What a day, with the rain last night I really thought I wasn't going to be able to run it through not getting people onto the field but it was too late to cancel. Got up there and it was barely light but the field was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be, so it was game on. A quick ride around all of the sections to survey mother nature's handywork and fortunately they hadn't been compromised too much. There wasn't time to make wholesale changes anyway, so a few alterations were made to the middle and easy routes and it was fingers crossed that they would ride alright. They were slippery but all looked cleanable with the exception of section 1 on the hard route and so it proved. With that one exception every section on each route was cleaned throughout the trial and on each lap showing that our luck held and they didn't deteriorate.
On the hard route, it was both a delight and utterly demoralising :) to watch Tom Sagar dance, force, coax and scream the absolute nuts off the little 1970s Honda TLR125 twinshock to take the win on 30 marks lost, and that was despite two fives for chain derailments. Up the big climbs, the valves were bouncing more than Jordan's tits in a topless 100m race... Brilliant ride and a good kick in the nuts for the forum experts and keyboard warriors who love to tell us what this, that or the other bike is or isn't capable of. Sam Yeomans took second, 1 mark behind with section 10 giving him real problems and taking 18 marks of his 31 total. This section gave far more trouble than anticipated, only four cleans all day on the hard route, a pair going to Sam Rhodes in third place but unfortunately he paired them with two fives as well... Tom and Jack Edmondson recorded the other two cleans.
On the 50/50, Matt Spink took the win from yours truly who had some utterly attrocious rides on the Gorilla in places (see photographic evidence) Fortunately there was no camera around when I disappeared into the undergrowth on Liz Bolton's section or performed a perfect 10 off the high board head first into the stream on section 2... And that's all I have to say about that - for now.
The medium route was won with a very steady ride by Derrick Edmondson on 14 marks with Danny Littlehales also putting in a very good ride on the (cough :) ) Pre65 Franny Barnett and just edging Kevin Stannard into third place, 21 marks to 23. Just a little further down the field in 5th and 6th places were father and son duo (although not in that order) Dan and Antony Charles both on 39 marks and both with the same number of cleans. I couldn't be bothered to start counting up for furthest clean and gave Dan 5th place due to his 'concern' when I took my swan dive on section two. At least he only convulsed with stifled guffawing and did come to check I hadn't drowned, whereas Antony Charles would have howled like a heyena with its balls in a vice and continued until I was no longer breathing - so Dan gets 5th and kicks dad's arse on his first ride on the medium route. That'll teach you to buy him a new bike.. :)
On the white route twinshocks again took top honours with Fantic mounted Rene Stubbs taking the win on 10 marks lost from Colin Stubbs Honda on 15 marks lost. Bill Brown and Harry Edmondson were right behind in 3rd and 4th on 16 and 17 marks respectively.
Thanks to all who supported the trial, to all helpers and observers, Colin Leese, Emma Leese, Gianna Sonia Leese, Mick Spink, Liz Bolton, Roger Morris, Scott Ellis (especially for the picture...) Phil Morris, Ray Wheaver.
Thanks once again to the Berrisford family for letting us run another event and for providing the bacon butties which were rather nice. Thanks also to those who contributed to the collection for the village which raised £125 with a further £150 donated by the club.
That's it now until April when the next trial will be April 8th. There will be sheep arriving at the farm in the next few days and they will be there until the next trial and during that period, Jean and Glyn have said there will be no bikes at all whilst the sheep are there. The entire field will be fenced off anyway with electric fencing and the gate to the field will be secured. If you turn up you won't ride, simple as that. It will also give the ground a chance to recover as it is being ridden to death with the constant riding.
Lastly, if you spot any discrepancies in the results please let me know as my eyesight is somewhat hindered by the amount of grit and sludge they picked up whilst I was snorting for truffles on the stream bed in section 2.