The Stratford-Upon-Avon Club are holding the final round of the Midland Centre Championship at The Warren near Shennington on Sunday 10th December.

Alan Wright will be Clerk of the Course and plans three laps 15 sections at the traditional Cotswold venue.

Best rider last year was Alexz Wigg with Ross Danby runner up.

Riders competing in the championship will ride the A route if they are Experts, Intermediates or Youth A. The B route for Over 40's, Clubmen and Youth B. There will also be a non championship C route suitable for any rider who wishes to have a less demanding ride.

The Warren is infamous for it's disused WW2 concrete filter beds where a number of sections are usually situated. Look out for the 6ft concrete step at the exit for the A route here.

Another popular feature of this event in recent years, is the inclusion of a graded hill climb where riders are penalised for where there front wheel stops moving and not where they dab.

The last couple of years has seen fair weather for the Varden and most people managed to get to the top of the hill climb, but many will remember 2000 and 2002 when only the most commited reached the sumit even once!

For regulations click HERE Entries close Monday 4th December.

Riders may enter on the day on a no award basis providing the 100 rider limit has not been reached.

I've just got back from riding in the RV and early indications are that Steve Saunders riding the Repsol Beta Rev3 has won the event on a miserly 2 marks lost.

Riders who hung around at the start made a big mistake as fine drizzle started to make the later part of the trial much slippier. With three laps of 16 section to be ridden, anone with sections still to do right at the end was in for a shock as the ground became almost unrideable.

I'll post the results as soon as they are available.

Just pipped me by 120 odd then?

2 are you sure Pete? hes in a world of his own in the slippy stuff, great trial although I found it bloody hard work. Nice to do a tough slippy one once in a while, brings you down to earth a bit.

Did nt get up the 6 foot step first lap and took fives on the other two laps. Rushed around as quick as possible before the rain came down, maybe should have slowed down a little though as I caught the Experts on lap two as I finished, walking some of the sections may of helped? but maybe not

16 sections again from the club, brilliant and obviously loads of work gone into organising the Event.

Justin, I didn't see you ride a section today, I was hoping to have a chat at the end but by the time we'd cleared the sections everyone had gone.

We were really lucky with the weather, when I left it was raining cats and dogs, it's a good job it hadn't come an hour or two earlier, it would have ruined the whole trial.

I haven't seen the results yet but I'm sure if Steve says he's on two then it won't be many more. I'm sorry you didn't manage the concrete step, I didn't think that was the worst one.

How did you get on with the drop into the rocky ditch at section seven? I really didn't like the look of that....... Wrighty is an evil man!

I also saw Stu flying up the graded hill climb but didn't get a chance to speak to him either.

Ali Haigh thought hat he'd lost 16 on the B route and Kevin McKullagjh was on just one on the C route which was also a very good ride in the conditions.

Hope you saw my first lap on the hill climb then, coz I didnt make it for the next two laps!!...Had a really fun day, and the newly fixed broken hand held out just fine. Thanks to all the organisers...really good day, and very friendly club.

Look forward to the next one.

Hope you saw my first lap on the hill climb then, coz I didnt make it for the next two laps!!...Had a really fun day, and the newly fixed broken hand held out just fine. Thanks to all the organisers...really good day, and very friendly club.

Look forward to the next one.

It must have bee the first lap then Stu, you were on the back wheel all the way up!

I don't theink Wrighty was in a friendly mood at the start. He ambushed a number of people and made them observe.

I spoke to two observers who were too terrified to leave their sections without permission at the end. I don't know what Wrighty promised/threatened them with but it did the trick.

15 Observers on the day is no mean feat!

Pete on my way to the dishes by 1.00, very quick laps for me, thought the rain was going to come down hard.

Started quite well, only dropped 5 up to section 7, and as you said he is an evil man, probably the worst drop off I have ever tackled resulting in a five, went a bit pear shaped from then on. No problem with the hill climb, the 270 eats tumps like that all day in fourth.

