Overcast and cloudy and contrary to the weather reports it did stay dry for the little 'uns and big 'uns at Howden Clough near Leeds for the 1st round of the Electric and Beginners Championship.
Despite the heavy rain during the night a healthy turnout of 43 riders started the Beginners and Novice event at 1pm over an 8 section, five lap course set out as always by expert plotter and C of C, Julian Ford.
Previously at 11 o'clock a small band of little wobblers and their Mums and Dads, slithered silently through 5 conducted sections on their electric small wheelers, repeating each test 4 times. Miles Hutchinson on the harder course was best here riding his Oset16 over Cameron Jackson on the Oset20, the rest on the easier route were led home by Alex Horne, then Bailey Pedder (m/c), who tied with Oliver Wadsworth and little Thomas Hill retired. A great time was had by all who now look forward to Round 2 on 8th June, 11am.
The main trail got underway with the usual queuing at No 1, starting with dropping into a gully, across adverse camber, tight left turn then plenty of power needed up the bank over uneven rocks and roots, between the tree trunks with a cheeky little ditch to the end cards, giving no clean sheets on either course, Mick Smith the best dropping 1 mark on the hard course. Second section was easily cleaned by most, but did become harder as mud coated the log which was at a funny angle catching out the front wheel and causing dabs. Next test again deteriorated as the laps clocked up, tight turns over rocks which were hard enough to walk over without slipping, Kurt Hobson and Richard Thorpe the only zeros here, amazing considering their combined age of 129 years!
No 4 again over slippery rocks looked impossible on all routes but a superb clean sheet for Nathan Major on the Hard Course was very commendable.
Next the stream test which did clean the tyres a little but took a lot in marks, every rider on the Clubman and Hard routes dropping dabs here, a right turn after a mud slot required a leap over a deep cut into the water, round a tree and back through the flow with a rock step to the finish.
Set under the hawthorn trees, number 6 was winding and tight on the slope too which asked for throttle and clutch precision along with weight rearward to give grip. Jules overseeing the next to last, the Bumpy pipeline section, all shapes of rocks coated by muddy tyres, the rider of the day here was Nigel Megson on his trusty old Yamaha twinshock keeping his feet firmly on the pegs every lap - pretty damn good after over twenty years since last competing! Carolyne the queen of Bumpy observed the last test, over treacherous logs which did cause a few scary moments for some, Charlie Mosley coming a cropper here, the last log just too big for the little soul, riding valiantly on the Hard course. That man Mr PJ1 Richard Thorpe the only clean sheet here and the overall winner on the Clubman route riding his TLR Transformations Honda for a change, great ride old boy!
Hard Route: M Smith(Sherco)24, N Major(GG)27, J Walker(GG)70
Clubman: R Thorpe(Honda)21, T Heath(Beta)26, K Hobson(Cub)29
Easy: J Nicholson(GG)32, D Heath(Beta)60, V Bottomley(BTT Gas)81
Picture: Thomas Hill on his Oset before he retired!