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Round 7 of the North Island Trials Championship was held near Cambridge, in fine weather. The ground was very slippery after solid rain overnight.
The trial sections followed a rocky creek gully, and featured steep climbs over plenty of exposed roots, muddy fast running water over hidden rocks, slippery banks, bogs, and wet logs.
We were there to watch young Daniel Herbert and Hannah ride. The sections were pretty challenging for all the grades and the clubman sections were no different.
Only Jason Day (Taranaki) really got to grips with the conditions, leaving everyone else trailing in his wake.
Daniel was riding really well and earned a very deserved 3rd place in clubman. Hannah, meanwhile, was fighting it out at the other end of the pack.
Peter Boettcher had to replace his gearbox before he'd even finished his first round. He then had to race to get his three laps done by the 3:30pm cut-off. Even with a nine minute penalty, he still managed to finish the day mid-pack in the Intermediates.
Young Wellington rider Dylan Ball (recently crowned 10-13 Australian Champion) had a nasty fall early in the day and gave his knee a good whack. After gamely attempting the next half a lap he was forced to pull out.
X-Country and Enduro rider Ryan Armitage came out for a ride - he doesn't appear in the official results because he was riding on a day licence but, despite treating everything like a terrain test at an enduro, finished 2nd to Warwick Merriman in Presidents. Just imagine what he could do if he actually walked the sections...
Series Standings after 7 of 10 rounds
Day 2 is at Pukeatua. If you're in the area come and have a look.
Rnd 8 (Sun, 13th Sept) is at Pukeatua
