Class A Expert
With neither the eventual winners in the series Josh & Luke Golding (TRS), nor the second-placed finishers 2017 champions Jon Tuck/Matt Sparkes (Wessex SXS TRS UK) attending the snow-bound round one, the opening victory of the season would go to the eventual third-placed finishers Oliver Lace with, on this occasion, Ealish Baxter looking after the third wheel.
At rounds two and three, on the Isle of Man, Nigel Crellin and Chris Molyneux took the Scorpa to victory on their only championship outings in 2018, but the clash between the two leading TRS riders had begun with the two Golding boys taking an early lead.
At round four, the DK Mansell trial, Jon Tuck and Matt Sparkes laid down the gauntlet with the first win of the season. It was then the turn of the Golding pairing to make their championship intentions clear with a run of four consecutive wins until this was stopped at round nine, the Mel Harrison trial in Yorkshire. It was vital for Josh & Luke Golding to win round 10, which they did, leaving them knowing they had one hand on the title and that barring a disaster they would be the 2018 champions.
In a very close contest at the final round, Jon Tuck and Matt Sparkes secured the victory as the Goldings had a scare with a broken chain – but this was fixed for them to finish in the all-important second place, and they held on to the championship title for 2018.
ROUND 11, NORMANDY CUP
RESULTS: 1: Jon Tuck/Matt Sparkes (Wessex SXS TRS UK) 38; 2: Josh & Luke Golding (TRS) 41.
2018 ACU WESSEX PLANT HIRE (BRISTOL) BRITISH SIDECAR TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP
RESULTS: 1: Josh & Luke Golding 183; 2: Jon Tuck/Matt Sparkes 175; 3: Oliver Lace/Ealish Baxter and Gaz Temple 153; 4: Nigel Crellin/Chris Molyneux 40; 5: Rupert & Chris Kimber 13.