Conditions for the latest edition of the Paul Knight Trial on Sunday were the worst in the 20-year history of the event, and the wettest in recent memory for any local motorcycle event.

On the verge of postponing it, the general consensus from the competitors was to give it a go and 31 turned up on the day, including three sidecar crews.

The rain and wind were incessant, so the Sky Hill group was scrapped, cutting out a needless five-mile loop.

So as to ride the river/stream areas at the start of the day before the water levels rose too high, the trial was ridden in the reverse direction with Narradale gulley and glen tackled first.

Tom Knight, Gary Flowers and John Kneale rode off at the head of the field and got through the early groups relatively well, but others struggled in the lower glen particularly.

Steve Colley’s Montesa 4RT sucked water in through the intakes beneath the seat on Allan Lund’s section (which everyone else had taken fives on), and he had to turn the entire bike upside down with the help of David Knight to pump water out of the works. He struggled somewhat in the later groups.

Joint favourite Nigel Crellin took four fives here rather than risk such issues with his similar mount.

Some of the best performances on the slippery first sub at Glen Duff quarry came from the youngest in the trial. Liam Barker, 15, notched up one of only two double cleans riding an underpowered 125 Beta (transported by his father Mark in a van between groups as he was too young to ride on the roads). He does not score championship points.

Jack Christian, 18, had a one and a clean.

All but three of the 25 solos completed the course, but they were all thoroughly drenched.

Despite taking fives, Crellin still managed to win with a loss of 28 marks, with Tom Knight pipping Colley by a couple of dabs for second and Chris Madigan next on 51.

Young Barker had the fifth best score of 66.Nigel Sharp was the clear winner of the non-expert class from former enduro rider Craig McGee, with Wayne Wardell just managing to keep the returning Michael Teare at bay in third.

Flowers and Kneale both took advantage of running near the front of the field to finish first and second on the sportsman routes.

All three sidecar crews were winners as only one tackled each of the classes.

It was a good run out for them at least and, with Centre champion Jack Corlett unable to ride because of an ankle injury, it meant that his father John topped the standings with Jamie Howe of Milton Keynes.

It was a good run out for the new pairing before this Sunday’s opening round of the British championship in Surrey.

RESULTS

Expert: 1, Nigel Crellin 28 marks lost; 2, Tom Knight 40; 3, Steve Colley 42; 4, Chris Madigan 51; 5, Aaron Molyneux 67; 6, Jack Christian 75; 7, Danny Grady 77; 8, Corey Peters 88. Guest youth rider: Liam Barker 66. Clubman: 1, Nigel Sharp 21; 2, Craig McGee 48; 3, Wayne Wardell 53; 4, Michael Teare 58; 6, Summer Peters 78; 7, Peter Kermeen 96. Sportsman: 1, Gary Flowers 31; 2, John Kneale 38; 3, Rob Alton 57; 4, Dan Oates 74; 5, Jay Pritchard 81; 6, Graham Taubman. Sidecar (expert): John Corlett and Jamie Howe 37. Non-expert: Richard Murphy and Sam Baxter 34. Sportsman: Jay Murphy and Jason O’Connor 53.