Sphinx Trial 2004
Report by Ben Falconer. Photos by Anthony Falconer
Other Year's Sphinx's: 2005 2006
FIFTEEN (at least. ed.) club members ventured east to Hazleton for the Cheltenham Home Guard's answer to The Wyegate - The Sphinx Trial, on Sunday April 25th. This is how they and a few other well-known faces fared…
Steve Saunders took the overall win in the tenth Sphinx Long Distance Trial, but the margin of victory was closer than might have been expected.
Riding a 250 Gas Gas Pampera for a rare outing in an LDT, Saunders required a dab on the ultra-slick rut at Puesdown Lane not far from the Hazleton, Glos, start. That solitary mark was all he lost for the rest of the day and that section played a large part in deciding the result.
He also took the trophy he set out to win, named in honour of the late Geoff Gibbons who was instrumental in bringing the HQ of the event to the picture-postcard Cotswold village.
The trial attracted more than 130 riders, and several took on the challenge of riding against the former British Trials Champion over 30 sensibly set-out sections on a 70 mile-plus course.
Of West Glos' and Dean Forest MCC members, the man with his name in the awards was Goff Hannam. Two threes on the two hardest sections - Puesdown and Cooks Bank section 17 - plus a dab on the last at Hazleton put Goff on 7, and he took the trials class award on his Montesa.
He was 1 mark ahead of Neil Hannam, whom it was said took the Gas Gas Pampera round the second special test in some style. Judges weren't sure whether to give him or Steve Saunders the "air of the day" award for his supercross-style effort off the first whoop.
Neil had an economic ride, losing 3 at Puesdown, two at the rockery at Boyd's, and a two and a dab at the Cooks Bank group.
Ian Hannam (225 Yamaha Serow) kept it respectable on 16 marks lost - two fives and two threes (yes, Puesdown was one of the fives) being his only blemishes on the score sheet.
Club President Roy Breakwell (225 Yamaha Serow) finished on 26, followed by Stan Howitt (225 Yamaha Serow) on 29 and Cliff Hannam on the Bultaco 250 on 31. Roy's riding mate Colin Jones (250 Honda CRM) dropped 40, as did Colin Davis (200 Beta Alp). Colin kindly invited brother Robert over from Northampton, who bested him by almost half.
Mike Wells (200 KTM) lost 32, in between watching his son's rugby cup final in Cheltenham, while his riding mate Mark Jones (350 Suzuki DR) lost 40.
Jimmy Marshall (175 Yamaha DT) lost 48, Jos Howard (350 Suzuki DR) 79 and Jack Pegler (another Serow) 96.
The spread of marks just went to show just what even a bit of practice and know-how can do. But something we all shared was a hatred of THAT section - Puesdown. No gradient but one slot, which even Steve Saunders couldn't master. In fact clerk of the course and course opener Steve Venn was the only man to ace it.
But he dabbed at Colgate Farm and Cook's Bank, while Keith Wells (185 Honda) went all out for a clean at Puesdown and failed at the last with a crash and five marks lost, while Martyn Goodall's (250 Gas Gas Pampera) dab at the same section was spoilt later in the day by a three in Colgate Farm.
Mark Kemp (250 Gas Gas Pampera) recorded a three Puesdown too, the only marks lost all day. Jeremy Walters (175 Yamaha DT) and Dave Eeles (230 Honda SL) recorded just five each all day.
Steve's team mates and fellow BVM boys Rick Ferrier (250 Gas Gas Pampera) and Bob Miles (200 Beta Alp) finished on five and ten respectively to take the team award.
Fantastic weather meant dry sections and kept scores low. Evergreen Colin Hedges (350 Matchless) took best pre-65 on 16 marks lost.
Your correspondent has to mention this at some point - I had a good day, losing 3 marks on Puesdown, then cleaning everything else. I don't really know how but I know I came fourth overall and 2 marks behind our very own trials legend Steve Saunders. I never thought that would happen! (And I bet Steve didn't either).
Awards
- Pre-65: Colin Hedges (350 Matchless) 16
- Trials: Goff Hannam (250 Montesa) 7
- 250 Trail: Steve Saunders (250 Gas Gas Pampera) 1 - Geoff Gibbons Memorial Trophy
- Open Trail: Adrian Clissold (350 Yamaha XT) 9
- Over-45: R David Wood (Honda 125 XL) 18
- Team: Miles/Ferrier/Saunders: 16
- Club Official: Steve Venn (250 Gas Gas Pampera) 2 - Mark Kirby Trophy