Dougie Lampkin heads for Northern Ireland on Sunday to launch his defence of the British trials championship.

On current form he should add the crown to his incredible trophy list again as he is just storming the trials world.

He charmed the rain out of the skies in Portugal on last weekend when he strolled to his third World Trials victory. No rain had fallen until last Friday but the dry conditions switched Yorkshire-style weather and Lampkin won the Saturday event with ease. On Sunday he was matched all the way by Fujinami with both riders picking up 26 penalties.

Championship points: 1 Lampkin 80; 2 Colomer 64; 3 Fujinami 62; 4 Freixa 43; 5 Justribo 38; 6 Cabestany 37; 7 Kuroyama 36; 8 Jarvis 34 ; 9 Colley 32; 10 Raga 30.

n Ilkley Motor Club have a seventeen point lead over North Humberside in the Larkspeed Millennium League with Sporting Escort in third spot. Keighley Motor Club are struggling in eleventh spot but the Trackrod autotest in mid-April should ring the changes.

n Team Colin Appleyard got off to a flying start as the bike racing season got underway last weekend.

After three periods of testing in Spain last year's 125cc champion, Darren Barton blitzed the opposition to win the 250cc race at Brands Hatch.

Team mate Robin Kenny took second place in the 125cc race.

Robin Appleyard, manager of the Honda-backed Helphire Bike Assist Team, was confident Barton would go well after looking impressive in practice in Spain. He finished well ahead of last year's champion, John McGuinness despite having to swap engines after the warm-up which led to a slow start.

Barton said: "After the problems in warm-up the lads worked brilliantly to get the bike back on track. The win is a tribute to their skill."

The team is also introducing 16-year-old Michael Moodie, son of TT lap record holder Jim Moodie, to championship racing.

"It's been a great start to the season," Robin Appleyard said.

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