1973 COLMORE CUP: SOLO
We focus on the solo scene in this second part of the 1973 Colmore Cup Trial feature. Already reported, along with many events that would have opened the year’s sporting season, it had been postponed until 1st April when the 97 solos assembled at the start at Moreton-in-March in Gloucestershire for this longstanding, well-established National trial. Unfortunately, the change of dates meant it would clash with round four of the FIM European Trials Championship, which would mean many of the country’s leading riders would be missing, including Mick Andrews (Yamaha), Geoff Chandler (Montesa), Rob Edwards (Montesa), Jack Galloway (Kawasaki), Martin Lampkin (Bultaco), Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa), Rob Shepherd (Montesa), Richard Sunter (Montesa) and Dave Thorpe (Ossa).
Competing on the solo national scene in the early ’70s meant you would either have a Bultaco or a Montesa or, to be a little different, an Ossa. Riding for any other manufacturer, including the once great British manufacturers, was now old hat, and sooner or later, you would move to a Spanish machine; they were really that good.
Out of this entry of 97 riders, only ten would be riding home-grown machines. Japanese machinery had arrived, but they were still not at the production stage in early 1973. 250cc size engines in the Bultaco, Montesa and Ossa were still very popular, but the option of the 325cc engined Bultaco was favoured by many for its extra power.
Unlike today in the modern world, every national trial had ten potential winners, and the opportunity to even get into the awards usually included a fight between 15 and 20 riders, such was the high standard of riding; it was very competitive, to say the least.
Officially the UK importer for all Montesa off-road motorcycles from 1st January, Jim Sandiford was pushing for his new dealers to support riders on the Spanish machines, as were Comerfords, the official UK Bultaco importers. As you will see, riders receiving dealer support via the importers included Mark Kemp, Clive Smith and Mick Bowers on Montesas and Karl Rowbotham and Steve Wilson on Bultaco, to name but a few.
Jim had also spoken with the factory about the new left-side gear-change Montesa 247 Cota models that were now available to suit the UK market’s needs. In addition, new Bultaco models with blue aluminium fuel tanks also arrived in the UK to service the legal requirements of the UK market.
A SINGLE MARK SEPARATES DUNKLEY
As with the sidecars, the solos also struggled with the dry riding conditions, which had put wheel grip at a premium, with the loose soil and rocks causing many problems.
As with so many trials, the fight for supremacy was apparent early on, with Mark Kemp and Clive Smith in the mix for the best Montesa rider of the day. Unfortunately, one rider who was expected to fight for the win, Alan Lampkin, suffered from a run of three five-mark penalties on the blue fuel tank Bultaco at the opening group of sections at Warner’s Wood.
It was good to see Colchester-based Allen Collier in the mix on his 325cc Bultaco sponsored by Jack Hubbard Motorcycles. The third group at ‘Saintbury’ brought the fight for the win to life as the organisers had used the dry conditions to put in some near-vertical climbs, with many attempts ending in failure. Unfortunately for Tony Davis, it was a painful end to his day’s sport as he crashed heavily on the Bultaco, dislocating his shoulder.
Alan Lampkin had put his earlier disasters behind him and was fighting back up the leaderboard with some inspired riding.
The next major hurdle was the rocky climbs at Fish, where the experienced Paul Dunkley would use all his skills to hold off a late charge
from Brian Higgins. Riding the Sammy Miller Hi-Boy framed 325 Bultaco, Higgins had pushed Dunkley all the way, but he missed the win by a single mark, with the final scores Dunkley 26 and Higgins 27.
As we have already mentioned, the dry riding conditions made every mark lost vital. It was made evident in the final results, where the top ten finishing positions were separated by the closest of margins, third to seventh, all by single marks, as Alan Wright was the first Ossa home on the Cooper Brothers sponsored machine in tenth. Also noted in the awards was Arthur Browning, who had returned to trials on a Bultaco after breaking his leg at the 1972 International Six Days Trial..
1973 COLMORE CUP SOLO
RESULTS: 1: Paul Dunkley (250 Bultaco) 26; 2: Brian Higgins (325 Sammy Miller Bultaco) 27; 3: Alan Lampkin (Bultaco) 31; 4: Mark Kemp (250 Gordon Farley Montesa) 32; 5: Clive Smith (250 JAS Montesa) 32; 6: Allen Collier (325 Hubbard Bultaco) 32; 7: Chris Milner (250 Bultaco) 33; 8: John Kendall (250 Bultaco) 36; 9: Mick Bowers (250 Bonkeys Montesa) 39; 10: Alan Wright (250 Cooper Ossa) 41; 11: Dennis Jones (250 Montesa) 43; 12: Chris Watts (325 Bultaco) 43; 13: Karl Rowbotham (325 KAR Bultaco) 45; 14: Scott Ellis (250 Bultaco) 46; 15: Ray Smith (250 JAS Bultaco) 49; 16: Derek Adsett (250 Ossa) 49; 17: Arthur Browning (250 Bultaco) 52.