Wyegate Trial 27th March 2011

Final Results

Section Statistics

Photo Gallery

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Want to see what happened in previous Years? Then go to the Past Winners List and click on the year number.

Also have a look at our Wyegate's Remembered Page

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More Photos: Fred's Gallery

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Photos by Nathan Tilley

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The Latest

Final Results are available on the right. Any queries over results to wyegatesec@wgdfmcc.org.uk

You can read our Press Officer's report for the weeklies in Ben's Report plus see more photos.

He's done it again. Gavin Moore gets his 3rd win in a row, but only just. It came down to the Special Test decider where he beat Wyegate newcomer Dave Renham by 0.31 of a sec. Dave, who with team mates Mike Husband and Tony Coleman also took the Team award normally reserved for CHG or Caerphilly.

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I know it is a bit late but here is the abbreviated vid.

Snippets

The Caption Competition for the unfortunate Huw photo right, was won by Graham Lavis.

There were so many 'nearly' men this year with a variety of sob stories, 19 riders on single figures. It would have been nice to see newbie Rob Faulkner or Jerry Walters win on their classic Yam DT175's, just to see the Pamps knocked off their perch, (Oops, now I'm in for it.)

Henry Bendall spotted early on that the slightest mistake would lose anyone the Trial and focused on making the tie deciding special test count by taking the second fastest time, only beaten by 'Old Cop' rider Huw Watkins. However, Henry blew it all by succumbing to the family jinx of having cameras pointed at them, with a 3, now featured on Video on these pages (We only do it to remind you to keep those feet up, honest!)

Jason Bendall was really trying to get bike fit for his first attempt at the Scottish 6 days and ended up virtually copying Gordon Jackson's famous 1 dab success and lets hope he has more luck getting the bike to the finish.

Thanks to all you hungry riders, £153 was raised for charity from food & drink sales. Well done the Wyegate catering crew - T, Suzy, Ruth and Holly.

Riders Say

Gavin Moore says: Enjoyed the Wyegate this year, very well set out, a good long distance ride round, I felt fortunate to win it twice in a row but three times in a row and by such a narrow margin I think lady luck was on my side.
I'll see you next year and I'll bring her with me again LOL. Thanks to the observers and organisers!!!

Rob Withey says: Cracking day out and we would like to thank you for allowing 3 mature minded (ok, old) Enduro mounted riders to take part. The club is rightly concerned to be aware of noise issue's and it struck me that some of the 'old' four strokes with either straight through or hardly silenced exhausts make a hell of a racket compared to our modern models. Weather was good (oh sorry you do not control that one so maybe you should erase this comment and how hard or easy it makes things) Route map was well documented and we only had one small mistake which was soon rectified (U turn)
General organisation was good as always and good to hear that the catering crew were doing it for charity. Well done, double thumbs up!
Yes there was more road mileage than the last time we rode in 2008, but we have to blame the government for that one, you did the best you could and it is a long distance trial after all.
Severity of sections was about right as only two people went clean and I applaud them as it was still a very good result to be on less than 5 marks.
So to sum up 89,90,91 all enjoyed ourselves, despite losing more marks than we should have but it didn't dampen the bragging rights in the van on the way home!
Looking forward to the next one.
(Thanks Rob. I think the worst noise actually came from a few of the Pamps this year. some of the KTMs were quieter than their colours. Prize for quietest should go to Frank Luther's Honda SL230, I was convinced he'd stalled! ed.)

Andy Leahy says: Thanks for a good trial yet again.

Mike Mortimer says: Excellent trial again and a great day out, thanks again and see you next year.

