THE Jersey Motorcycle & Light Car Club’s summer trials championship drew to a close last Sunday, with Tom Le Breton laying claim to the overall honours.
The final round was hosted by AAL Recycling at their fantastic, state-of-the-art recycling plant at La Collette.
The riders’ skills of balance, throttle control and obstacle climbing were put to the test over a varied terrain of recycled aggregate, concrete spoil and man-made arena-style sections akin to the world indoor trials competitions.
This provided a real diversion and contrast to the club’s usual winter series of muddy climbs, slippery logs and rocky outcrops woodland style sections which will restart in September through till December.
The club decided on this format to give natural land a chance to rest over the summer months, letting nature have some quiet time whilst also giving variety for the riders to enjoy.
Conditions were near perfect and, with a healthy entry of over 20 riders, the competition started with novices tasked with a very steep graded climb, where the riders are scored on their ability to reach as far to the summit as possible, incurring fewer penalties the higher they managed to climb.
Meanwhile, the experts of Jack Moulin and Tom Le Breton were challenged with a big vertical climb and a balance beam to cross of only 10cm wide while being more than a metre off the ground.
First to clean the section was Sherco-mounted Le Breton, ranked third in Great Britain in the Youth Championship.
He used all of his experience and techniques to “Splat” the 125cc machine up the vertical tyre stack.
Moulin meanwhile, used all 300cc of GasGas power to his full advantage to make some of the loose climbs look very easy.
Sherco UK/SW Trials team rider Le Breton took overall honours and the 2024 Summer series championship in the Expert class.
In the Youth Novice category, it was Mason Dare (Beta) who showed no fear in tackling the adult sections.
In his first season in the adult championship he has shown great improvement and is set to be a star of the future in local trials.
Another win for him and a crown of summer champion for 2024.
It was a two-way fight all the way to the wire in the Clubman Expert class.
Kerry Knowles and Conor Carre, both Beta mounted, ended equal on points over the season, with two wins apiece.
The win was decided by a “ride off”, much to the amusement of the crowd gathered to watch the duel, something analogous to a gladiator battle in ancient Rome.
After a superb contest, it was Carre who got the advantage by a very fine margin.
Both riders showed their prowess, but with Knowles gaining an extra one-mark penalty over three tests, this proved the decider and vice-chairman Conor Carre was crowned 2024 champion.
After a close battle over the summer rounds between Wayne Boschat and local trials legend Glen Hamel, both Beta mounted, it was Hamel, arguably one of Jersey’s most successful trials riders, who took the top honours in the Clubman class.
After a storming ride at the last round of a mere seven marks, Boschat was determined to take the championship crown, close but no cigar.
Clubman plus category stalwart, John Philpot (Vertigo), took victory overall in the championship, leaving Paul Williamson on the Beta to lick his woundsafter an intense battle that never wavered.
With pressure being applied liberally by Sean Copp (TRS), this class is as fierce as they come.
Simon Bertie-Roberts, astride the magnificent fuel-injected Vertigo machine, took the novice win from Harry Carre (GasGas).
However, the overall champion of 2024, was Harry Carre, stealing it from a hard-charging Jon Mallen and Amanda Wright (Sherco).
The Swiss army knife of motorcycle sport, Archie Langlois, took the win and the championship for the Youth Clubman Expert class.
The TRS rider looked very much at home on the steep graded climb and his scores reflected this.
French Championship and local rider Corey Wood, who made light of the summer series, took victory in the Youth Clubman class with some stellar rides on the little 80cc Beta.
Although away from the Island competing regularly, he had done enough to secure the win.
The JMC&LCC extended their thanks to all the land owners for the use of their land and also all those who regularly come out to officiate.
The winter season resumes on 15 September, with full details of the venues available on the club website at jerseymotorsport.com.
