SPORT British Championship Sidecar
With new support coming from the super enthusiastic Brian Higgins to the organisers of the 2019 ACU British Trials Championship, it has taken a new look with a view to help promoting the series and making it more attractive for both riders and spectators. The first round would take the riders down to the superb trials facility at Hook Wood and the team led by Jim Connor for the Surrey Cup. This event attracted 60 riders across the classes on a warm spring day.
It was the defending champion, James Dabill, who had the target on his back as the rider they all wanted to beat. After a close opening lap where Dabill held a single mark advantage over Jack Price, he showed his experience with good second and third lap scores to take the win. It was Beta’s new signing, Toby Martyn, who provided the challenge as he leapfrogged Price on the final lap with the best single lap score of ten marks lost to finish second, just eight marks behind a happy Dabill.
Round two moved to the Welsh Valleys and the contest for the St David’s cup which attracted 54 riders across the classes. With world championship preparations in Italy taking priority for James Dabill he was absent from the event. In warm dry weather, as expected, we witnessed a battle between the younger riders, Jack Price and Toby Martyn on the exposed hillside venue located high above the town of Neath. This event provided a more natural traditional type of terrain than round one with a wide variety of hazards ranging from exposed rocky outcrops to steep banks, streams and wooded areas with twelve hazards to be ridden over three laps. With the best lap scores on each of the three, Price always had the upper hand over Martyn as Dan Peace took the last step on the podium in third position.
In the championship it’s as close as ever with Jack Price just a single mark in front of Toby Martyn whilst Dan Peace has moved in front of James Dabill.