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| Grand Slam for Chris Stokes
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Ramsey's Chris Stokes completed the first ever grand
slam of all the Island's beach-cross events with
victory in the Peveril MCC's event at Douglas on
Thursday of TT Race Week.
In the final major attraction of the 2001 TT Festival,
Stokes and all the other 60-odd riders put on an
excellent show for a huge crowd of spectators on
Central Promenade.
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Having already laid claim to the Peel event four days
earlier, plus two other beach-crosses at Port Erin and
Ramsey in the weeks leading up to the TT, Stokes
proved once and for all to be the undisputed king of
the beach on his 426 Yamaha.
He and Juan Knight were always the main protagonists,
but whilst Stokes won the first race and Knight the
second it again came down to starting problems with
the big KTM in the decider.
Stokes led the first race all the way from his rival,
and set out in an equally determined fashion in the
second one only to be reeled in and overtaken by
Knight, who appeared quicker in the softer sand and
over the three man-made jumps.
The deciding race saw another thrilling encounter
until the pair came up against back markers at
mid-distance and Knight hit the back of one rider's
machine.
The motor of the big 520 KTM stalled and without the
luxury of an electric start Knight was unable to coax
it back into life.
This left Stokes with a clear lead - eventually taking
the overall honours by a long chalk from John McCanney
and Michael Kelly. McCanney had his 350 Yamaha
flat-out for much of the way, but he was unable to
make any serious impression on the big four-strokes of
Stokes and Knight.
Gareth Quayle, Graeme Saunders and Colin Dentith
rounded off the top six in front of veteran campaigner
Sean Skillicorn, who scored an impressive third in one
race on his recently acquired 520 KTM (this one fitted
with an electric starter).
Tim Dedman won the B Group by a narrow three point
margin from Robert Casement after what was another
final race decided on a stalled motor. This time,
Casey's 426 Yam was reluctant to re-ignite after he
and rival Dedman had a slight coming together and both
toppled over.
Gary Kelly was a good third in front of Ian Lees,
Andrew Bass, Neil Kerruish and James Graham - all
seven Yamaha mounted.
The C Group proved a Suzuki domain. Malcolm Crellin
came out top on his RM250 with brother Martin fourth
on a similar mount. Allen Bowker slotted his 300 KTM
into second spot ahead of the DRZ400 of Mike Kerruish
in third.
Astride his brand new 125 KTM, William Keenan
dominated the schoolboys in front of budding trials
star Jamie Teare and the leading 80 of Mark Cringle.
The best of the smaller 65s was Daniel McCanney in
fifth place overall.
Chris Stokes rides the delayed first round of the
British motocross championships at Wakes Colne near
Halstead on Sunday.
RESULTS
Group A:
1, Chris Stokes (Yamaha 426) total points
132; 2, John McCanney (Yam 250) 122; 3, Michael Kelly
(Honda 250) 114; 4, Gareth Quayle (Yam 250) 107; 5,
Graeme Saunders (Yam 250) 106; 6, Colin Dentith (KTM
520) 104; 7, Sean Skillicorn (KTM 520) 103; 8, Simon
Bottomley (Yam 125) 95; 9, Karl Waggett (Yam 250) 89;
10, Juan Knight (KTM 520) 87; 11, Peter Wynne (Yam
250) 84; 12, Scott Williams (KTM 520) 82; 13=, Paul
Smyth (Yam 426) & Steve Ascroft (Kawasaki 500) 80; 15,
Mark Barker (Yam 426) 64; 16, Gordon Rice (Yam 426)
58.
Group B:
1, Tim Dedman (Yam 250) 123; 2, Robert
Casement (Yam 426) 120; 3, Gary Kelly (Yam 250) 111;
4=, Ian Lees (Yam 426) & Andrew Bass (Yam 125) 107; 6,
Neil Kerruish (Yam 400) 105; 7, James Graham (Yam 250)
102; 8, Michael Whittaker (Suzuki 250) 100; 9, Anthony
Bridson (400 Yam) 97; 10, Malcolm Stoddart (KTM 300)
90; 11, Malcolm Kirk (Yam 250) 85; 12, Rob Boyles
(Honda 250) 76; 13, Nigel Beaumont (Suzuki 250) 34;
14, Kevin Blackley (Kawasaki 250).
Group C:
1, Malcolm Crellin (Suzuki 250) 132; 2, Allen
Bowker (KTM 300) 125; 3=, Mike Kerruish (Suz 400) &
Martin Crellin (Suz 250) 111; 5, Chris O'Hanlon (Yam
125) 104; 6, Sam Smith (Yam 400) 102; 7, Callum O'Shea
(Yam 250) 96; 8, Michael Jackson (Suz 125) 90; 9,
Jonathan Watts (Suz 250) 83; 10=, Juan Killip (Yam
250) & Timmy Magee (Yam 125) 78; 12, Lee Kaniewski
(Suz 250) 73; 13, Nathan Cafearo (Hon 250) 65; 14,
Mike Stevens (Yam 400) 64; 15, Stuart Storie (Suz 250)
61; 16, Martin Kelly (Hon 250) 58; 17, Dave Collis
(Kaw 250) 56; 18, Stuart Duncan (Hon 250) 49; 19,
James Graham (Yam 250) 38; 20, Kelvin Potter (Hon 250)
35; 21=, Harvey Wood (Yam 250) & Oliver Lavery (Hon
250) 34; 23, Richard Hulme (Yam 400) 25.
Schoolboys
1, William Keenan (KTM 125) 132; 2, Jamie
Teare (Yam 125) 129; 3, Mark Cringle (Honda 80) 114;
4, Gavin Hunt (Suz 125) 112; 5, Daniel McCanney (Kaw
65) 110; 6, Daniel Kneen 108; 7, Dayle Collister (Kaw
65) 102; 8, Ian Skillicorn (Kaw 65) 100.
By John Watterson - Courtesy of Isle of Man Newspapers
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