DESPITE being on the week before Christmas, riders certainly enjoy a day out in Butsfield Quarry, off the A68 in County Durham, and last Sunday more than 100 riders showed just that when they turned out for the hard-working Consett Club’s latest offering.

What made it even better was the fact it was run in perfect winter conditions, plenty water and mud, but not too cold, even for our hardy bunch of wrapped up observers.

Hurworth’s Robert Waite had a storming ride on the Expert Route, dropping just six marks, with Michael Lee and Carl Shaw taking the next two places on 15 and 16 respectively.

Waite dropped three marks on both sections two and ten, by far the hardest pair. The large square step towards the end of the second needed to be hit via a kicker around six feet away and caught out everyone for at least a dab as they hauled their bikes up, then the huge waterfall at ten was not for the faint-hearted.

However, Shaw is nothing if not daring and his flat-out approach gave him three cleans here, as Lee joined Waite on three.

The Green Route took in a number of the easier Expert sections but didn’t cause Ian Stephen much trouble as he would finish on just two marks, both on the tricky climb out of the stream at section six, where runner-up James Black and third-placed Eddie Aitkin both lost three.

Black had previously dropped a single on the first sub, then another three on the narrow gully observed by Chris Hedley.

A perfect clean ride by Richard Hawes saw him take the Clubman win ahead of Colin Ward and Colin Gelston.

Wards five on section six, plus a dab on the fourth put him out of the running, while Gelston took an expensive maximum on the second.

THE Northallerton club’s trial scheduled to take place at Chopgate last Sunday was cancelled due to waterlogged parking areas.

The club may try to run the event next Sunday at the same venue. Competitors should check with the organisers by the end of the week.