Wyegate Trial 26th March 2006

(EDP Photos are sadly not available now)
All images by Jackie or Viv Jones. (Full size - upto A3 - images emailed to you are available for a charity donation. contact us)

All the following sections have photos included: Ben Falconer's Report:, From the Clerk of the Course.

Snippets

If you've got any comments or snippets/stories that others may enjoy, email us on wyegate@wgdfmcc.org.uk Also, anyone got any fabulous shots they would like to share?

We now have some Video clips. Give these a go, they are all about 1 MB in size and Windows Media Files. (That means a few minutes download for those of us who still live in trees! - Pre-broadband.) The Clips: (by Colin Jones) Mike Husband Cleans Allt-y-bela. | Steve Venn Cleans Allt-y-bela. | Gordon Brown safely cleans Allt-y-bela. Gordon loses a third of his total marks at Pant-glas 1. | Chris Brown. Rigid. Pant-glas. Painful? Check it out! | Jason Bendall on a 600 at Pant-glas. | Steven Fellows at Pant-glas on a Benly! | Our very own Jack Pegler and Jimmy Marshall at Pant-glas. We also have many more clips available but no space to put them up on the web. I'll try to list them here later so you can ask for them to be emailed to you for free. Oh yes, If you would like nay of them full TV quality then we could put them on a DVD for you at a very sensible price plus a charity donation to show willing!

Nice way to spend a birthday! Organising Marshals/Marking Out/Course Opening/Partying on down! I bet our Chief Marshal Pete Neale slept well!

Own up then, who forgot to change their clocks? Ah! that's right Mike Wells did. Lucky he lives so close. Hang on! Mike would have had an excuse for riding around in his Pyjamas, but wasn't. However, someone was and they feature in one of our video clips above!

Ben Falconer just read our CofC's notes and pointed out that Matt had missed the point, Tony's looped bike just could have been aimed at him!

Did you spot at the end of the results were credits for our valliant marshals! Did you also spot that some of them not only got up early to help sort out the start but then observed for a couple of hours then rode the event as well before collapsing! See, Gordon had it easy! Did anyone spot our famous hillclimb marshal who was separated at birth! see photo.

You are supposed to ride to and from the event in a truly Classic Trial for the most brownie points so Pete Dunckley and Ken Brown get some, but Goff Hannam gets more for riding an Ariel HT500 to and from!

While waiting for results sheets to come in our web editor digitally filmed some riders attempting the hill climb. while he was there 2 rides shone out above the rest. If you were one who legged up the central slot for a safe clean, you should see the video clips of Mike Husband and Steve Venn as a master class on how you could have done it.

What the Riders have said:

We've had emails flooding in so thought we should share some of the comments:

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to all involved with the trial. We had a fantastic day, Last few sections were extra tricky, thanks to the rain and being too unfit!! but this added to the fun as well as the score!! Excellent road map and organising, and a huge thank you to the poor observers having to stand all afternoon in the rain! Cheers all, Jase and Dan Bendall

We were one of the first to arrive and the last to leave, thirsty work the Wyegate! we all had a brilliant day despite having had 3 punctures - all on the same bike - a chain coming adrift on two of the bikes, a sticking throttle and a pair of wayward waterproofs. I hope that it wasn't the last Wyegate just because a few NERDS, I mean NERCS, want to outlaw outdoor sports. Once again a big thank you to all involved, an excellently arranged event, long may/might it live on! Duncan Shaw, Steve hancox and Peter Meek

It was my first Wyegate and I have been meaning to do it for years but what a great day it was in spite of the rain, mud, broken clocks, clutch - brake levers and a dented tank!! Thanks to all the people who helped out on such a memorable day. Kierran Blayney
What your readers don't know is that you earnt your ride the proper way, by observing for us before. Good on ya!

Just to say what a great day. I was one of the old time riders who rode to the trial (had a flat in the back on way) got to the start, rode all day, brill fun with little bro winning, lost rear brake pads half way through trial, had another flat and rode home. Great fun. (I must be daft) Ken Brown
I bet you are winding Spud up about beating him on 2 of his bogey sections! We've got a video clip of Spud (Gordon) dropping the dab at Pant-glas.

Everything the very best, except my performance but i've got an excuse for that. Hope to do it again next year. Bob Wilson
The club has a copyright on our massive list of excuses. Hope you're not infringing!

How many more chains did Pant-glas break? I saw 2 in the time I was there. One being repaired with an Axe by our very helpful friend in the Cottage. And while we're talking about Pant-glas, No, the dog is not a regular there and we never did spot the owner!

I had two punctures & the second took absolutely ages to fix. I was convinced I was last & all the Observers would be long gone. But I was pleased to see all sections manned...So please pass on my thanks to all the Observers & Officials for hanging about while we riders flaff about somewhere down a muddy lane. Mike Husband
Mike also thanks Pete Hughes for helping out with the second tube.

Well it was my first Wyegate. I was awake most of the previous night worrying about Pantglas Steps and the little sleep I did have I spent having nightmares about it! I survived the trial and Pantglas, thanks to Yoshi dragging me round on his 16th Wyegate. For once he was right! It was a great trial and when the bruises have gone, hopefully by next year, I want to ride it again. Thanks to all who helped organise it. Sarah & Yoshi
We should apologise for putting that shot on the programme cover then. That wasn't a nice thing to see before you set off. Sorry.

