Despite the grim weather forecast and the loss of an hours sleep on Easter Sunday over 50 riders made the long drive up alongside picturesque Gouthwaite reservoir on what turned out to be a pleasant spring morning.
Endeavouring to ease the tricky nature of this once-a-year stream-in-a-valley venue the sections were run downstream for the first time. Just as clean lines were emerging over the mossy rocks the riders (and observers) were treated to a monumental hail storm. After a lap, the skies cleared but the deluge didn’t do much to improve the grip either in the sections or between them. Not that the conditions fazed novice Louis Haley who beat experts Dan Hemingway and Joe Jennings to the hard course win be dropping just four singles.
Chris Beecroft was the clear winner on the middle course gently breaking in the Honda’s comfy seat in readiness for the SSDT.
Easing the section severity successfully inclined many entrants to ‘ride up a course’ leaving just 9 riders on the easy course. Despite the course plotters efforts to find a simple route through the valley for them the terrain proved a bit too severe but Steve Ellis battled through to win on 25 with no 5’s on his card.
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Next round at Greenhow on 10th April.