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 Rockshocks Classic Trials Championship                  Round 5: Devonport MCC  17/06/2023 

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                                              Report and Photographs by John Dickinson

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The 11 event 2023 series moved to deepest Devon on the weekend of June 17/18 for rounds five and six when the Devonport and West of England clubs joined forces to promote a superb double-header in the south of the county.

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It was a unique weekend for the series with both days spent deep in the extensive heavily wooded areas that this area is known for. Both trials were excellent and enjoyed by the majority, the only downside being relatively small entries of around 50 riders each day so huge thanks to the clubs for cracking on and providing two excellent trials that was appreciated by all who turned out.

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Saturday was courtesy of the Devonport gang who made excellent use of their venue at Preston Combe, Woodleigh, Kingsbridge, and in keeping with the recent hot, sunny weather, the shade of the woods was appreciated - although the horsefly bites were less of a pleasure!

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                                       The 20 sections, lapped twice as usual, were variations on a theme based on the deep                                                   goyles and ravines prevelant in the south Devon countryside. A mid-day start was given to                                             allow travelling competitors  time to maybe avoid an extra night's accommodation and then a                                         four and a half hour time limit...the latter having to prove flexible in the end...

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                                       Starting with the Clubman classes, local ace Martin Gilbert was in a class of his own in Air-                                               cooled Mono on the Fantic, dropping a mere six marks, three individual dabs and a sole                                                 three dropped on the sixteenth section first time through before cleaning it on the second                                             lap.

 

North west visitor Keith Burgess finished runner-up on his TY Yam with Montesa 309

mounted Pete Blowers, from even further north west (Barrow-in Furness, Cumbria) a close

third.

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The largest class was Clubman Twinshock with 17 hopefuls leaving the start. But there was

only one winner and that was Derrick Edmondson who has really got to grips with the

200 Honda. Even Derrick admitted that he could virtually do no wrong on the day.

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Derrick's two mark ride, both single dabs on the first lap, was the only single score in class with runner-up, Yorkshire's Michael Platts on his 250 Honda TLR (by TLR Transformations) on 10 while Andrew Dawson (Fantic) foiled an all-Honda podium by pipping Cumbria's Mark Barrow (only a 360 mile drive!) on a tie-break after both riders dropped a round dozen marks.

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                                                  The second biggest class, with eleven contenders, was Clubman Britshock but again                                                      there was a runaway winner with Yorkshireman Nigel Greenwood on his Bantam. Four                                                    dabs and a two mark loss second time through section 12 saw Nigel home on just six                                                      marks and another major Championship points boost.

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                                                 There were three different machines in the top three as Darren Walker took his BSA                                                       single into second place on the day ahead of Chris Myers, from Coniston in the Lake                                                       District, third on his twin-cylinder Triumph Tigress engined Tribsa. Two fives on the first                                                   lap stopped his bid for max Champs points.

 

 

On to the Expert classes and there was a close finish in Air-cooled Mono as Fantic mounted

Ian Peberdy pipped Roman Kyrnyckyj, all the way from Scunthorpe in North Lincs. Two fives

on the second circuit spoiled Roman's bid for victory on his Honda TLM260R.

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And it was another TLM260R completing the podium with Matt Spink - who has competed

on quite an array of machinery - in third. Matt commented that he 'absolutely loves' riding

the Honda two-stroke. (Woody's edit - get the Beamish out you big wuss)

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                                                  The Expert classes were sadly depleted but in Twinshock there was only one finisher                                                      which was Will Tolson who would have taken some beating by anyone on a cracking                                                      score of 19 on the Fantic.

 

                                                  Mick Thompson took a nasty tumble on the exit to section 19 on the opening lap when                                                    his tidy Majesty pitched him back into the steep, narrow gully and caused his                                                                    retirement.

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This left just Britshock Expert and as with the Clubman class it was a Bantam

winner, this time with Dave Sherlock on board, his score of 58 just two better

than Paul Dennis, another Yorkshire visitor. Cub mounted Youth Fnlay Clarke

bagged third on another Cub while Kevin Ellis thumped into fourth on his sweet

running BSA Gold Star.

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The Clubmen cracked on to meet the four and a half hours 'time limit' but the

Experts struggled with the long, tricky sections and had only completed their

first lap by four-thirty! But the club used discretion and allowed them to continue

and to be fair they fair whistled round the second circuit to bring the day to a successful close.

One day down and one to go...