
Rockshocks Classic Trials Championship Round 2: Spen Valley 19/05/2024
​
Report and Photographs by John Dickinson
Spen Valley MCC staged a cracking second round of the 2024 Rockshocks Classic Championship at Robin
Luscombe's superb Leadmines venue at Greenhow, high above the market town of Pateley Bridge in the Yorkshire
dales.
​
A fabulous dry sunny day helped things along but some observers on the steep,
exposed slopes felt the wind chill while others, sheltered behind bankings ended
their day like orange-faced celebs, as per series mastermind Gerry Minshall on
section 19!
​
A slowish start to entries built into just short of 100 on the day which was pretty
impressive with all classes represented, although fittingly Clubman Twinshock proved
most popular with getting on for 40 contenders.
​
The Rockshocks formula of 20 sections lapped twice was the order of the day with Clubmen heading for section one
- following a brief welcome speech by Nigel Scott - while Lusky led the Experts off to begin their day at section 12.
Sections were a mix of rocky becks which were super slippery, especially on the opening
lap, and rocky outcrops on the steep hillsides, with the length contributing to loss of marks
as riders tired as the Ends cards approached.
​
Expert Twinshock saw nine finishers with a nice mix of machines on the podium, Simon HIrst
taking maximum points having dropped just 11 marks on his Honda TLR but there was an
SWM in second ridden by Phlip Baxter while Chris Koch enjoyed a trip north from London for
third place saying, "It is only five rounds so make the most of it, it’s so good to be able to ride
at such a great venue."
​
In Expert Britshock Hudderfield's Chris Greenwood had the temerity to pip Robin
Luscombe literally in his own field, the scores being 20 to 28 and both Bantam
mounted. Matt Chambers, only an occasional rider these days but a former winner
of the Scottish Pre-65 Two Day, took his very special Cub to third place.
​
Which leaves us with half a dozen Expert Air-cooled Monos that saw contenders
Miles Jones on his nice looking and sounding RTL Honda - with rebuilt cylinder head
after a valve guide broke loose electing to travel up and down with the valve - and
Lancastrian Chris Garlick on his Fantic two-stroke. Miles lost just three marks to pip
Chris, one on the first lap and two second time round. Third was Yam mounted
Richard Allen, while better half Shani held court in her lemon themed al fresco parc
ferme party. I can attest that the French Fancies were
exceedingly tasty!
Clubman classes naturally sported much larger entries with the Twinshock numbers
easily tops. And it was super tight at the sharp end with West Leeds club stalwart
Howard Gulley pipping reigning class champ Derrick Edmondson by a single mark, six
against seven. And Derrick only just staved off Tom Green on a tie-break as Tom
matched Eddy's score of seven. It was a Honda four-stroke rout with three TLR200s
followed by the 250 model of James Lamin in fourth. But worth a big shout in fifth was
Lancashire's Pete McCanna on his very standard Bultaco mixing it with and beating
some much more modern machinery.
​
​
There was also a good turnout of Clubman Air-cooled Monos which was nailed by Pete
Ruscoe on his Honda TLM260 two-stroke who put it across the Yamahas of Andrew
Dawson and Stephen Barnes while fourth was Mike Jones on a GasGas Aire.
Finally, all the regulars turned out in Clubman Pre-74 Britshock where there was an eclectic
mix of machinery. Martin Gilbert who made yet another trip north from deepest Devon - only
just returned from a monster round trip to the Scottish Pre-65 - but made it worthwhile with
victory on his Bantam with regular rival Darren Walker a close second, C15 mounted. Chris
Myers was on just a single mark until he stopped for a drink and butty after the first lap and
then instantly dropped two fives saying, "My concentration has totally gone!" He recovered
to just hold off Cub mounted Ian Myers (no relation) on a tie break after both parted with 17, Chris's laps being four
and 13!
There was quite a high retirement rate of 22 non finishers, some machinery related - Tim Blackmore suffering
punctures and some with fatigued riders but no one was complaining as it had simply been a great trial at a
superb venue.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​