Zona 1: ACU Womens and Girls Championship Listers Toyota Trial

Report: Ben Falconer

EMMA Bristow extended her series lead despite machine problems early on at the second round of the ACU Womens and Girls trials championship on Sunday, June 23.

The MRS Sherco team rider set off at lightning pace to make up around 45 minutes lost at the start thanks to technical gremlins, which struck at exactly the wrong moment.

Despite that, she cleaned all ten of the sections on every lap. It meant reigning ACU ladies champion Becky Cook couldn't afford to take dabs on laps two and three.

The drama of getting her bike running right seemed to gee up Bristow, who was one of the first finishers too. She was presented with the famous Cotswold Cup, resurrected by Zona 1 MCC and the ACU Western Centre for the event.

Bristow was a worthy winner of the cup which has featured most of trials' great names down the years, starting with Bert Perrigo in 1933.

The top two were some way ahead of the rest but clerk of the course Steve Saunders managed to plot sections for the Listers Toyota Trial that were suitable for all, with Katy Sunter losing only 34, and Jess Bown and Nikita Smith stuck together on 48.

ACU Western Centre Youth Development Squad member Victoria Payne was the only Youth A class rider but her score of 30 over half the hardest sections in the trial was a creditable result.

The most competitive class was the intermediate womens, with all putting in single figure scores on the final lap. Catherine Alford won by being the only rider to post single figure marks on every lap.

Louise Alford was never in danger of defeat in the intermediate A Class, likewise Beth Waite in the intermediate B Class. Alice Minta kept Alicia Robinson and Hannah Moore at bay with a near perfect ride in the C class championship.

Three non championship classes featured, and Gloucestershire riders Trudi Silvey and Izzy Saunders headed the womens and girls classes respectively. Three men rode the invitational class, and Forest of Dean rider Jake Hoare cleaned all the sections. Thanks to all observers for their assistance.

(top)