A few days short of his 50th birthday, Steve Colley proved that he can still strut his stuff on a trials bike - as he emphasised on Sunday.

Preparing for a busy season of stunt shows, he took time out to ride Ramsey MCC’s Paul Knight Memorial runaround event in the Sulby area.

He was fortunate to get away with a clean on the first section of the day at Ellanbane farm close to the TT Course, between Kerrowmoar and Glen Duff, where he had the Montesa 4RT briefly dug in on its footrest on a steep seven or eight-foot sheer bank.

Juan Knight, 47 three days earlier, had a clean and a one on the same sub, observed by Stuey Clague, but Barry Kinley fived section two when he missed a flag. He left the first venue on eight - more than Colley ultimately lost for the day.

Colley needed a three to keep the four-stroke moving in the first sub at nearby Glen Duff, observed by Mike Kerruish, and also had a dab on the last to elevate Knight into the lead on the Scorpa 300.

The latter then fived a relatively easy section in the slate quarry at Sky Hill to put Colley back in the driving seat.

The Narradale Glen sections were tight and nadgery, as ever, Colley dabbing the second and last section there to arrive at five newly-cleaned out hazards at Cronkgarroo gulley high on the Narradale Road with a miserly card of six.

Section two was the toughest for the experts, Knight failing the ultra tight left turn round a tree on the steep bank above the stream where Kinley got a slightly generous one from yours truly.

Going into the final lap there Colley was on six, Knight 15 and Kinley 16. Colley had a dab on John Watty’s, while Knight and Kinley both went clean, but the latter then had a two on the next sub observed by rider Michael Cannan (and earlier John Kneale) who had stepped in to take up the slack with as there was one observer short.

Cannan had enjoyed a good day on his TRS to finish a close third in the Clubman class behind Dylan Cain and Aaron Smith.

Cain made it a Montesa 4RT double with a final loss of 13, four fewer than Smith who had taken a bath over the log into the deep pool on section two at Cronkgarroo that arguably cost him the win.

Michael Jackson also had a good ride, but one of the stars of the day was 13-year-old guest rider Stan Cubbon who effectively finished fifth on the clubman route with a loss of 29 on his 125 TRS. He and Summer Peters were transported between venues by van.

Lee Wardell took the sportsman honours on his Bultaco Sherpa twinshock of 1980s vintage, dropping a mere eight marks for the 32 sections, 10 fewer than Stephen Lace on the Fantic, while motocross/enduro rider Orry Millward rode well to edge out seasoned campaigners Lancie Kneale and Sammy Ball for third spot.

RESULTS

Expert: 1, Steve Colley, seven marks lost; 2, Juan Knight 15; 3, Barry Kinley 18; 4, Chris Madigan 24; 5, Bobby Moyer 31; 6, Aaron Molyneux 38; 7, Robin Arnold 50; 8, Corey Peters 66; 9, Aleyn Taggart 78.

Clubman: 1, Dylan Cain 13; 2, Aaron Smith 17; 3, Michael Cannan 19; 4, Michael Jackson 27; 5, Antony Smith 30; 6, Steve Franklin 32; 7, Mark Barker 38; 8, Gaz Temple 40; 9, Tom Cairns 49; 10, Kyle Collister 50; 11, Juan Readshaw (twinshock) 52; 12, Juan Kinnish 66; 13, Dale Farquhar 76; 14, Scott Stewart 80.

Youth Clubman (guests): Stan Cubbon 29; Summer Peters 53.

Sportsman: 1, Lee Wardell (twinshock) eight; 2, Stephen Lace (twinshock) 18; 3, Orry Millward 22; 4, John Kneale (twinshock) 27; 5, Gary Flowers (twinshock) 38; 6, Ashley Gardner (air-cooled) 41; 7, Mark Moyer 47; 8, Tom Brown 60.