Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Sidecar duo’s first trial as champions
NEW British Sidecar Trial champions Josh and Luke Golding, from Easter Compton, make their first appearance since winning the title in the West of England Club’s pre-Christmas Cup Trial near Widecombe-in-the-Moor, in Devon, tomorrow.
Their main rivals are expected to be six-time former champions John Tuck and Matt Sparks plus several other regular awardwinning crews from across the Wessex, Southern and South West Centres.
The event, which is also open to all solo classes, except novices and beginners, will be staged at the Hound Tor group of sections high on Dartmoor and around 60 teams are anticipated to enter on the day.
Locally, the major event is the Wilts Border and Bath Club’s Knut Trophy Trial on Lansdown, just north of the Roman city, which will be decided over three laps of a dozen sections on Perry’s Farm, almost opposite Bath Racecourse.
By midweek, the entry stood at 30, including leading experts Gareth Talbot, Lee Hassall, Dean Hassall and Tom Culliford, plus clubman experts Alex Muirhead, Ian Shuttleworth, Jon Bees, Barry Roads and Ian Wakeford, but many riders now wait to enter on the day, despite an increased entry fee.
The organisers may face a total of around 70 for the annual event, which was won last year by world championship contender Toby Martyn.
The North Somerset Club run more events than any other club in the Wessex Centre, but they wind up their year’s activities with their Sage Electrical Timed and Observation Trial in Scarrs Wood at Backwell Hill, near Lulsgate, tomorrow.
Most of the regular awardwinners in this type of event will want to end the year on a high note, including names such as Andy Frost, Charlie Frost, Jason and Mark Hamblin, Paul Manning, Simon Prideaux, Peter and Zac King, Gary and Nathan Newman and Finlay Davey.
With fewer events taking place at this time of year due to the lack of light and risk of poor weather, the hour-long battle against the clock and the woodland terrain has attracted a number of competitors from as far afield as Surrey.