SOLID START FOR SOPHIE
Sunday 13th March saw oset rider Sophie Bailey take 2nd place at the first round of the ladies and girls national championship. Hosted by North Berks mcc and held at the famous Seymours arena, full of tight turns, rocks and logs, this venue is one of sophies favourite on the calender.
With beautiful spring sunshine burning off the early morning mist, 42 of Britain's top lady riders began their 3 laps of 12 sections with sophie among them.
Lap 1 got of to a shakey start with Sophie dropping her first Mark on a tricky rock pile on section 2, then a good recovery from a nasty drop turn on section 4 meant sophie picked up another 2 marks which was very nearly a 5 when she struggled to keep the bike upright. Section 6 saw sophie drop her final Mark on this lap, riding the remaining 6 sections clean.
Lap 2 Sophie had settled down and got into the zone, riding a full clean lap.
Lap 3 and a quick battery change and sophie continued her charge to the finish, dropping just 1 unfortunate Mark right at the end of section 7, but every other section was clean. Sophies mum and minder said "I am very pleased with sophies performance this weekend, despite recovering from a nasty bout of flu this week, she managed to keep her concentration for the duration of the trial, there was some doubt that we would even go as she was so under the weather, but as always, sophies total dedication to trialing won through and she persuaded me she was well enough to ride, and gave herself a good solid start to the championship with a 2nd place finish"
Dropping just 5 marks for the day Sophie continues remain on an even keel with the 80cc petrol bikes on her Oset 24”prototype.
