Competition
Manx Classic Two Day
The superb Classic International Manx Two Day Trial 2013 hosted a fantastic field of two-hundredand-twenty-three riders from ten different nations: Spain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden, Finland, Eire, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. The ‘Home Countries’ of Northern Ireland, Wales, England and the Isle of Man were also represented, making it a truly international event. The event was won by Paul Heys, who has tried for some years to win the Premier and was quite emotional on stage when being presented with the trophy by the three-times World Trials Champion Yrjo Vesterinen, who had competed on his Bultaco for the first time.
For Rawtenstall’s Paul Heys, winning the Manx International Classic Two-Day Trial for the first time was a dream come true, adding his Pre-65 ‘Scottish’ wins to his growing collection of trophies on his Triumph. It was very close though as Frenchman Michel Ranc was also on four marks. Paul took the verdict by having more cleans: 63 as opposed to Michel’s 62. Paul dropped a one and a three but Michel lost two ‘ones’ and a two. Rob Bowyer on the superb sounding 500cc Triumph Twin must wonder what he has to do to win as, after being the overnight leader, he again finished in third place overall, the same position he’s finished in for the last three years.
The first day started off in sunny conditions as the entry headed out to the groups of hazards, some which had been used in the previous week’s two-day event for modern machines. Some of the riders had mixed fortunes in the early part of the morning where the riders went out to Billown Glen, Moaney Moar, Old Stoney Mountain Quarry, Archallaghan plantation, Cornelly Mines, Sleau Whallian plantation and Ballaspit; all tongue-twisting names of the hazards.
Early fancied runners who lost loose marks on day one were the 2013 Pre-65 ‘Scottish’ winner James Harland, who lost his way in the hazards at Carnagrie just after the lunch stop on his Triumph, and previous winners of this event Roy ‘Ago’ Wilson and John Maxfield, who also parted with unnecessary marks when they missed vital section markers, thus removing themselves from any chance of another win.
In the afternoon a further 14 hazards were attempted at Arrasey plantation, Barrule Beg, South Barrule quarry, Glen Rushen gully, Sloc corner, Ballarock and Pooil Vaaish as the rain stayed away.
Day one had been on the easy side and the top positions were only separated with a handful of marks, with many riders fighting for the treasured top spot. Day two would see it all to play for, with the promise from the organisers of some more testing hazards on the Isle of Man course.
John McGuinness (Triumph)
Barry Kinley (Yamaha)
Oriol Vilarnau (Honda-ESP)
Yrjo Vesterinen (Bultaco)
Dave Thorpe (Triumph)
Dry Day
For day two, on the Sunday, the conditions remained dry but the hazards would be a touch harder to say the least at the 14 groups of hazards on offer in the northern area of the island.
French rider Ranc had not seen his machine until he arrived on the island, having purchased the machine over the phone from Derbyshire-based rider Mark Pearson.
Hays and Ranc parted with four each, with the premier award decided on most cleans. Hays stayed feet-up through 63 of the 65 sections, together with a single one at Cooil Slieu and a three at Cronk Garrow, whilst Ranc had an early one on the second section of the day at Ballanard, and another on the first hazard at King’s Forest followed by a two on the last sub at Cronk Garrow that also caught Heys out. The Frenchman though had won the Best Newcomer, Best Overseas Rider and Best Overseas Newcomer awards to take home with him to France – a happy man.
The best Under-Thirty-Five Rider award went to Russ Rooksby, who was pushed down into third position in front of the leading twin of Rob Bowyer, who in turn pushed out Chris Gascoigne’s Ariel on a tie-break for fourth.
Having made the sea crossing from Ireland Stephen Murphy won the twin-shock premier class for the second year in succession on the Yamaha Majesty. The joint leader with Yorkshireman Mick Jackson, Spain’s Oriol Vilarnau and Manxman Barry Kinley, who all went clean on Saturday, he rode the second day for six to keep Kinley and his 175cc Yamaha off the top spot.
Former World Champion Yrjo Vesterinen, mounted on his Special 270cc Bultaco, hasn’t ridden for many years and the marks he lost on the Saturday were hard to claw back. However he really got to grips with the harder Sunday route and moved up to take third place overall, in front of local man Juan Knight on his SWM.
With its motorcycling heritage the event attracted some added interest from the outright TT lap record holder John McGuinness, TV commentator Steve Plater and the great Mick Grant. These three riders hold 28 TT wins between them. Mick Grant was in joint lead after the first day but slipped back on the Sunday. John McGuinness riding his first ever trial did well to finish midfield in the Clubman class.