This Sunday sees the 2nd Round of the Ladies and Girls Trials Championship take place, the event is hosted by South Shropshire MCC. The trial is at the Willows, Long Lane, Craven Arms, this is a venue that has been used previously on road and club trials but is a new venue for hosting a championship round.
There are 12 sections all based in a compact quarry, with the lap distance less than a mile around, this makes it easy for supporters and spectators to follow the action. Riders will set off at 1 per minute starting from 10:30, each rider will then have 5 ½ hours to complete the 36 sections.
First category away is the Ladies Championship. With Emma Bristow not participating on Sunday the top step of the podium is open for the taking, any of the six entrants are able to make it on to the podium and there will be close fights for each of the podium steps.
Next away are Alice Minta and Ella Doherty in the Girls A class. Both moved up to the class this year after battling against each other last year in the Girls B Class. This year however they ride a 50/50 route, which is 6 sections the same as the Ladies Championship and 6 sections the same as the intermediate class. This gives Alice and Ella the chance to compare their abilities against the top flight class.
Ladies intermediate class has the largest entry with 8 riders. At the first round held by North Berks there were several close battles which will continue this weekend, the spread of marks through-out the class was close and shows that again this will be a class where all have the potential to be on the podium. Although Donna Fox is riding on a no award basis, the World, British and Trials Des Nations rider will be mixing it with the Ladies intermediate on her classic Honda TL 125.
Jazz Hammond is the only rider in the Girls A intermediate class, but as shown at the first round, her final total would have positioned her right in the mix of the Ladies intermediate class. I am sure that Jazz will be keeping her on the Ladies intermediate lap scores to benchmark her performance.
Girls B Class ride Route 2 the same as the intermediate classes.
The final route of the trial is Route 3 which is ridden by Girls C Class, Ladies and Girls Sportswoman non championship. Girls C Class includes the youngest riders of the trial, mixed across electric and petrol motorcycles.
Ladies and Girls Sportswoman are non-championship classes which have three riders each in. Although they are non-championship categories it is good that after riding at the first round the ladies and girls wanted to ride alongside the championship event again.
With battles throughout all classes it is definitely worth attending to see it unfold. A programme with directions from North and South can be found of the South Shropshire MCC Website with the postcode and more information included.