Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Wiggins makes winning return in festive feature
RICKY Wiggins, who was one of the more promising West Country trial riders until his career was cut short by a serious leg injury, made an unexpected return to action in the Yeo Vale Club’s John Scott Memorial Trial at Stoford, near Yeovil, on Boxing Day.
Showing he has lost few of his skills, he ran out winner of the expert class in a four-lap, ten-section event at Rooks Mount Farm that attracted an entry of 70-plus.
Many of the sections at this venue are man-assembled as, at this time of year, the organisers are unable to use the swiftly-flowing stream, and it was on a combination of mud-covered concrete blocks that Wiggins lost his only mark.
Runner-up Henry Pym lost eight of his total on a zig-zag climb over logs in the ninth section, while thirdplaced Barry Male incurred a tenmark debit on a series of cambered climbs and descents.
The clubman class turned out to be a confrontation between brothers Todd and Ty Kellett who each lost five marks, but Todd lost his in one fewer section than his brother.
Land owner Richard Fry was best of the many pastmasters with the loss of four marks in the second section and two single-mark losses at other locations.
His closest rival was Hedley Ashford, who lost five of his dozen marks in the same second section.
There was another close result in the over-50 years class where Ian Gill finished three marks up on Martin Lillywhite.
Gill lost two marks on the cambers of the second section and two more in the tenth on climbs and descents and twin-shock class winner Paul Brown lost his marks in the same hazard.
In their first appearance since winning the British Sidecar Trials Championship in November, Easter Compton brothers Josh and Luke Golding were clear winners of the Phil Sparks Cup Trial, organised by the Wessex Centre branch of the BSSA in Filers Woods at Backwell Hill near Lulsgate on Thursday.
However, the two-lap, ten-section event for the three-wheelers attracted an entry of just three crews, which included Paul Avery, who had not competed during the past two years, and Phil Sparks himself, who was competing in a one-off event partnered by his son Matt, who usually partners Jon Tuck, but who is at present sidelined with a broken wrist.
Neither crew could match the Goldings, who lost just three marks in the eighth section on a climb over roots.
Best clubman expert was Keynsham’s Jon Bees, who lost three marks in the third section and nine more in the eighth.
John Roberts and Harry White took the clubman and novice awards respectively and Stockwood builder Adrian Dark gained a close win over Nick Sheppard in the twin-shock class. Both incurred penalty in three sections.
Wessex Centre champion for the third year on the trot, Kurt Brain, and recent Knut trial winner Tom Culliford will clash in the Kingswood club’s final club championship trial of the year at Cromhall in South Gloucestershire today.
They will be among an expected entry of 50-plus for the multi-lap event at Conygre Fields.
The West of England Club round off a busy year with a traditional road trial in the Ashburton area of Devon on Sunday. The event will incur road work and up to a dozen observed sections are involved.
Competitors entry fees will include a bacon roll and a hot drink at the start at Woodlands, near Ashburton, at 8.45am and also a bowl of stew at the finish.
The BSSA are back in action with their annual Alan Brown Trophy Timed and Observation Trial at Bea- consfield Farm, West Harptree, on Monday. The entry has to be limited to 60 and it is full with reserves in place if anyone has entered and are unable to make the start. The event runs for a full hour and is never easy.