Alton DMCC pulled out all the stops to host the first round of the ACU Southern Centre Trials Championship with the Kenchington Trophy Trial, with the persistent wet weather causing the trial to be moved to Frensham Vale from Steep Marsh at short notice. Heavy rain the day before threatened the viability of the trial but the club’s hard work paid off with the 97 riders enjoying a sunny day for the trial itself. Several sections turned into mud swamps but there was grip in most places and the sensible widening of gates helped riders on all four routes.
Tom Moss was the first rider through the first section for a clean and he put on a superb show cleaning the first eleven sections on lap one before taking a dab over a tricky tree stump on section 12. As conditions deteriorated he dropped just three dabs on lap 2 and a further three on on the last lap on section 4 which had two challenging muddy climbs over tree roots. Losing just seven gave 2023 champion Moss a clear win on his first visit to Frensham Vale as he aims to add to his Solo Star Trophy collection. He finished twenty five marks ahead of Andy Blackman who lost twenty one out of his thirty two on two of the drier sections 11 and 12. On 11 the experts having to jump from one set of tree roots to another caught several riders out and on 12 Blackman had two fives with the back wheel slipping off the final stump and taking out the flag. Ben Lovelace started with a tough three on section 2 but pushed through for third only three marks ahead of the ever improving Oli Gray. Having moved up to youth A this season Richie Keet put in an impressive ride to outscore 2023 champion Rowan Stewart and Kai Fisher.
Kev Nolan edged out James Gammons in the clubman experts, closely matched, Nolan posted 3-5-5 and Gammons 6-3-8 for Nolan to take the class on the last lap. On the B Route Gary Tarrant’s determination gave him the Past Masters class win, he finished eight ahead of Ian Wakeford. They matched each other on 4 on the first lap but a five on section 2 for Wakeford on lap 2 and much cursing as he lost grip on some of the muddy cross cambers meant he lost eleven to Tarrant’s two on the second lap. Despite scoring one less on the final lap Wakeford had to settle for second. This is a tightly contested class with the next four riders covered by just five marks. Ollie Bundry created his own class Youth A/B and had a good ride to post what would have been a top six adult score. Having a rare trials ride, TT and Paris Dakar rider James Hillier showed his versatility topping Clubman B, he held off talented Isle of Wight newcomer Ajay Shaw by fifteen in a high scoring class. Hillier was also pleased to have scored less than his oldest son Youth B rider Monty, although he wasn’t sure how long that would continue. David James although not feeling 100% put on his determined ‘race face’ to top the competitive Youth B, he finished two ahead of Howard Mumford with Tommy Keet just ten behind on his Beta 80.
On the Sportsman B/C Route Jake Lawes finished seven ahead of 2023 joint champion Tom De Jonge.On the C Route back riding regularly after a break Simon Rye showed his experience posting the lowest score of sixteen as he finished seven ahead of Reynard Norris in the Veterans. 2023 Veteran C Champion Tim Owen who is currently injured should be back soon, he watched son Scott start his 2024 Southern Centre campaign with a good win by seventeen over Connor Shaw in the novices. The most impressive ride on the route came from Peter Gray riding for the first time in three years, he muscled the 500cc Ariel HT around in the mud losing just twenty five to finish ahead of Bob Hampton in the Pre67 George Allen class. Dad Jim Gray was the sole runner in the Pre67 D winning on his Tiger Cub.
John Hunter had a good ride in his first Southern Centre Championship trial with the lowest score on the D route for the main class win by two marks from Laura Ciotte. Dexter Rowden was the Youth D winner in a strong class of young petrol runners finishing nine ahead of Reuben Keet who pipped Islander Riley Baker by one.
The Alton Team with support from the ACU Southern Centre got the championship off to a great start. They were rewarded with a big entry of 97 riders including an eighteen strong Youth Contingent who are looking forward to Alton’s ACU Belle Trailers National Youth Championship rounds on the 6th/7th July.
Results (Top Six)
Experts A: Tom Moss (GasGas) 7, Andy Blackman (Beta) 32, Ben Lovelace (GasGas) 41, Oli Gray (Beta) 44, Brian Francis (TRS) 52, Tom Richards (GasGas) 66, Glenn Bailey (TRS) 88
Clubman Expert A/B: Kev Nolan (Vertigo) 13, James Gammons (Vertigo) 17, Wayne Holdsworth (GasGas) 28, Jamie Rowden (Vertigo) 39, Ben Harmon (GasGas) 39, Bailey Tibbs (Beta) 42
Past Master B: Gary Tarrant (GasGas) 12, Ian Wakeford (GasGas) 20, Andy Ball (Beta) 30, Keith Hitchings (TRS) 33, Colin Allsop (Scorpa) 35, Paul Doney (GasGas) 35.
Clubman B : James Hillier (Montesa) 74, Ajay Shaw (TRS) 89, John Attwood (Beta) 115, Peter Hinton (GasGas) 117, Rob Baker (TRS) 122
Sportsman B/C:, Jake Lawes (Beta) 18, Tom De Jonge (Vertigo) 25, Simon Dean (Beta) 33, Graham King (Vertigo) 41
Novice C: Scott Owen (GasGas) 47, Connor Shaw (TRS) 64, Sam Jurich (Beta) 75, Jacob Ball (Beta) 106
Veteran C: Simon Rye (Beta) 16, Reynard Norris (Beta) 23, Tim Ponting (Montesa) 25, Dave Penfold (GasGas) 26, Tony Billingham (Beta) 26, Shamus Doohan (TRS) 35,
Pre67 C: Peter Gray (Ariel HT5) 25, Bob Hampton (BSA) 53
Adult D: Jon Hunter (Beta) 20, Laura Ciotte (Beta) 22, Lloyd James (Montesa) 31
Pre67 D: Jim Gray (Triumph) 34
Twinshock D: Barry Hickman (Honda) 35
Youth A: Richie Keet (GasGas) 77, Rowan Stewart (TRS) 87, Kai Fisher (TRS) 92
Youth A/B: Ollie Gundry (Beta) 38
Youth B: David James (GasGas) 79, Howard Mumford (GasGas) 81, Tommy Keet (Beta) 89, Joseph Baker (TRS) 93, Monty Hillier (GasGas) 107, Jack Holdsworth (GasGas) 110, Jack Reaney (Beta 125.
Youth C: Katie Butcher (TRS) 50
Youth D: Dexter Rowden (Beta) 24, Reuben Keet (Beta) 33, Riley Baker (TRS) 34, Tommy Wakeford (Beta) 42
Further Information
Full Set of Results see Alton DMCC on facebook
Photographs of the Kenchington - See Awsportsphoto on facebook
For ACU Southern Centre Trials Championship information see ACU Southern Centre on facebook