Marshman opens series with a win at Yate, just ahead of Hart

Wessex Centre trial champion Gary Marshman got off to a good start in the new title series by winning the opening round staged by the Kingswood club at Bury Hill, Yate on Sunday.

In three laps of a dozen sections at the Yate Rocks group, he lost just four marks – one in the second section on a complicated climb over mud, cambers and rock steps and three more in the seventh on similar going.

Former 14 times champion Colin Crease was expected to be Marshman's closest challenger, but he too lost seven marks in the seventh section, one more in the eighth and five on a rock-strewn climb in the 11th. It was Kevin Hart from Weymouth who took second place with a total of nine marks incurred in the third and seventh sections.

Marshman's near neighbour Jason Atwell was a clear winner of the clubman expert class with seven marks lost in just five sections.

Tim Wheeler paved the way for his success in the over 40 years of age class by completing the first eight sections without penalty on all three laps, and he also completed the last two sections on all three laps without penalty. His only blemishes were in the ninth and tenth.

There was little to choose between Guy Clothier and Martin Strang in the over 50 class, but Strang looked all set for a class win until he stopped in the 11th section on his last lap.

A big youth entry helped to swell the numbers of starters to 89.

Wessex Centre enduro and trials all-rounder Andy Frost is likely to be out of action for several weeks after lacerating his leg when he crashed whilst racing a mini moto-bike at an indoor meeting at Hullavington in Wiltshire

He was taken to Southmead Hospital for emergency surgery and detained for several days.

Frost, who is also a rally co-driver to Brislington coach proprietor Jim Munden, had to miss the Brean event near Weston-super-Mare at the weekend, his place being taken by Danny Hutchings.

Meanwhile Frost is planning to be fit for the Scottish Six Days Motorcycle Trial in the Highlands in the first week of May.

Kingswood MCC Avery Cup Trial at Yate, South Gloucestershire – Expert class awards: G Marshman (Gas Gas) 4 marks lost, K Hart (Beta) 9, C Crease (Gas Gas) 13. Clubman expert: J Atwell (Gas Gas) 7, R Scott (Gas Gas) 13, M Holmes (Gas Gas) 31. Clubmen: K Goodman (Sherco) 51, M Walker (Gas Gas) 53, B Squance (Gas Gas) 54.

Novice: R Benson (Montesa) 14, J Janaway (Gas Gas) 18, C Adams (Montesa) 22.

Over 40 years: T Wheeler (Scorpa) 6, S Redwood (Gas Gas) 15, R Elliott (Scorpa) 19.

Over 50 years: G Clothier (Beta) 17, M Strang (Gas Gas) 18, R Jefferies (Gas Gas) 26.

Youth awards – Experts: O Humphries (Beta) 25, J Golding (Gas Gas) 43. A class: T Culliford (Gas Gas) 39, R Knott (Gas Gas) 44, O Pekala (Beta) 45. B class: G Marshman (Gas Gas) 25, V Payne (Beta) 75, J Knight (Gas Gas) 100. C class: J Ridgeway (Gas Gas) 27, F Cullum (Gas Gas) 42, H Benson (Gas Gas) 107. D class: A Bartlett (Osset) 41, H Ridgeway (Beta) 75, H Ghilvear (Scorpa) 113.