COWLING'S Nathan Wrigglesworth set the standard with a stunning ride to win the annual Ilkley Grand National Trial.

He won the event by a huge margin of 17 penalties from Glasshouses electrician Danny Gamble, who set the fastest time in what a battle 10 ten miles of heather clad moorland and a ticking clock.

The fastest 10 finishers in three laps set a standard by which all are penalised.

The race through the 20 observed section entails avoiding hidden rocks, deep drainage gullies and marshes of bike and man swallowing depths.

On Saturday, the weather shortened the odds of an early bath.

Veteran Scott Trial winner Philip Alderson ventured down from his Askrigg home to sample the Ilkley fayre aiming for two fast laps on his brand new Gas Gas machine. The bleak moor got him lap three. Alderson said: "One minute on was riding my bike and then low flying into the heather.

"The bike was somewhere above my head, but I will be back next year."

Guiseley's Danny Cockshott joined the 'low fliers' within a mile of the start. That crash damaged his Gas Gas machine and more or less signalled end of his day on the moors.

Twenty eight contested the full three lap expert course. Wetherby's Robert Bratley was on a mission. He rocketed round the two lap Clubman course in an amazing on hour and 37 minutes.

As well as being the best on all 20 sections three marks better than Darley garage owner Ian Myers he had an eight minute time advantage.

Myers was the best Over 50 year class while Skipton's Richard Pearson was the top Over 40 class winner.

Results: Best performance and first expert: Nathan Wrigglesworth (Sherco) 28 obs+1 time = 29, 2 Phillip Alderson (Gas Gas) 39+7 = 46, 3 Danny Gamble (Sherco) 50+0 = 50.