Wyegate Trial 29/30th March 2008 Press Report
Report by Ben Falconer
Although five former winners of the annual Wyegate long distance trial headed a high quality entry list, a new victor will be etched on the trophy this year.
Gavin Moore lost one mark over 31 sections in and around the Wye Valley on Sunday, April 5 earning a deserved victory by being the only rider to clean all three of the tough new sections at Mitchel Troy.
Set in rocky gullies, they took marks off every rider except the Swindon man, whose only blemish was a dab recorded on the trial's legendary Pant Glas steps.
The route was set at around 90 miles by course clerk Matthew Neale, and he tested riders' navigational, riding, section reading and stamina to the limit.
2005 winner Julian Page ceded a mark to Moore on section 18, the last of the Mitchel Troy group known as Wixon's Rocks. Then a dab in Forge Wood on section 28 handed the advantage back to Moore, who was struggling to find enough fuel to finish the event.
Page, from Treharris, had recorded a faster special test time but the tie breaker was not needed after his second dab.
The same section, 28, saw Jason Bendall lose three, to take his score to five, but still the win for the best 250 to 450. Riding far more suitable machinery than in previous years, the Lydney rider showed his true colours with a fine ride. Ross Mason also took two marks on section 28, to finish on six, along with 2003 winner David Eeles from Tewkesbury.
Eeles is in training for the Pre-65 Scottish 2 Day Trial and although he won the award for best over 60, he showed he still has the staying power within him to keep his feet up.
Steve Venn, the 1999 winner, from Cheltenham, once again put in a steady ride for eight marks, just ahead of Lydney's Henry Bendall, who cracked a crankcase. He lost ten marks and the chance to be only the second rider in the 26-year history of the West Glos and Dean Forest MCC event to win it back-to-back.
Top pre-65 performer was Cinderford's Steve Grindle. He could not repeat his premier performance of 2004 but his 11 mark loss was creditable in an event which is so tough on modern machinery, and tougher still on bikes like his BSA. A special mention must go to Jason Bendall's brother Bruce, who kindly swapped his competitive steed for Jason's unwieldy Honda 600 and battled round for 75.
The club would like to thank all observers, marshals and land owners for their generous assistance in supporting the event.