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Tues 14th Sept 2010 8.30pm @ the Carriage House, Higham Ferrers

Duck End: Sat 18th Sept 2010 All help appreciated! We start at 9AM

Sunday 19th Sept 2010 Duck End

 Cutting Out at Gt. Addington

On Saturday 7th AUGUST there was a working party at Gt Addington. This was to try and carry on the theme of a new section at every venue this year. Paul Davis was let off the leash again with his chainsaw and away they went clearing some of the dead wood and heavy brambles. This made for a clear path when it came to setting out.

Gt.Addington Fergus Anderson Trial 15th August 2010

This was the seventh round of the club championship.

Forty riders arrived for what was to be a great day’s riding. After a very wet Saturday, there were fears that the venue would still be very wet on Sunday, however the water had drained very well and the surface was nice and tacky giving lots of grip.

The trial was 5 laps of 8 sections and the riders comprised of 6 experts, 7 Intermediate & 50/50 riders, 12 Clubman & 3 Novice riders, 9 riders preferring the easy route and 2 riders from the youth C & D classes making up the rest of the entry.

The day started with the usual briefing by the Clerk of the Course Dave BARRON which also included a warning to stay off of the crops and not to ride on the road unless you were licensed to do so, particularly as there was plod at the venue.

It was then down to business and all riders set off in an anti clockwise route with one way traffic around the field.

Section One was in the bomb hole and all classes dropped in to it from the top right corner. This led to a wall of death round the rim of the hole to line you up for the “DUD WRIGHT” log climb out for all but the easy route which took a course up to the left over a smaller log. Everyone then turned on the edge of the field before dropping back into the bomb hole, over a second log. It was then a wiggle up and around the banks before all climbing back out of the hole.

Section Two was set in the gully opposite the bomb hole and all classes dropped into the section and were supposed to turn up and out of the section before negotiation around a tree and dropping back into the gully. There was a little miss communication on this section and the easy route ended up missing that part of the section out and wiggled along the bottom before turning tight and up the sand bank to the top. This caught some out as the sand was very soft and you needed some pace to get up it. It was then a wind through the new section of trees and a bank climb to finish.

Section Three was one of the longer sections and was set in the largest of the banks on the right as you went through. This was a drop into the section for all classes and an almost straight climb for the easy route which then tracked across the top which then picking up the white route down and out. Asfor the experts this was the one section that caught most out it was tight to say the least and you saw most having to hop the bike about to get a line through the section. It then came to a 90 degree turn through two trees. You needed to be greases in lard to slide past and this part took 5’s off of most before climbing a rock to the finish.

Section Four started almost as you exited three and you dropped into the section which led all but the easy route up the steep bank to the top where they made there way around some trees and droppeddown back into the gully which is were the easy route picked them up again and all classes weaved along the gully. The experts then had to negotiate a rock step which was on a tight turn on the approach to it which gave no run at it. It was a climb up and along the bank before dropping back down to the end gate.

Section Five was set up and around the big rock outcrop and covered both sides of the main gully. All riders started by dropping into the small ditch with a steep bank climb out of it to the top of the main bank on the left. It was a weave along the bank and all classes then dropped down to the main path. The easy route turned and went over a steep camber turn back across the track and round a tree to the finish where as all other classes made there way up either side of the rock outcrop and along the bank before dropping to the finish gate.

Section Six started on the left hand bank and all classes dropped into the start gate, across the path and up the bank the other side. On a personal note I must remember to put the bike in gear before entering this section or you did not get far. It was a climb up to the top of the sandy banks for all but the easy route and most seemed to have no real problems with it. You then dropped back across the main path and climbed up and out the end gate. This led directly to the next section.

Section Seven again started across the main path and you dropped into the section and all classes made there way up the steep banks opposite in different degrees of climb. It was a drop down and across the path to a wide turn and once again up into the bank opposite which then led down to the end gate.

Section Eight The final section! This was the longest of the section for the day and caused a bit of a queue, but it gave people time to chat and reflect on the day so far and it was such a good section no one minded the short wait. All classes started on the main path and it was a climb up and over a loose, steep camber to start. This led to a tight turn and drop down to the path. It was a turn then and up and over the rock outcrop with three routes for all classes. There was then a climb for ever one with the top classes going up and out into the field before dropping back down a small rocky face onto the path. All classes then moved along the path and went up a 3 foot rocky face that led to a further climb up the banks and a turn down to the end gate. This part of the section caught a few of the easy route riders out during the day. It was then up to the field and a ride round past the cars parked on the road for a quick water break before starting it all again.

The Expert class was won by Steve Bird who dropped only 5 marks following a mechanical failure in section 7 on his second lap. Second place went to Richard Allen who dropped 6 marks; Third place in the expert class went to Tony Jones, enjoying a great ride on his new Beta and dropping 13 marks.

The 50/50 class was convincingly won by Nick Wilford riding “NED” he dropped a mere 8 marks. Nick was followed by injured Tony Ritchings in second place on 26 marks lost. Ben Norrish riding his first 50/50 trial had a great ride coming in third place with only 28 marks lost.

The Clubman class was very closely fought on the day with two of the best three rides being recorded by joint first place riders, Malcolm Evely and Paul Robinson who went round clean. Third place went to John Quigg who dropped 9 marks.

The Novice class was convincingly won by Rene Bekker who dropped only 7 marks, followed in second place by Bryan Dix who dropped 28 marks, third place went to Mark Kenyon Bell with 36 marks lost.

The easy route was convincingly won by Dougie Theobold who recorded the third clean of the day. Dougie was followed in second place by Brian Ayres in second place with 3 marks lost and third place went to Nick James who lost 5 marks.

The Youth C class was won by Tom Bishop on 58 marks but was unfortunately the only Youth C rider.

We hope everyone enjoyed themselves and look forward to seeing you all again at Duck End on the 19th of September for round eight of the club championship.

A Big thank you to the landowner and to those who observed the sections and helped set out the trial.

Next Trial - Sunday 19th September 2010 @ Duck End Cranford

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