More than 120 riders experienced a classic Cotswold test in the third round of the Kia National Twinshock Trials Championship. Clerks of the course Steve Saunders and Andy Colbourne set out 20 twisty and slippery sections which challenged the front runners but also ensured an enjoyable day out for all of the entry.
Best performances came from expert monoshock class rider Nigel Scott (Honda RTL 250) and twinshock class winner Wayne Jones (Fantic 240), both on seven marks lost.
Sections eight and nine troubled the expert riders the most, as they fought to escape from slippery muddy ruts – none could from section nine, and almost all at least dropped dabs on section eight. Those sections were where almost all the marks were lost by the expert monoshock riders, with Wye Valley AC's Dan Sanders unable to match the six marks lost by Nigel Scott, with nine marks there over two laps. He was a mark ahead of Colin Ward and Steve Bird and two ahead of Rob Faulkner (all Yamaha TY 250), with Gas Gas 327 runner David Carter on just 15.
It was tight at the top of the expert twinshock class, with Richard Allen (Honda 250) six marks behind the class winner, ahead of Nick Draper on 17. Midfield runners Les Granby, Nigel Andrew and Steve Martin were the only riders to manage a clean ride on section eight.
Gary Younghusband (Bultaco 340) finished on 15 marks to win the historic Spanish class, with R Taylor four marks behind.
Tim Wheeler cajoled his 118cc Suzuki to victory in the expert pre-65 class on 18, three marks ahead of his mate Martyn Wilmore (250 Francis Barnett)
The sizeable clubman entry enjoyed testing but enjoyable day out, with pre-65 winner Mick Chapman (BSA Bantam 175), and joint monoshock class winners Colin Ward (Yamaha 250) and Kevin Miller (Fantic 245), all clean on marks.
The club would like to thank the observers and the landowner for making the event possible.
Next round: Wye Valley Auto Club, 17 July
Provisional Results (top 3 of each class).
Route A Expert Monoshock
N Scott, 7; D Sanders, 10; C Ward 11 (most cleans).
Route B Clubman Monoshock
C Ward Jnr 0 and K Miller 0 (joint winners); D Cole 1.
Route A Expert Expert Historic Spanish
G Younghusband 15; R Taylor 19; S Bisby 22.
Route B Clubman Historic Spanish
G Hawkins 1; I Hayward 10; G Barnett 13.
Route A Expert Twinshock
W Jones 7; R Allen 13; N Draper 17.
Route B Clubman Twinshock
D Wardell 0; S Venn 2 (furthest clean); P Cook 2.
Route A Expert Pre 65
T Wheeler 18; M Wilmore 21; M Stokes 26.
Route B Clubman Pre 65
M Chapman 0; K Gardner 1; P Edwards 2.