Boxing Day Trial @ Bixhead 2022

Final Results (As v2)

Supplementary Regulations.

For Other Years click on the year below

Info

The Final Results are now linked on the right.

The Provisional Results are now available on the right. If you spot an error or what might be a typo then please contact us and we'll check. admin@wgdfmcc.org.uk

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Ben's Press Report

SEVEN years after winning the West Glos Boxing Day Trial, Ben Bowkett won the annual event for a seventh time - after clocking up his first win in 2007.

Having not ridden since an early retirement in last year's event, Ben dropped marks 11 times on three laps of 12 sections at Bixhead Quarry near Coleford, whereas second-placed Tom Moss only lost marks 6 times - however, fives on sections 4 and 10 pushed Tom out of contention for the win.

Clerk of the Course Ben Bishop and the West Glos club's band of dedicated helpers marked out many new sections at the rocky woodland venue, and attracted a good crowd to see 70 of 75 entrants start, with 14 retirements.

Another occasional rider, Henry Bendall, showed he has still got what it takes but brother Joe pipped him by a mark and earned family bragging rights until Boxing Day 2023, unless Henry showcases his talents a bit more often next year.

Four former ACU Western Youth Development Squad members filled almost the rest of the Expert entries, which has to be a good portent for the sport's future.

The one exception was another former event winner, Rob Breakwell, making a welcome return to trials when he can.

The Boxing Day trial brings out some familiar faces, both spectating and riding, and another former event winner and age grade British MTB enduro champion Dan Bishop rolled back the years to finish second in the Club/Expert class to convincing winner Ioan Heycock.

Joel Mitson was a convincing winner in the Club class on single marks, with one of the far-travelled East Sussex contingent Michael Hyden in second, just ahead of Edwyn James. Swindon visitor Michael Maslin and local lad and British Youth Sprint Enduro champion Roan Delaney both lost 8 on the Sports Plus route, while Amory Falconer dropped down through the classes to ride his grandad's 1970 Bultaco to win ahead of Alf Bendall and Pete Hughes.

Thank you to every observer and all the riders who supported this great annual tradition in ACU Western, and to Forestry England for use of the land.

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Video

Ben Falconer's video. He should have been concentrating on riding, of course, but to bring you lot a bit of pleasure, it is worth it! (Did we mention Ben is our Centre's 2022 Sports Plus Trials Champion!)

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Gallery

All shots by Colin Jones. Ask if you would like a Free full size version admin@wgdfmcc.org.uk We also have shots of other riders, so please ask.

Ben Bishop reminds everyone it is a NON-STOP Trial

Nicholas Gardner

Jake Nutman

Adam Wight

John Syms

Tyrone Rutherford

Zoe Zembrzuski (What? No Enduro bike?)

Viv Jones Finally cleans Clare's Sec 12.

Dan Bishop gets out of Sec 1. with a dab

James Gammons determined to get up Tony Falconer's vertical climb

Seth Grazier cleans the first part of Sec 1

Cameron Chell on Club route luckily misses the climb but has to turn sharp left around that tree.

Roger Holland, another foregoing his usual Enduro bike, gets out for a 3 on the Expert route.

Zac Ellway, best Youth on Sports route, buzzes Up Rod Jones's section 2. And yes, He was helping out at signing-on too. Do You help your home club too?

Viv Jones found another vertical climb on Sec 2's Expert route, but lost 2.

Harry Bishop exits the Club route for a dab

Fin Belcher on his bogey section for the day, his only 2 5's of the trial, but then cleaned it on lap 3. Yes, it goes all the way to the top.

Paul Ruddock on Eva's section 9

Yet another Enduro Sprint ace Roan Delaney polishing his Trials skills and getting Best Youth on Sports Plus route

Geoff Muston proving a long distance trials bike is no real hardship.

Joel Mitson easily won the Club route with the next rider doubling his score.

Ollie Goode cleans the worst bits of Eva's Sec 9. before a fluke problem when his lanyard attacked him. He's fine now. Phew!

Superstar Ben Bowkett made a fantastic return to Trials to claim his 7th outright win of Boxing Day, 7 years after the last one. If that is how he rides when he's rusty, watch out!

Danny Laverton Ex YDS trainee gets a clean here on lap 3.

Fin Kettle also found this to be his bogey section with his best a dab.

Event Sec Simon Ellway gets a clean here.

Alf Bendall will be glad this dab didn't count. But he was only beaten by a 50 year old Bultaco for a win in Sports route.

Andy Laverton on Glenn's sec 6

Merv Morgan proves you can get old things around this tough event. (Fill in your own choice of punchline!)

Aaron Watson on the superb Busto rep.

Seth Grazier was so close to mastering this imposing boulder

Jason Tillings sussed a good line here but only cleaned it once

Naturally, Roger Holland has enough speed to clear the gap.

Ioan Heycock shows how to flow over the boulder cleanly and win Club/Expert route.

Rob Maller has gone 4/Stroke!

Fred Bishop tied with his Youth B rival Jamie Laverton but lost out on the tie decider

Two time winner Tom Moss floats over the difficult stuff but messed up the lining up process on Christian William's section 10.

Viv Jones is thankful he only has to do the Club route here.

Mike Maslin won the Sports Plus route from Roan on the tie deciding most cleans rule.

Ben James, who is the 2022 National Youth D Champion had extra sections and a tougher route thrown in by the YDS team who ran our conducted route.

Henry Bendall will be annoyed he let brother Joe beat him by just one mark yet Joe was the only one to drop a 5 all day.

Robbie Breakwell has twice won this trial, but that was 17 years ago. Many of the large band of spectators were really pleased to see him back out and still at Expert level.

Amo Falconer needed to polish up his old bike riding skills ready for a go at the Scottish Pre-65 in 2023. This bike is merely 50 years old but he held off Alf Bendall to win the Sports route. Alf would have been riding the Bulto himself 50 years ago.

And let's finish with the Winner Benzo who didn't clean Western Centre President Tony Falconer's section every time, dropping a 2 here.

❮ ❯

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Snippets

In case you are wondering, This event will only appear on the old ACU website, which is linked from this page. We think our 2023 membership page is sorted, but we'll let you be the judge of that to be honest, it was not a pleasant process getting it sorted. West Glos Club Membership for 2023. And here's the surprise, the 2023 licence will show you have a licence from the day of purchase! So, hopefully, it should allow you to enter this 2022 event, despite having to go back to the old site to enter.

Clerk of the Course Ben Bishop has been assistant C of C many times but this is his first Boxing Day at the helm. His first ride around one of our Boxing Day venues was probably done clean! - as you'd expect from someone strapped into a pram with mum Clare pushing - and yes, it was a long time ago.

Be warned, If you want to ride the Cheltenham Home Guard's 'New Year Non-Expert Trial' on the 2nd of Jan then you will need to be on the ball both with getting your 2023 licence sorted and getting your entry as soon as they open. And drop in to ACU Western's website for more details.

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Section Statistics

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