LIGHT rain at the start of the annual Talmag Trophy Trial for classic motor bikes made it tricky going for the 180 riders at Hungry Hill near Aldershot.

The lack of clean sheets at the end of the day illustrated just how difficult it had been and the class of the leading riders showed through.

In the Sprung category, 46-year-old Roger Higgs, riding an Ariel HT5, edged out similarly-mounted Ben Butterworth by just 0.6 of a second on the special test after the pair finished level with clean sheets.

Pete Gray, also on an Ariel, took third spot with a total of two lost, while former motocross man Ian Peberdy again claimed fourth on his Triumph 5T after finishing level with James Williams on a Royal Enfield. The final tie-break again went down to the special test, which Peberdy claimed by a full one second.

East Anglian Chris Collins, runner-up for the past two years, went the wrong way in a section and dropped to sixth.

There was another tie-break decider in the Under 300cc class between BSA C15-mounted Shane Stalker and Jason North on his Triumph Tiger Cub after the duo finished tied on four marks each. They were still level after the special test, both clocking 34.8secs, with the final decision going to Stalker on the ‘furthest clean’ tie-break.

There was a clear victory in the Over 300cc Rigid class for Dan Carter on his Matchless. He finished the day on six marks lost, with Richard Talbot (Matchless) a further seven marks adrift. Graham Rodemark took third with a total of 19.

Andy Abraham took the honours in the Girder Fork class on his 1937 vintage 500 Levis, ending the day with 24 losses.

Graham Braybrook dropped 12 marks to win the Over 65 category on his 1960 Royal Enfield Crusader, some seven clear of runner-up Alan Shorter on his 350 AJS. John Eckhart was just one further back on a Triumph Trophy.

Conditions were particularly challenging for the sidecars. The rugged, yet loamy MoD terrain dug out badly, particularly when an outfit ground to a halt on any of the steep climbs. The resultant deep trenches proved hazardous for those crews to follow.

There were some great performances by several crews, but Godalming’s Paul Fishlock and Debbie Merrell successfully defended the title on their Ariel HT5 outfit, snatching victory by just a one-mark margin over Karl Jarvis and Bob Chapman from nearby Church Crookham.

Results:

Class A – Under 300cc: Shane Stalker (BSA C15) 4 marks lost (ST 34.8sec) (fc), Jason North (Triumph Cub) 4 (ST 34.8).

Class B – Rigid: Daniel Carter (Matchless) 6, Richard Talbot (Matchless) 13, Graham Rodemark 19.

Class C – Sprung: Roger Higgs (Ariel HT5) clean (ST 32.4), Ben Butterworth (Ariel HT5) clean (ST 33.0), Peter Gray (Ariel HT5) 2, Ian Peberdy (500 Triumph) 5 (ST 32.1), James Williams (Royal Enfield) 5 (ST 32.9), Chris Collins 6.

Class E – Girder Fork: Andy Abraham (500 Levis) 24.

Class F – Over 65: Graham Braybrook (Royal Enfield Crusader) 12, Allan Shorter (AJS) 19, John Echhart 20.

Class G – Sidecar: Paul Fishlock/Debbie Merrell (Ariel HT5) 17, Karl Jarvis/Bob Chapman (Ariel HT5) 18.