ADVANTAGE CHILTON
With six rounds completed, Andy Chilton (BMS Scorpa) had the upper hand over his closest rival, Ross Danby (TRRS UK). Chilton’s consistency has been rewarded with three wins, with Alexz Wigg (John Lee Mc’s Vertigo), Oliver Smith (SW Trials TRRS UK) and Danby winning one round each. The gap at the top of the points table is not a huge one, and with three rounds remaining, maybe we will witness the young hot property Jack Dance (John
Shirt Mc’s GASGAS), standing in third place in the championship, take his first win.
ROUND 5: HARWOOD DALE, SCARBOROUGH, 25TH JULY
Round five would turn into a very low-scoring event, making every mark count as Ross Danby (TRRS UK) took his first championship win of 2021. Super consistent and with mountains of experience gained in a successful trials career, Ross parted with a single mark on each of the opening two laps and spoilt his winning ride with a stop on the final lap in the tenth section.
In total contrast, Andy Chilton (BMS Scorpa) had a strange day, spilt by two five-mark penalties on his first and second laps before parting with no marks on the final tour of the 12 sections. The tie-break decider would push Jack Dance (John Shirt Mc’s GASGAS) onto the final step of the podium after a good ride spoilt by a stop in section three on the second lap.
After Danby’s winning ride, the following ten positions would be covered by just ten marks, showing the close competitive nature of this ACU Trial 2 class.
RESULTS: 1: Ross Danby (TRRS UK) 7; 2: Andy Chilton (BMS Scorpa) 10; 3: Jack Dance (John Shirt Mc’s GASGAS) 10; 4: Tom Minta (BMS Scorpa) 11; 5: Ben Dignan (Vertigo UK) 14; 6: Alexz Wigg (John Lee Mc’s Vertigo) 15; 7: Dec Bullock (Beta-UK) 17; 8: Sam Haslam (John Lee Mc’s Montesa) 18; 9: Duncan MacColl (Beta-UK) 20; 10: Chris Stay (BVM TRRS UK) 21; 11: Oliver Smith (SW Trials TRRS UK) 24; 12: James Fry (Sherco) 34; 13: Hugo Jervis (Beta-UK) 39; 14: Sam Yeomans (Vertigo UK) 44; 15: Josh Hanlon (Beta-UK) 47.
ROUND 6: BRIMHAM ROCKS, HARROGATE, 15TH AUGUST
Will this win be the one that helps Andy Chilton to his first adult ACU British Championship at the close of the season? As Jack Dance took second and Sam Haslam (John Lee Mc’s Montesa) third, Ross Danby slipped down to fourth on the day. As the only rider with three lap scores in single marks, Chilton remained consistent all day with his solid riding, recording just one stop on the second lap on section five.
Helping him on his way to the eventual second place, his highest in this year’s championship, Jack Dance was the only other rider to record a single-figure lap score when he parted with nine marks on his second lap.
Once a leading contender in the British Championship, Jack Challoner made a rare appearance on the Craigs Motorcycles-supported four-stroke Montesa to take a well-deserved fifth-place finish.
The next three rounds will prove crucial to Ross Danby, and he knows that if he wants to retain his title, he must start winning.
RESULTS: 1: Andy Chilton (BMS Scorpa) 24; 2: Jack Dance (John Shirt Mc’s GASGAS) 33; 3: Sam Haslam (John Lee Mc’s Montesa) 34; 4: Ross Danby (TRRS UK) 39; 5: Jack Challoner (Craigs Montesa) 40; 6: Tom Minta (BMS Scorpa) 45; 7: Dec Bullock (Beta-UK) 49; 8: Oliver Smith (SW Trials TRRS UK) 49; 9: Alexz Wigg (John Lee Mc’s Vertigo) 57; 10: James Fry (Sherco) 59; 11: Chris Stay (BVM TRRS UK) 60; 12: Duncan MacColl (Beta-UK) 63; 13: Ben Hemingway (Beta-UK) 73; 14: Ben Dignan (Vertigo UK) 79; 15: Josh Hanlon (Beta-UK) 79.
CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS AFTER SIX ROUNDS
POSITIONS: 1: Andy Chilton 104; 2: Ross Danby 96; 3: Jack Dance 76; 4: Tom Minta 63; 5: Sam Haslam 58; 6: Oliver Smith 56; 7: Alexz Wigg 54; 8: Dec Bullock 50; 9: Chris Stay 38; 10: James Fry 34; 11: Richard Sadler 33; 12: Sam Connor 28; 13: Duncan MacColl 26; 14: Ben Dignan 24; 15: Sam Yeomans 14.