NATIONAL trials riding champion Jack Price steps up to the British Youth Championship for the first time on Sunday – and pundits expect him to be among the leading contenders.

The 13-year-old (pictured) from Denby Dale is a member of the Huddersfield Falcon Motorcycle Club – established for 70 years – and has rocketed through the five age classes of motor cycle trials.

The Shelley College Year 9 student is the best for his age group in the country – the sport attracts thousands of competitors from across the country – and Sunday’s event in Devon is the first of five in the Youth section.

Price rides at that level for the first time, although he has experience of riding in the Czech Republic and Italy last year, and the consensus of opinion is that he will win the class in his first year, or at least achieve a top three position in the final standings.

He has been riding a motorbike since he was four and won his first British Championship class aged nine.

He will be competing in the European Youth Championships which start in Rome next month.

The sport has no money involved apart from expense, and trials riding is a non-speed, almost silent, test of machine control, balance, and the ability to ride over obstacles marked by flags. These are named sections and usually 10 or 12 are marked and ridden three or four times.