World-class riders booked for Two-Day trial

World-class riders booked for Two-Day trial

A maximum entry of 120 riders from the UK, France Jersey and Guernsey are signed up for the showpiece event on the trials calendar, which has been handed extra glitz for 2019 as organisers seek to inspire.

Lampkin, an MBE, is due to be joined by former European Youth champion Toby Martyn and reigning British champion Jack Price – currently ranked tenth in the world – on Saturday and Sunday, with the competition following a demonstration at Egypt Trinity from 3-4pm tomorrow.

Jersey’s strongest challenge could again come from Richard Pallot and Adam Le Cheminant – two-day winners in 2018 and 2017 respectively – while there will be three female Channel Islanders mixing it with their male colleagues. Guernsey’s Elisha Benstead is set to travel across to join Cathy Elliott and Amelia Jeanne.

‘We have a full entry … we’re over-subscribed and we have got a few reserves,’ said event organiser Stewart Le Breton. ‘What’s helped with that is we’ve profiled the event with top riders from the UK.

‘We felt it needed an up-lift and some new energy put into it and it should be great for the Island and also for children of the Island. It’s a chance to showcase the event and hopefully we can encourage our young riders, so they can aspire to what these guys are demonstrating.

‘It will be easy for them [Lampkin, Price and Martyn] – it’s not something they’d normally ride and I’d be very surprised if any of them put a foot down in the whole trial – but it “ups” the standard and attracts people to the event who may not have come otherwise.

‘I don’t think the local guys will be perturbed … they will like the fact they are riding with them and they can compare marks.’

Le Breton has also urged sports fans to track the trials riders down at various locations over the weekend.

‘It’s very much a spectator sport because you can get very close to the action,’ he explained. ‘There is very little in the way of restriction and because there is not any real speed involved it is safe to watch.

‘We’d love it if people came out to see what it’s all about and see these guys in action. There are various places around the Island to park up and watch and we’d encourage it wholeheartedly.’

Competition is likely to run from 10am-3.30pm on both days – on Mont Rossignol and in St Peter’s Valley (Broadlands and Quénault’s field) on Saturday and at Greve de Lecq woods, Rozel woods and Bouley Bay on Sunday.

Riders and officials will stage a two-minutes’ silence earlier than traditionally held on Remembrance Sunday (10am), to ensure that all stages are completed before darkness.

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