The Bewdley Motor Cycle Club ran their annual Boxing Day Trial at Brown Westhead Park and once again, were rewarded with a bumper entry. Run on a new 20 acre woodland area of the park, the riders and a large number of spectators were treated to an excellent event.
Wilden resident Shaun Fox (Gas Gas) had a convincing win on the Experts Route, almost finishing the trial without dropping a mark. But a lapse of concentration on the penultimate section, on the very last lap, denied him a perfect ride. Competition for the remaining leader board positions was much close though. Just three marks separated Aspen Hopkins ( Sherco), Chris Tett (Beta) and Richard Wells (Beta). Hopkins took the runner up spot, finishing on twenty four marks, but the tie decider came into force for the third spot. Battling throughout the event, former Enduro rider Tett came out on top, by seven clean rides to Wells five. Just three marks behind the pair was Halesowen’s Steve Clift (Gas Gas)
The 50/50 Route provided another close finish, between Dave Fowler (300 Beta) and Alan Nicklin riding his much modified Pre-65 Greeves. Again, the pair were neck and neck throughout the trial, but by gaining a small advantage on section two, Fowler took the win. The final podium place went to Robbie Turner (Gas Gas), who just ousted Grass Track rider Ben Millichap (BSA).
Former Grass Track competitor Carl Wilkes (Gas Gas) showed he had lost none of his competitiveness in claiming top spot on the B Route, over Liam Wilkes (Gas Gas). Things may have been different , but Liam dropped six marks to Carl’s zero on the penultimate section. The battle continued for third place, with Paul Hadlington (Gas Gas), Mel Whitlaw (Sherco) and Steve Irish (Montesa) all in contention. Hadlington had a consistant ride all through the event and even with lapses on the final two sections, Whitlaw and Irish could not quite catch him.
Shrewsbury’s John Davies (Gas Gas) was a clear winner of the C Route, but second route position was again a tight affair. Simon Gardner (Beta) and Martin Walker (Gas Gas) rode mark for mark all day and only an extra five marks lost by Walker on section seven, separated the pair.