Report Ken O'Brien
Fine weather greeted a host of riders from many different Centres to contest the Norton Trophy for best Pre 65 machine on the White Route.
Despite being a Pre 65 and Twinshock event most classes were catered for but no hard route today, much rain on the preceding days meant for a testing ride between the sections as waterlogged areas of the farm proved trickier than the sections themselves.
Four laps of ten sections were ridden with a variety of roots gullies cambers and a few Big Hill Climbs.
The sun was low in the sky the temperature was moderate and to these elements add four laps of ten sections with Big Hills slick cambers and turns the scene was set.
Time was of the essence though as an amber flood weather warning had been issued by the Met office and heavy rain was due around 2 o'clock.
Best Pre 65 and the Norton Cup went to 400cc Triumph Twin mounted Ixion member Robert Bremner losing 1 mark, Section eight ' The Verandah ' was harder than it looked Rob's single dab was lost here on lap four.
A gentle swooping turn before a left handed awkward steep slick camber with sandy mud in the mix and thereafter a grassy descent where correct braking was essential to avoid ' running out ' before the ends cards.
Pre-Race favourite and last years winner John Hawthorne BSA 200cc Bantam representing the Wycombe club parted with 3 marks, two of which were deployed at ' Hurworth's Hill ' a steep grassy bank with a drop to a gully where pinpoint accuracy was required to get past the Olde Oak Tree on a rising camber with a drop to a soft turn then a 60 yard 2nd gear blast to high in the wooded hillside to the ends.
In third spot Hugh Robertson-Payne Esquire was having a great time piloting the 185 Bantam around for a creditable 16 marks lost.
In the end Hugh mastered the very formidable and challenging section two a rooted bomb-hole before hopping over a low growing bough then a multi-lined twenty yard shallow bog with a Willow Tree Vee being the culminating hazard to negotiate if a clean was to be had.
Best Sportsman losing 4 marks all of which were lost at section seven was Mark Davidson who had ditched his trusty 200 Fantic for the day in favour of the ultra-modern 250 Beta.
Simon Dowling also Beta mounted was a close second on 6 marks with excellent rides over at Robert's Copse with the exception of his first visit where a steadying prod was placed to save a maximum points failure.
This Hazard looked daunting to the eye with a fifteen yard run over a raft of timber placed by the course plotters to save man and bike disappearing into the black stuff, a cambered right hander was up next with a drop into more soft terrain before lining up to ride the rocky bank with another undulating sweeping camber to finish off.
Ixion veteran Gordon Pusey riding the 'early' Mont 310 aced up the Twinshock Class with a five mark cushion over Kenny Presly on the immaculate TLR 200.
Gordon was in total control at section three until sat-nav failure was brought into play last lap where a very professional looking prod was used to save a higher penalty, starting with an ever deepening stream crossing then a sharp turn on the far bank before a grip-less but gentle track over roots and the like to the very welcome ends cards.
Joe Pusey 290 Beta lost 20 to take the youth A class with Jack Little heading home the youth D on the Beta 80 with some incredible rides on the Big Hills of sections nine and ten the little 80 Beta revving to the limit.
On the yellow middle route a Plethora of skilled riders were in abundance for the ten tricky sections that lay before them.
Much musing pondering and deliberation was the order of the day but Alex Taylor 250 GP Gasser was having none of it and grabbed the bull by the horns at section four the staring point for this class and tore into it with a brilliant first up clean.
This set the precedent for the watching fellow riders, an innocuous looking affair with a turn though brambles before a tight left on grass then a low root before the finale, a pivot turn off a large Hawthorn a perfect ride with much applause from the cheering crowd that had gathered.
It was a close affair with only five marks separating the next six riders.
An inspired ride by the one and only Paul 'Milly' Millhouse had heads turning as he produced some of the rides of the day on the aging Fuis Merlin 350cc developed by Eddie Lejeune but consequently had to succumb to the consistent performance of Mark Elms on the more modern TLR 250 with two marks separating the pair eight to six.
Paul was caught on video proclaiming John Cowley would have trouble keeping up today.
Many thanks to all who helped on the day and our next Trial is December 28th somewhere on the farm, Sport 80 awaits your attention.