Tom starts where he left off
Tom Swindlehurst continued his run of form with another Northern Centre Championship round win by taking victory in the Bassenthwaite Club’s DK Laing trial held at Threlkeld on November 1.
The trial was the opening round of the 2027 Northern Centre Trials Championship (a series which always runs from November through to October) and won by the biggest margin he has managed in recent years, finishing with 46 marks fewer than Richard Gaskell who was the runner up. Stephen Dixon was third, 3 marks adrift of Gaskell
The DK Laing proved to be a tough trial for the Experts and Green course riders with the Clubman route much easier as the 53 strong entry tackled four laps of 11 sections over a testing and lengthy mountain course. Rocky sections, frequently between slippery, grassy and muddy surface conditions combined to make most sections quite testing with section 5 undoubtedly the most difficult for the 9 hard course riders where Swindlehurst lost 13 of his total score of 32 marks.
Section three in the quarry above the mining museum where ancient, rusting and rotting excavating machinery is displayed, was only slightly easier than section five where Ian Abbot was manning the observing sheet, however section four following Abbo’s section was very easy for the clubman riders and also less challenging for the hard course men.
As riders began their third lap, it was apparent that the challenging ride round was taking its toll and a small number retired for various reasons but the bulk stayed the course and as they departed for home, were left reflecting that the trial had undoubtedly been a challenge but also a great opener to the new championship series for 2027.
Full results linked from the Home page.