THE annual John Metcalfe Trophy Trial was battered by the weather on the exposed Ice Age Cowling Craggs.

Dense hill fog and driving horizontal rain tested the Bradford Motor Club organising team over the weekend, and the observers and competitors on Sunday.

Brian Ayrton, his son Anthony, Nathan Wrigglesworth, Richard Taylor and Lancashire visitor James Smith plotted the route on Saturday and then rode a full lap early on Sunday morning to ensure the course marker flags were still in place.

Some kind person had removed the roadside marker flags between the Cragg and the Lumb Waterfall group of section.

The opening group were on the rocky slops of the Cragg where Nick Jefferies and his partner Barbara observed the opening two sections.

Seven similar sections were plotted then a roadside visit into a meadow for the eighth stream section.

Water came into play at Lumb Waterfall where 11 section closed the lap.

Brian Ayrton doubled up and observed the 11th and 12th section and where Gas Gas star and winner Richard Sadler dropped a mark.

Lucy Ayrton was entrusted with the final grassy hill climb. The 14-year-old could not compete because the event entailed road mileage.

Results: Hard course: Experts: 1 Richard Sadler (JST Gas Gas) 2, 2 Nathan Wrigglesworth (Beta) 9, 3 Anthony Ayrton (TRS) 48.

Inters: 1 Sam Boocock (Beta) 33, 2 Tom Rushton (Montesa) 52. Novices: 1 Tom Middleton (Beta) 32, 2 Phillip Hancock (Vertigo) 67, 3 Phil Howlett (Beta) 73.

50/5-0 course. Novices: 1 Alan Mudd (Beta) 22, 2 AndyTales (Beta) 25, 3 Phil Blacka (Vertigo) 35.

Over 40s: 1 Graham Tales (Gas Gas) 20, 2 Roy Palmer (Jotagas) 41, 3 John Holdsworth (Scorpa) 44.

Easy course: Novices: 1 Dan Lambert (Vertigo) 10, 2 Howard Dixon (Yamaha) 11, 3 Stephen Arnall (Beta) 61. Over 40s: 1 Darren Mitchell (Montesa) 16, 2 Mark Chippendale (TRS) 17, 3 Paul Sadler (Beta) 21.

Meanwhile, Cockhill Mines was user friendly until late afternoon on Sunday when the stream that threads through the former lead mine started to rise after two days of intermittent rain descending on Nidderdale.

The Yeadon-Guiseley club staged their ninth club trial in the valley covering 10 varied sections, varying as the tide started to come in.

Fifty six competitors arrived to do battle in three main course classes, while 15 girls and boys competed in six sections with four short laps.

Harrison Lightfoot retained his winning record over Skipton's Jonnie Fannon.

Both hard route contenders were clear of the rest of the class, Jimmy Crabtree was also winner in the middle route. It was a different story for Longwood blonde Alanna Eagleton who beat Aiden Richardson.

Skipton's Ella Webster was a strong fourth while Izzy Addy battled with her Beta to take sixth place.

Up in the adult ranks, Boroughbridge Gas Gas rider Aldis Blacker held on to beat Class B champion Harry Hemingway and Buxton's Harry Turner.

Both were on the same score but the latter incurred the first fault and that decided the final order.

Jamie Stephenson mastered his Montesa to take Clubman A by a margin of local ace Jack Harker and Paul Gravestock.

Joe Alderson took Clubman B by a single penalty from Tony Holmes but the results did not matter as both contenders were in different classes.

In the matter of the course the opener was a steep descent and a tight turn and even steeper climb to the ends cards.

Sections two and three and eight and nine were in the stream where the current was strong and rising.

The fifth section was also under threat as the rainfall persisted.

Section five to seven were up on the moor edge where the exposed rocks have served for section material for years. The trio of observers at that lofty spot had not a vestige of shelter from the elements.

Results: Championship course: Inters: 1 Peter Sharp (Beta) 47, 2 Rob McNeil (Beta) 66. Novices: 1 Aldis Blacker (Gas Gas) 32, 2 Richard Fraser (Sherco) 46. Youth Class A: 1 Harry Hemingway (Beta) 46, 2 Harry Turner (Beta) 46.

Clubman A: 1 Jamie Stephenson (Montesa) 19, 2 Jack Harker (Beta) 29, 3 Paul Gravestock (Scorpa) 39. Youth Class B: Henry McLoughlin (Beta) 73. 2 Henry Stephenson (Beta) 69, 3 Adam Sharp (Beta) 126.

Clubman B: 1 Joe Alderson (Montesa) 10, 2, Andy Hutsby (Beta) 13, 3 Karl Greaves (Vertigo) 25. Over 50s: 1 Tony Holmes (Beta) 11, 2 Mark Yeadon (Beta) 23, 3 Nigel Ridley (Sherco) 31.

Youth Class C: 1 Freddie Stephenson (Beta) 85, 2 Jamie Sharp (Beta) 123.

Small Wheels Conducted. Hard route: 1 Harrison Lightfoot (Beta) 40, 2 Jonnie Fannon (Beta) 48, 3 Bobby Crabtree (Oset) 73. Middle route: 1 Jimmy Crabtree (Oset) 27, 2 Alfie Drachenberg (Oset) 62. Easy route: 1 Alanna Eagleton 22, 2 Aiden Richardson 26, 3 Archie Webster 34. (All Oset).