Report by BenF.
The Caerphilly club's Ivor Morkot trial attracted a big West Glos/Western Centre contingent for a great day's trail riding, starting from Bedwas RFC on Saturday, July 17. This was the first round of the ACU Trailbike Championship and the first people we bumped in to were reigning champ Julian Page and his outrider Jeremy Prosser.
Stan, the Worgans, William Brown, Alf Bendall, Pete Hughes, the regular CHGers, and G&C's Richard Fowler, Max Hawkins, and Glyn Smith formed a good Glos' part of the entry.
I rode with Wyegate regulars Sam Wilson and Graham Smith and splitting up in to smaller groups meant we all got a move on. Sam's Scorpa T-Ride is a lovely bit of kit, though prone to stalling. Not so much as it once was, but enough to cost him a five or two. The flipside were some inspired rides, particularly where a bit of welly was required. Once it had been revved, it unleashed a flywheel effect which propelled him to the top of some tricky hills.
One was the graded hillclimb, which we all stood around and watched at for quite a while. Sam blasted straight up the middle, then Graham almost made it up on his Beta Alp. 2008 Morkot winner Graham Lavis did the same, then Gavin Moore fancied the left hand side and romped it.
I had my doubts but went left - mistake! Classic case of making the wrong decision and two marks lost. Pete Hughes followed on and moved the bike forward at 0.01mph but it moved, and he got up nicely.
Results are not out yet, but it looks like Gavin Moore went clean, Keith Wells had one and Steve Venn and Glyn Smith 3. I think there will be quite a few single figure scores.
Unlike last year's success, I lost 11 this year, most of them a bit dopey. That was five more than Ian Wixon, who went round for a very decent six marks lost, especially as the carb was held on with 2 zip ties and a piece of wood.
The club is very much a "riding" club and they put in a big effort to give us what we wanted - competitive sections and loads of action between them. Excellent work - and thanks to CoC Nigel Smith and his team, and all the observers, many of whom did their card marking duties twice in the day.