C'mon Colin, results of some sort should be up by now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Timed at 8:30 Sunday night.) Ian Hannam
Yes, I know, bloomin computers slow everything down. Reality is that we had them done before we left the pub at about 5:00pm Error checking took a while but we had them up about 10:00pm - Even so we still didn't spot everything, see Paul Cox below.

Hi all, just a quick email to say thanks for another great wyegate out in the forest, please pass on my thanks to all the hard working marshals and helpers. A bit of a disappointing ride/score for me as I had no back brake after the first five minutes, so that made some of the sections a bit tougher than I would have liked. No excuses I rode like a novice, which is no good as I am riding Scottish in 5 weeks time. Hope to see everyone at Caerphilly's spring surprise Hay-on-wye 2 April. CHEERS NIBBS.
Here's wishing you a better ride and more luck at the scottish, after all it is an easier trial!! Nibbs is our winning'ist rider with 3 under his belt so is sure to do well. (Oops! must rephrase that to SOLO Wins, just checked, Adrian Moss has won 5 Wyegate Cups - 4 of them with Mike Wathen in the sidecar or is that just a technicality? Mike was also riding solo this year on a the twinshock XL125.)

Hi all. Just to say thanks for a great day's trail riding. I was no60 riding the big XR650 which I found ideal for the challenging conditions. Just looking at the provisional results my marks add up to 15 and they are down as 17! Thanks again and see you next year. Paul Cox
Well spotted Paul. In version 2 of the provisional's we forgot to show the section 4 column although the totals were correct.

I enjoyed observing (although I prefer to ride) its nice to put something back into the event. Also interesting seeing all the other riders on a section. See you next year. Keith Bloxham
Thanks for your help Keith. Much appreciated.

Thanks for a great day! Pete Dunckley
Pete has put a report up on the Trailbike Magazine's Web Forum. (now dissapeared)

Gallery

We have some Video footage too but needs some editing first. The stills below are in Section order.

All shots by Colin Jones (There are about 800 other shots, some aren't rubbish, just email if you'd like one or two, if I caught you. I'll email them back. admin@wgdfmcc.org.uk)

❮ ❯ Click to step through the shots.

Dave Pinney Scrutineers Sam Wilson.

Yoshi Adams and Sarah Williams about to face her nightmares!.

Peter Meek, eager for the off.

Chris Brown tells Ian Watkins 'see that bald old git there, well....

The Harris's Dave and Mark synchronise their routes.

Nigel and Glenda Smith get the countdown from Ian Hannam.

David Hayward Paddles up the hillclimb safely for a clean.

John Cart guide his ISDT Triumph at Allt-y-bela.

Paul Farley on his 350 AJS.

Martin Worgan tries to cloud the observers judgement!.

Nicholas Worgan tries the smoother line but with less grip.

Ian Mackie plays safe in the slot.

Frank Luther in a determined attempt.

Sam King thinks were trials really like this back in the 60's.

Neil Hannam downgrades his bike to make life difficult but still wins JP Cup.

Have you ever seen a farmer on a bike? Yep! Roynon Breakwell.

Mike Wells on full song.

Bob Wilson.

David Eeles paddles to a first class award.

Keith Wells on his reliable XL185'ish.

The Harris's pass some really ancient road furniture at Pant-glas.

Steve Biddle flies out of Pant-glas, grip no problem!.

Bob Wilson about to exit Pant-glas.

Chelt Home Guard's Dave Mason.

David Eeles at Pant-glas.

Pete Hughes.

Mike Wathen.

Mike Griffiths.

Chris Brown really wanted to ride his RE Bullet but the Matchless was up to it!.

Spring Surprise LDT CofC, Nigel Smith dops his only dab at PG.

Shaun Sweeting heads for our Photographer.

Mark Roberts gets away with a 3.

Peter Geddes.

Graham Teece shows how big the first step really is..

All looks OK so far but some how...below.

Ah! must have stalled on the top.

Text.

Steven Fellows gets far too much power out of his Honda Benly.

Edmund Brady - where's my ground clearance gone?.

Tim Hyde only loses 1 through PG.

Patrick Bramman has a bad year on Pant-glas but good rides on every other section!.

Darren Thomas takes the very safe option when 2 cameras are pointed at him

Jason Bendall Running a new clutch in on his 600.

Daniel Bendall Flies up the highest of Pant-glas's Steps.

Kierran Blayney gets a 5 and a clean at Pant-glas.

Paul Callard gets the trajectory just right but still suffers later.

Scrutineer and Rider Jack Pegler goes for a safety 3.

Dave Pinney Gasses it up PG.

Jimmy Marshall thinks 'I've cleaned it before, I can do it again.

Andrew Leahy couldn't hide his 2 here.

Kevin Lennox Wins the open class but loses 2 here.

Bill or Graham?.

❮ ❯ Click to step through the shots.

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Section Statistics

Hope this makes sense to you. The bold numbers represent the best and worst. The Totals column shows number of marks dropped in that section and the values under the penalty type shows the frequency. eg. there were 29 fives on section 1.