Over the weekend of the 6th and 7th February the opening two rounds of the ACU Normandale Trials Championship will take place, hosted by Nene Valley on the Saturday followed by Castle Colchester on Sunday.
Nene Valley Motorcycle Club will be running the first round under its new configuration of Age Classes instead of Machine related Classes. The Putoline Cup Trial this year will start at the clubs Cranford Firs venue, and take a route of around 15 miles visiting Great Addington, Duck End Cranford, on to Woodford for 2 groups of sections, back to Cranford Firs for the final group of sections with the route being completed twice.
To date the biggest class seems to be the Over 50’s (as last year proved), but time will tell if the change to the classes from bike related to age will prove to be successful. The biggest challenge at this time of the year is of course the weather, so it is figures crossed for a dry day.
On the Sunday the Championship will move to Pebmarsh, Nr Halstead in Essex for the Phil King East Anglian Trial hosted by the Castle Colchester club. The event will feature a typical mix of East Anglian streams, roots and muddy climbs.
The Phil King Trial will feature a 20 mile lap with 38 sections separated at a number of different locations. The biggest group of section will be at the Alphamstone Pit with around 14 different section marked out and will feature more mud, sand, tree roots, climbs and cambers set in the woodland and is easily the best choice for spectators with plenty of parking available.
With the opening rounds of the Championship taking place on the same weekend, we are sure to have an idea of who the title contenders are likely to be during the year in the new championship classes.