Saturday’s Scott Trial was not quite what founder Alfred Scott had in mind way back in 1914 when the Saltaire motorcycle manu-facturer sent his employees on a day out riding his famed Scott motorcycles.

Only 71 out of the original 198 starters were classed as official finishers within the time allowance, although others like Chloe Richardson failed to beat the clock but did complete the course.

Michael Brown won the trial and set the fastest time but it was triple winner Dougie Lampkin, from Silsden, who posted the best observed ride, despite having a shattered rear brake.

The wet, soggy moors around Reeth were treach-erous and the list of injuries and mechanical failures grew steadily.

Out went Robyn Alderson after eight sections with suspected fractures of both wrists.

Out went Marske farmer Jason Eyre with a broken right ankle.

Out went Carlton’s Matthew Maynard with a serious leg fracture, after only three of the 76 sections had been ridden. He had to be taken to hospital in the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Anthony Ayrton broke a big toe but did manage to complete the course.

The mechanical gremlins floored the challenges of James Dabill, Dan Hemingway, Sam Connor, Emma Bristow, John Crinson and Cowling’s Nathan Wriggles-worth, the latter with a drowned engine.

Alexz Wigg was half a mile from the finish when his engine failed. French world star Loris Gubian lasted just 25 sections!

Given his mechanical problems, Lampkin was glad to at least bag a podium spot.

He said: “Towards the end it was getting dangerous trying to ride quick with no rear brake and I was lucky not to have done some real damage when I crashed heavily from trying to push on too hard.

“From then on survival kicked in so, given the circumstances, I am quite happy to have made it on to the podium beside Michael.”

Lampkin added: “With me riding so little these days, the Scott is a big ask but it is still a challenge that I look forward to for some strange reason.

“I made a really bad mistake in one hazard when I hit the starts card and then there were a couple of bad threes, but apart from that I have been quite steady. Being best on observation at least makes me feel a bit happier at being second.” Ian Austermuhle posted yet another third place ahead of 2011 winner Jonathan Richardson, who was riding for the first time this year after ankle surgery.

James Lampkin finished 17th and won yet another coveted Scott Silver Spoon. Silsden’s Phillip Armstrong (63rd) was among those to be awarded a certificate.