KEY POINTS:
Fifty-two year old trials veteran Kevin Pinfold showed he was back to his best when he won the A-grade class in the North Island Trials Championships near Hamilton at the weekend.
The two-day affair, rounds three and four of the 10-round Beta-sponsored series, was perfect for Pinfold, still recovering from a recent shoulder injury.
That injury had forced him to drop down to the intermediate class competition at the opening two rounds of the series in Taranaki last month, so his points at the weekend were the first he has scored in the A-grade this season.
"But that's okay," said Pinfold. "Riders can discard their two worst results from the 10-round series. It just means everything has to count for me now."
And they certainly counted for the diesel mechanic when he tackled the two contrasting courses near Hamilton on Saturday and Sunday.
Pinfold comfortably won the first day - although he was pipped by Taranaki rider Paul Barnes on day two - and that was enough for him to take the overall win.
Third best A-grader at the weekend was Tauranga's Phil Shilton, with Wellington's Carl Robson fourth and Manawatu's Warrick George fifth.
"With my crook shoulder, I was not feeling too confident," Pinfold said, explaining why he had demoted himself to the intermediate class in Taranaki.
"But I went to Australia as part of New Zealand's squad at the Oceania Trials Championships and I rode okay there. It was more difficult terrain than I had been riding at home and, because I coped so well, it gave me confidence again.
"I was still in a bit of pain at the weekend, but it was manageable. I plan to finish the series in the A grade now ... unless my old body can no longer take the hits."
The winner of the top category, the expert grade, was a foregone conclusion, with seven-time national champion Warren Laugesen the sole entrant at Hamilton.
Auckland engineering tutor Peter Boettcher won the intermediate class battle from Opunake's Andrew Clement and Wellington's Nick Ball, while Katikati's Colin Godsell won the clubman class from Feilding's Andy Anderson and Cambridge's Rob Turney.
Best of the junior class riders was Hamilton's Alex Evans, winning by just one point over Callum Anderson.
Te Puke's Paul McLeod won the presidents' grade from Warrick Merriman and Steve Wade.
The series continues with rounds five and six in Hawke's Bay on June 21-22; rounds seven and eight in Wellington on August 9-10; and rounds nine and 10 in Tauranga on September 13-14.