Matt Peake says: Many thanks to all involved in organising a memorable day out.
I came across the event last year and decided, after a 20 year break, I needed another off road bike. The old man (almost 70, but a Scott Trial veteran!) was persuaded to travel down from the North East and join me. (along with his excuses; old git, old bike, recovering from a tummy bug...)
We'd never taken part in a LDT so were unsure what to expect. The weather was great; a good range of sections; friendly folk; jolly observers; beautiful scenery; managed to get lost (like many others); it appears we missed section 2(?) but for my first ride in many years, I guess I was pretty pleased with my performance but more importantly, I thoroughly enjoyed the day and hope to be back again next year.
I think the family have seen how much I enjoyed the day and I am sure they will be thrilled to see me 'escape' more often?

Paul Farley says: Just to say thanks for all your hard work and the effort put in by all the club members to run this event. As ever the organisation was very slick and the road book worked perfectly.
I have to say I didn't enjoy this Wyegate at all, mainly because I rode badly, but there were a few things which could be improved and I know you always like feedback, good or bad!
Firstly when it's dry an early number is a distinct disadvantage, difficult to see the route in sections and no tyre marks to follow. This isn't a problem when people play fair and leave the start and set off according to their time but when good riders deliberately set off mid field, having been allotted early numbers that's not playing the game. If everybody did that the trial would never start. During the wet Wyegate I had an early number and it paid off, swings and roundabouts?
Some organisers penalise late starters, that would certainly stop the cheats.
My other gripe is a lack of natural sections now, the only good ones left being Mork, Pant Glas, Nannies, Limekiln and the couple near Redbrook, Lords Wood? Too much road work as well, maybe the route needs shortening and more private ground used with some real sections linked up with back roads and the few remaining lanes. I know you have lost a lot of previously used ground but all those river sections, spindle stream etc used to be great. No requirement for lots of silly markers, just straight up the stream and over the rocks.
I realise that almost every right of way left in Monmouthshire was used, but trundling all the way up the Wye valley nearly to Monmouth at 25MPH, yawn. Yes I know it's my fault for sticking with an old bike.
Apologies if this all sounds a bit negative but I honestly believe this trial needs a thorough revue if it's to continue with its previous excellent reputation in the LDT world.
(Since the event we have talked to many riders agreeing with Paul's valid points and these are sure to come up in all the apres Trial discussions. ed.)

Graham Coleman-Hill says: I would like to thank all the people who worked to put on a superb days riding, another great event and the weather was just right, though it was a bit dry (not enough mud), but I did lose lots of marks because of poor navigation whilst in section (too many little markers to try and keep find your way through) being at the front and first in to the section with no one to show the way through was a distinct disadvantage (note to self, Don't run at the front, Doh). I was extremely pleased to clean Pant-Glas 1 after four years of trying (4 trys on a Pampera without cleaning it and first attempt on a CRF230 and got up it clean !! ). so thanks again to all who made it happen, Roll on next year.

Clerk of the Course Says:

What an enjoyable day! Lanes were good, maybe a little dry, the sun was shining, the Wyegate Team on top form and we hope we delivered the event that you wanted to ride.

Organising Long Distance Trials is now a hugely time consuming affair with so many bureaucracies like RAC, Police, County Councils and Forestry Commission to deal with. Discussions with land owners and public relations visits to householders on route all mean hours and days of work for the team. We all do it because we enjoy it, and we want you to be able to ride the lanes we know so well with that special competitive edge that the observed sections add to the day.

The pair of magicians on Pamperas who rode the whole day without dropping a single mark showed us it was possible! For most, though, the tough climbs like old favourites Pant Glas and Limekiln took lots of marks, I think a three on Pant Glas should be looked on as a success!

As Clerk of the Course, I want to thank all of our competitors, some of whom traveled a couple of hundred miles to be there. Thanks also to the ever reliable West Glos team of workers for all the route reccees, PR, lane clearing, road book production, observing and course opening and closing. Jamie Oliver would have envied the way our culinary crew provided breakfast to start the day and a spicy chilli to accompany the well deserved pint at the end.

Special mention must go to the ever efficient IT team of Colin and Jackie Jones who run our entries and results systems.

Hope everybody wants to come back next year.

Section Statistics

For example, 11 riders had a dab in section 1 and 91 marks in total were lost in section 1.