Bit dissapointed with the step, could have done with a catcher to give me abit more confidence, would have done me good to get up that, did see quite a few not getting up as well so made me feel a little better.

Surprised how many I dropped though as i had quite a few cleans, one of those trials where you either get up or dont - clean or five most of the time. Definately noticed the sections getting slippery on my last lap, three sections I had cleaned easily on laps one and two either turned out as fives or threes.

Hope you had a good ride Pete, catch up with you soon, maybe at the Leam Vic Boxing day trial. Stu did nt see you today, glad the hand has healed up ok

Edited December 10, 200619 yr by Betarev3

Pete on my way to the dishes by 1.00, very quick laps for me, thought the rain was going to come down hard.

Started quite well, only dropped 5 up to section 7, and as you said he is an evil man, probably the worst drop off I have ever tackled resulting in a five, went a bit pear shaped from then on. No problem with the hill climb, the 270 eats tumps like that all day in fourth.

Bit dissapointed with the step, could have done with a catcher to give me abit more confidence, would have done me good to get up that, did see quite a few not getting up as well so made me feel a little better.

Surprised how many I dropped though as i had quite a few cleans, one of those trials where you either get up or dont - clean or five most of the time. Definately noticed the sections getting slippery on my last lap, three sections I had cleaned easily on laps one and two either turned out as fives or threes.

Hope you had a good ride Pete, catch up with you soon, maybe at the Leam Vic Boxing day trial. Stu did nt see you today, glad the hand has healed up ok

Youwere finished by 1.00!!!! Youdid get a move on, it was getting dark when we finshed clearing up.

I missed Saunders riding section seven, I can't imagine how anyone would clean that drop. I'd have been on my left knee all the way down then landed in a heap. Even on the B route I lost 3,3,3 there.

Ah, section 7!!!

In the old days of the Banbury National (mid 80's), that section was used quite alot. It used to have the wriggle at the bottom like we had yesterday but how many of you noticed the tree and running water on the opposite bank to the exit climb? - the section used to go up an over that and only a couple of riders a year ever got over it, and one of them was always a certain S Saunders esq.

Form is temporary, class is permanent

Thought it was a great day out with the marking out crew doing a good job of keeping the reigns fairly tight on Mr Wright.

Ah, section 7!!!

In the old days of the Banbury National (mid 80's), that section was used quite alot. It used to have the wriggle at the bottom like we had yesterday but how many of you noticed the tree and running water on the opposite bank to the exit climb? - the section used to go up an over that and only a couple of riders a year ever got over it, and one of them was always a certain S Saunders esq.

Mick, I've seen a clip of that very bank on a CJB video recently. I'm sure there were TY250's going up that waterfall (or not as the case may be!)

Wrighty worked hard this weekend to put on the RV, it shows that he's got a damn good eye for a tough trial.

It was used in the pre-monoshock days as well - -seem to remember me nose diving over the bars of my 240 Fantic one year.

There is no doubt about Wrighty having a good eye for a section and it was another good team effort that kept the event balanced and a very fair challenge for everyone.

Plus someone up above was smiling on us with the weather. He waited until I'd just finished the last section before throwing it down!

Results:

Ralph Varden Trophy Steve Saunders 2 marks lost, Runner up Mark Hicken 22, third B Regan 23.

Bill Howard Rosebowl for the best Intermediate Justin Howells

Bill Howard Cup for the best clubman Scott Faulkner 24

Over 40 Clive Charleton 8

Youth Leo Rochfort

Best C route Kevin McKullagh 1

Holy S**t, did a lot worse than I thought then, thought Hick would have dropped more than that considering the conditions.

Best Inter? was I the only one think I must of been will definatley practice more for next years event, must be one of the biggest scores I have ever had in a trial, thanks for not posting my score Pete although it was in 3 figures

Edited December 12, 200619 yr by Betarev3

Fair play Just you`ve won something at least it can`t of been as bad as you told me! you described it as if you paddled through the lot!