TOP-CLASS motocross arrived in Marshfield on Sunday with round six of the Phoenix Tools-sponsored South West Premier Championships, writes DAVE RICH.

Despite rain prior to the event, the strong winds dried out the track to produce some fast, exciting racing in front of a large number of spectators.

In the Expert Open Premier Championship, Luke Hill, from South Molton in Devon, arrived with a slender four-point advantage over 23-year-old Jamie Skuse, from Calne.

Skuse, who has recently had been asked to ride for one of the country’s top teams Apico Suzuki, dominated, winning all three races to take the lead with four rounds remaining.

Plenty of local riders lined up for the Junior Championship class, but it wasn’t the best of outings for second-placed Jake Owen, from Bath.

He took a tumble in the first race, clawing his way back to finish mid pack.

In the second race, Owen battled the seventh spot and produced his best finish of the day in the final outing, fifth spot keeping him in second spot overall as the championships head down to Cornwall next month.

OVERALL RESULTS Phoenix Tools Expert Open Championship: 1 Jamie Skuse (450f Apico Suzuki); 2 Darren Shears (450f PCMP Yamaha); 3 Connor Wakeley (250f L P E Kawasaki); 4 Luke Mellows (450f TMC/Meredith Suzuki); 5 Jackson Evans (450f Phoenix Tools Honda); 6 Luke Hill (450f HPR/DirtbikeXpress Honda).

M D Racing Over 35s Championship: 1 Martyn Tucker (450f Suzuki); 2 Keith Hanson (450f Hanson Garage Honda); 3 Jason Fraser (250 Gibbs Performance KTM); 4 Mark Wilde (450f S J Hodder Kawasaki); 5 Jon Lock (450f Albion Kawasaki); 6 Tony Bayliss (250f Yamaha).

M D Racing Over 40’s Championship: 1 Simon Hart (250 Kawasaki); 2 John Heath; 3 Wayne Gill (250f Suzuki); 4 Paul Ayres (450f Yamaha); 5 Alan Packer (250 Yamaha); 6 Richard Todd (450f Suzuki).

M D Racing Over 50’s Championship: 1 Tom Lowe (250f Honda); 2 Tim Hawkins (450f Honda); 3 Steve Palmer (350f Albion KTM).

Tyremarks Junior A: 1 Jay Thomas (250 K J Services KTM); 2 Jordan Broadway (250 Kawasaki); 3 Ryan Blee (250f Gilletts Spar/Albion Kawasaki); 4 Luke Sturgeon (250f Honda); 5 Adam Savage; 6 Loukas Maggio (250f Phoenix Tools Honda).

Tyremarks Junior B: 1 Morgan Edwards; 2 Cameron Packer (250f Honda); 3 Ryan Hooper (250 KTM); 4 Josh McGill; 5 Richard Grills (450f Yamaha); 6 Anthony Carrington (125 Yamaha).

Tyremarks Junior C: 1 Dannielle Hipgrave (250 Danger UK KTM); 2 Richard Tapscott (450f Honda); 3 Dave Tilling; 4 Patrick Searle; 5 Scott Parker (250f KTM); 6 Lewis Hunt (250f Suzuki).

MORE PICTURES FROM MARSHFIELD, PLUS MORE SPORTS NEWS & PICTURES IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD