AGAINST all odds the Spen Valley club managed to stage their seventh championship trial at exposed Harden Moor on Sunday.

At least the winter sun broke through the few clouds allowing forty four competitors to contest the only event in West Yorkshire over the Christmas weekend.

Only Gildersome inter John Hillam and Keighley teenager Jacob Snowdon competed on the hard route sections. Peter Field headed a dozen Clubman A contenders to head Nigel Scott and Tom Green by a single penalty.

Keighley Class A youngster Joe Fox put in a great ride to win his class but also finish overall sixth in amongst the adult riders.

Harrogate Clubman B contender Mick Ward just managed to beat Denholme's Andy Brooksbank by a single mark over the ten-section four-lap course. The latter's daughter Olivia won her class making it a family double. Spen will stage the 1st club championship of the season at Harden Moor on January 10,

Results – Hard course – Inter: John Hillam (Beta) 9.

Youth Class B: Jacob Snowdon (Gas Gas) 37.

Clubman A: 1 Peter Field (Sherco) 5, 2 Nigel Scott (Honda) 6, 3 Tom Green

(Beta) 6.

Youth Class A: Joe Fox (Gas Gas_) 9.

Youth Class B: Aaron Carter (Beta) 14.

Clubman Class B: 1 ChrisWard (SCorpa) 5, 2 Andy Brooksbank (Gas Gas) 6, 3 Rob Chadwick (Montesa) 8.

Youth Class A: Joe Smith (Beta) 29.

Youth Class B: Olivia Brooksbank (Sherco) 57.

Youth Class C: Max Chadwick (Beta) 28.

Youth Class D: Myles Hutchinson (Oset) 87.

Beginners adult: 1 Keith Normington (Beta) 14, 2 Mike Frizzell (Beta) 87.

Youth Class A: Joshua Clegg (Sherco) 13.

Youth Class C: 1 Mason Carter (Beta) 43, Amie Walters (Beta) 87.

Youth Class D: 1 Alex Horne (Oset) 34, 2 Charlie Petty (Gas Gas) 130, 3 Oliver Petty (Gas Gas) 142.

Torrential rain and flooded roads wiped out all but three motorcycle trials out of a total of eight events in Yorkshire on Boxing Day and Sunday.

The West Leeds club's event at Post Hill was axed due to a muddy rutted access road to the venue. The Richmond trial at Reeth was the next to go at The Woodyard where the Arkle Beck alongside burst its banks. The Swaledale roads were under water from last Tuesday.

Even the annual Boxing Day staged by the Bradford Motor Club for what seems to be centuries went down when Airedale in general became a lake.

The venue was fine but the roads around Silsden were not. The annual John Smiths Bottle Trial was cancelled early last week at the Cockhill Mines venue at Greenhow was just too waterlogged for even trials bikes.

On Sunday only the Huddersfield Falcon and Spen Valley trials remained on the calendar. The access routes to Dob Park for the Yeadon-Guiseley club's Renee Smith Memorial Trial are questionable. The only definite open road is the A59.