EAST OF ENGLAND TRIAL
Sponsored by Global Racing Oils
June 29th saw the Trials Park at Corton, Suffolk, host the biggest trial of the trials calendar in the Eastern Centre, Staged by the Trials Park and Norfolk & Suffolk group they hosted 104 competitors from all over the country. Based on the ethos of ‘a trial for everyone’, course designers Chris Edwards and Nigel Allan set out 14 sections, of which only 12 were ridden, with Elite, Experts and Intermediates dropping 2 and the same for the Novice and Beginners – 3 laps of 12 sections, giving riders a good ride round the grounds of the Park. So after four months of hard work & planning by the team the event kicked off in perfect conditions.. By the time the riders had got to lap two the predicted rain came down, adding a different dimension to the day. Eventual Elite winner Jack Sheppard said: “This has been like riding three different trials in one day as the rain on lap two really made it good”. As well as Jack and a large local entry the event attracted top International and National stars such as Andy Chilton, Dec and Brad Bullock, James Fry and Emma Bristow. It has to be said, all eyes were on the Youth riders tackling the elite course as Tom Minta and Toby Martyn were giving the trial 100%, much to the pleasure of the 400-strong spectators and fans that attended.
The Elite class winner provided a home win for Jack Sheppard, ahead of team-mate Andy Chilton. There was, however, another purpose to this year’s event and that was to raise money and awareness for the Teenage Cancer Trust, borne out of our very own Dom Feaks contracting bone cancer earlier this year.