Report: Barry Robinson

Photos: Lucy Ayrton

Glasshouses electrical engineer Danny Gamble lit up the moors above Beamsley on  Saturday afternoon to ride his Sherco machine to overall victory in the Ilkley Grand National time trial. Only Gamble and Barnoldswick engineer Anthony Ayrton broke the two hour time covering three laps of moorland without an inch of tarmac. Ayrton, well into the over forties age category, won the Inter class just four minutes and three second behind the winner. Finghall youngster Robert Weatherill really hit the moors with a vengeance His descent down the face of Beamsley Beacon was awesome in speed. Bellerby’s Ryan Brown was also rapid but a sliding front wheel saw man and machine cartwheel into the into the heather. Ryan was up in a flash and motored off into distance at about the same speed. The actual times have no effect on the results as both expert three lap route and the shorter two lap club route are calculated of the average of the fastest ten finishers.

The expert time average was 2hrs,5mins,45secs. The Clubman figures were 1hr,34mins,3 secs. Gamble, Glusburn builder Nathan Wrigglesworth, Robert Weatherill, and Anthony Ayrton did not incur time penalties. The coveted Freddy Clayton Trophy was won by Richmond Over 40’s contender Chris Tett.  The shorter Clubman route was equally difficult as the entire entry rode all twenty section but only twice. Consett visitor Chris Barnett won the class with a best on observation and no time penalties from Coverdale’s Sam Lambert who was riding his first Grand National. Time penalties dropped Howard Gulley and Ian Myers down the results order the third and fourth. British Ladies Inter class national champion Bethanie Dunning finished in ninth place beating her father Jason by two penalties. Only seven retirements were posted from a total of fifty seven starters.

Despite recent adverse weather conditions the ten mile lap was moderate underfoot and wheels. As in past years, a west wind and some sunshine lifts the moisture off the terrain.

The sting in the tale was section twenty where Airedale & Pennine Motor Club official John Rhodes spent much time lifting the section marker flags and washing them in any available pool of water. One spinning rear wheel in the swamp negated all John’s efforts!

Results.

Best performance: Danny Gamble (Sherco) 10 observation/0 time = 10 (Ilkley Trophy), Expert: Nathan Wrigglesworth (Beta) 21+ 0=21. (Scott Trophy). Novices: 1 Robert Weatherill (AGB Beta) 29 + 0 =29, 2 William Tolson (Beta) 33 + 2=35, 3 Arron Dugdale (Scorpa) 37+5 = 42. Best First Time: Chris Tett (Montesa) 58 + 29 = 85. Best Over 40: Anthony Ayrton (TRS) 39 + 0 =39. Team prize: Bradford A: Ayrton/Wrriglesworth/Aaron Dugdale (Scorpa) 102.

Fastest time: Danny Gamble 1hr-51 min-2 sec. Clubman class: 1 Chris Barnett (Montesa) 32 = 0 = 32 (G.A. Reed Trophy) 2 Sam Lambert (Beta) 39 + 0 =39, 3 Howard Gulley ((TRS) 35+5 = 40. Best First Time: Lewis Black (Montesa) 42 + 0 = 42. Best Over 40: John Bannister (Beta) 37 + 11 = 48.Best Over 50: Ian Myers (Sherco) 37 + 5 = 42.

Fastest Time: Chris Barnett 1.27.22.