Michelin Winner with Harry Hemingway (Beta) – 2024 ACU Trial GB British Championship
In the fight for the 2024 ACU Trial GB British Championship at the weekend Harry Hemingway (Beta) took both the win on the day and the title, his first major ACU British Championship victory. Defending champion Jack Peace (Sherco) fought hard all day but had no answers to the superior riding of the eldest of the two Hemingway brothers.
The championship is observed using the ACU Trial GB marking system where competitors may stop, go sideways, or reverse without penalty, a marking system now used in the FIM Trial World Championship. However, going backwards whilst footing incurs a five-mark penalty. A one and a half minute time allowance for each section is permitted. The course at each round in 2024 can consist of either three laps of 12 sections or two laps of 15 sections at the discretion of the organisers. In the Trial GB class, a rider can drop the worst result from one round of the championship at the end of the season.
The 2024 ACU Trial GB Championship concluded at this superb venue, first used in 2023 found north of Kettering at Geddington, near Boughton House for round five in a shortened series. Nene Valley MCC worked with the ACU Trial GB team to bring a good event together for the final of the 2024 ACU British Trials Championship and the 44 riders entered across the three classes: Trial GB 7 riders, Trial 2 15 riders, and Trial Expert with 22 riders who competed over three laps of 12 sections. All sections could be found in a very easy to follow natural environment offering very challenging sections.
Early morning rain had fallen on the venue for the opening lap, and it was Billy Green (Scorpa) who was the man on form with a score of 15 marks left, just two in front of Harry Hemingway (Beta) as the sun shone through. Big protruding rocks and steep technical woodland climbs in the natural terrain of this venue for the trial needed full confidence from the riders to achieve ‘Feet-Up’ rides. The big surprise of the opening lap was the younger of the two Hemingway brothers George who held third position with the defending champion Jack Peace (Sherco) down in fourth position.
On the second lap Harry Hemingway remained solid with a score of 12 marks lost which was replicated by Jack Peace, but he was still a few marks away from the eventual winner. On the third and final lap it was Harry Hemingway who put the hammer down with a stunning lap of a mere two marks lost which would secure him the title of the 2024 ACU Trial GB British Champion. Make no mistake the two mark loss was a superior ride for which no one had the answer to as Harry finished with a huge 18 mark winning advantage, he was a worthy winner.
Harry Hemingway (Beta): “Happy beyond belief is how I would describe winning the 2024 ACU Trial GB British Trials Championship. I arrived at the event believing I had the upper hand with my win at last weeks round at Addingham Moorside in my native Yorkshire but knew I would have to remain focused to finish the job. The nature of this terrain at the venue at Geddington made me work all day for the win but both me and my father Dan worked well together to secure the victory. As always, I had complete confidence in my Michelin tyres in the ever changing conditions today after the wet start before the sun shone through. The Michelin tyres once again proved vital to my success, showing how they can adapt on all types of terrain, thank you to everyone who has contibuted to my trials career and specially this championship win today”
Results Round Five, Geddington, Kent 09/08/2024
Trial GB Championship Class
1: Harry Hemingway (Beta) 31; 2: Billy Green (Scorpa) 49; 3: Jack Peace (Sherco) 50; 4: Jack Dance (GASGAS) 56; 5: George Hemingway (Beta) 76; 6: Harry Turner (Sherco) 82; 7: Ben Dignan (Montesa) 138.
2024 Trial GB Championship Positions Best Four Results Count
1: Harry Hemingway (Beta) 77; 2: Jack Peace (Sherco) 69; 3: Billy Green (Scorpa) 67; 4: Jack Dance (GASGAS) 54; 5: George Hemingway (Beta) 46; 6: Harry Turner (Sherco) 41; 7: Ben Dignan (Montesa) 36.
A full set of results for all the classes can be found on the ACU Trial GB website: www.acutrialgb.org.uk
