The ACU Acklams Beta British Youth Trials Championship kicked off its 2018 season at Scarlett Point on the Isle of Man with the beautiful coastal venue providing the perfect backdrop to open the series.
Joe Faunthorpe and Daniel Slack were neck and neck in the newly reintroduced A class, with Joe taking his Beta to a two mark victory over Daniel Slack on his MRS Sherco, with Will Dalton in third and Adam Harris in fourth losing out on the countback with Dalton.
Jack Dance laid down a marker in B class with a close win over Scotsman Ben Dignan, losing 26 to Dignan’s 27. Scorpa mounted Reece Gazzard took the final place on the podium in third.
The Hemingway brothers were clear of the opposition in C standard wheel, Harry putting in a stunning ride to lose 5 marks, with George second on 21 and Charlie Crossland third on 53.
Euan Simm made the trip from Scotland worthwhile taking the win on C medium wheel with local rider Stanley Cubbon clear of the field in D medium wheel, with Ellis Barton top of the pile in D small wheel.
The organising Isle of Man Youth Trials Club chose a very contrasting venue for the second day of competition which formed round 2 of the championship, on the steep wooded hillside of Kings Forest located centrally on the Island.
The expected rain thankfully stayed away but a very testing course was laid out which certainly tested the skills and endurance of riders and parents alike.
Daniel Slack mastered the conditions best in the A class and took his first victory of the season with a convincing win from Irish rider Adam Harris, with Joe Faunthorpe dropping to third and William Dalton completing the top four positions, all covered by 8 marks.
In B class it already looks like it might be a three way fight for the championship with Northern Irish rider Reece Gazzard turning on the style to take his first B class win and improve from third the previous day. Scottish rider Ben Dignan was second again just 6 marks behind with Jack Dance completing the podium after his win on the day 1.
It was a repeat of the previous day in C Class which saw Harry Hemmingway dominate again, losing an unbelievable 15 marks to brother George's 85, with Charlie Crossland third.
In C medium wheel it was Jasper Fox who came out on top on the second day just managing to hold off Toby Shaw by 1 mark, with Euan Sim taking the final podium spot.
William Sagar was the winner in D Medium wheel from Elliot Smith and Joe Drysdale whilst leading the way in the Small Wheel class for the second day running was Oset mounted Ellis Barton followed by two Manx riders, Jacob Wilson and Liam Barker who both rode the latest Beta electric bikes.
Photos by Brian Maddrell