who is normally king of the clubmans class in the south, was
beaten in to third place for the first time by local riders James Stay and
Rory Stephens on the B route intermediate class. While the youth B class was
easily won by the southern B class champion Will West. One of the outstanding
rides of the trial was that of 17 year old Becky Cook, as she thrashed all
the male competitors to easily win the youth A class. Becky was riding her
brother's montesa, as her bike's gearbox gave up two days before the trial,
she now plans to contest next years british ladies trials championship, so
don't be suprised to see a new name amongst the main contenders next year.
The main class of the day for the spectators was that of the adult experts,
and here we saw two of the south's best riders Andy Blackman, and Wayne Holdsworth,
going head to head against the islands top two riders, jumping Jack Ayres,
and Lee Haydon. The course these Experts were faced with was nothing short
of spectacular, with everything from some massive climbs up the sides of the
quarry, to a four foot step at the end of sections four and five. Right from
the start Jack Ayres was up for the challenge and after the second lap was
the clear leader, while Lee's bike decided to let him down halfway through
lap one. As the trial moved into laps 3 & 4 both Blackman and Holdsworth's
experience started to tell as there respective lap scores started to drop
into single figures, while Jack could show no improvement on his first two
laps. So with a stunning final lap score of just five marks lost it was Blackman
who took the top honours, four ahead of Holdsworth, with Ayres a further three
marks behind in third place. With a computerised results program in use, the
results were printed out 10 minutes after the last rider had finished his
final lap, and all the awards were presented for everyone to take home, with
the top 3 riders also receiving bottles of champagne. Apart from an entry
of only sixty riders it was the perfect trial, but with everyone going home
happy next year's event looks like being even bigger.
RESULTS.... EXPERTS 1 ...Wightlink charity shield A Blackman
52.... 2 W Holdsworth 56... 3 J Ayres 59 ....4 .L Haydon 11
INTERMEDIATES 1 R Stephens 42.. 2 J Stay 44 ..3 B Ayres
46
NOVICE 1 G Groombridge 8.. 2 G Bayton 15 ..3 R Button 52
PRE 65 1.. S Miller 9.. 2 H Jacobs 13.. 3 N Crouch 15
Twinshock 1.. S West 2.. 2 J Cotton 19 ..3 P Tricket 44
YOUTH A 1. B Cook 72.. 2 S Ayres 81.. 3 T Latham 96
YOUTH B 1 W West 64.. 2 T Haydon 108 ..3 A Guster 116
YOUTH C 1 J Stephens 1.. 2 A Ayres 9.. 3 J West 28
YOUTH D 1 G Gosden 7.. 2 C Stay 13.. 3 C Alford 14
Christmas
time
Xmas is normally a time for getting piss'st and relaxing
but for Chris and the IOW trials boys it's been hard work and none stop action
all over the holiday, with 7 days practice, 3 trials, and the annual pilgrimage
to Sheffield indoor to remind ourselves why we do it.
The Boxing day trial and Chris lost 6 marks to win his first
C class on the new Beta despite not actually becoming a C class rider until
Jan the first 04. On Dec 28 we went to the last centre championship trial
of 03 at Ringwood, Chris had some cracking rides to take the runner up place
in the C class, only beaten by Alan Ayres the 03 C class champion who is three
years older, while Will West just won youth B by 2 marks. On the last day
of the year 14 riders from the island went to the Waltham chase charity trial
at Hut hill, it's a bit like a mini Hungry hill, slightly sandy ground that
turns to shit when it gets wet, with tree routes and slippery banks all thrown
in.
This was the day that Chris produced his best ride yet, he
surprised me, and everyone who saw him ride that day. With some stunning rides
and throttle control he lost just 7 marks on a course that saw many adults
loosing 5 after 5, even the trial organiser said she couldn't believe it when
she added up his score's. The transformation from TY80 to Beta is now complete,
and it spell's danger for everyone, it's just not normal for a 9 year old
to do the thing's he can do on a motorbike. He can only get better providing
he stay's injury free, and this is the one big danger that i see, because
he's got so much confidence and gut's on the bike that he will throw himself
at anything, the best is yet to come.
A. Stay.
Chris
on new Beta
