A good turn out for all classes to compete the fourth round of the Ixion club championship held in brilliant sunshine although the temperature dipped dramatically towards the end of proceedings as an easterly wind whipped up. The venue was the very popular Standlake Pits where course plotting was put to the test as many areas were flooded after recent persistent torrential rain. Ten tricky sections were plotted to be ridden four times with a variety of gravely banks- muddy climbs - fallen trees and steep cambered rooty hills.
Guy Kenyon-Bell 250 Gasser headed a small but class Expert entry a loss of 3 was his tally section three taking a prod third lap a rather steep ascent and a drop to the edge of the lagoon before a fairly tight turn culminating with a severe off-set camber.
Youth B Brett Harbud was best in class with a creditable 39 marks lost Brett rode Jakes section six a series of roots and muddy slots for a single mark after four visits but as the day wore on this hazard gradually got worse and most riders had to take steadying dabs to reach the ends.
Findley Callum up from the southern centre was having a great day and turned in a best youth A performance. Findley went clean at section two an undulating affair with a couple of front wheel inch perfect turns then a short sharp climb to the ends cards.
The standard white route was really competitive today where Adrian Steele Beta 250 and Alan Taylor 199 Triumph battled it out for top spot Alan getting the verdict furthest clean but both were happy as they rode different classes.
Best Novice went to Kevin Scrivens who certainly added an international flavour to proceedings as over from Norway on vacation he last rode at Oxford over twenty years ago and showed he had lost none of his skills piloting the Mont to victory with great rides at sub five a series of sandy cambers and vertical banks then a slick grassy climb where water had dragged up the section so fourth gear was vital if you were to make the ends.
On the blue eased course Ex Scrambler Brian Tomkins had a rewarding days sport and the trip was all the more worthwhile as he took best performance on two. Ixion clubman Vince Lay took runner-up on 6 but a couple of slack dabs at section six were always going to be hard to claw back. A steep drop off the Enduro track with a fierce gravel climb to the observer before creeping along a narrow ledge to an awkward cambered drop finishing with a very tough uphill right hander over roots this sub was arguably the toughest of the event. Matt Rudge was five adrift on 11 just touching off 4RT mounted Steve McHugh on most cleans 33 to 30 although McHugh's four stroke power was put the fore at section seven it included a couple of really steep gravelly climbs and not for the faint hearted.
Many thanks to all the observers.
Report Ken O'Brien
Results
Expert Guy Kenyon-Bell Gasser 3
Youth A Findley Callum 125 Gas 40
Youth B Brett Harbud 125 Beta 39
Standard White Route
Pre 65 Alan Taylor 119 Triumph 2
Clubman Adrian Steele 250 Beta 2
Intermediate Mark Elms 300 Beta 3
Novice Kevin Scrivens 260 Mont 16 m/c
Ryan Tomkins 300 Beta 16
Youth C George Clarke 80 Beta 18
Blue Route
Brian Tomkins Beta 2
Vince Lay Scorpa 6
Matthew Rudge Beta 11 m/c
Steve McHugh Repsol 4RT 11
Bailey Tidbury Beta 80 15 m/c
Ian Roberts Beta 15