Following the recent run of storms and rain, we were blessed with a dry sunny day (albeit with a bit of a ground frost) to start Aqueducts 2014 Championship at Plas Onn farm. The mixture of the frost being drawn out of the ground and the extra water in what are normally light streams turned this into an event that had a wide variety of obstacles and the type of stream sections that were shallow enough not to be silly but deep enough to hide most of the rocks and flowing enough to ...... well you get my drift. The team which laid out the sections took advantage of a part of the land that had not been used in the last few outings as well as incorporating a number of well tried and tested favourites.
78 riders turned out of which 22 were riding pre 65's, 26 Twinshocks, 4 Pre 90 Monos and 26 modern monos. The split across the classes was 10 Beginners, 30 Clubman, 19 Inters (50/50) and 19 Elite.
This months class based reports have come from Graham Denoven, Graham Pennington and Rob Sloggett
Graham Denoven (Twinshock Clubman)
I've been looking to get in to trials for a few months now and was introduced to the Aqueduct Classic's by a family member for getting in to trials at a competitive level. I looked up all information on the clubs web site which was pretty straight forward then downloaded all the forms, easy as one two three. Filled all forms in during the week ready for the first trial on the 16th February and travelled up to trial which was sign posted from the main road off the A 483 (which is always a good start). When we arrived at event I started chatting to a few guy's before I even got bike out the van, which was good to see we were made to feel welcome straight away. Lots of different age groups, went up to registration and signed up to the event , process was very straight forward then I was handed my bib with my number on and was asked to return at the end. All set to go.
Then we had a briefing at 11:00 short and sweet ,let's go trials riding! All the 70+ riders split up and went to different section's on the trial , this made it a lot easier for newcomers to the competition scene as there was only a handful of trials riders at each section at any one time. Each rider had a few minutes to have a look over the section before attempting them, all sections where set out for each riders ability whites, yellow, green and reds. I was in the yellow for my first trial and the yellow sections where a good start for me and my trials riding ability. All of the marshals were clear with instructions, a good wave with the clipboard. Did all the section and had great fun, like i said, I got chatting to lots of different people when waiting a few minutes for the section to become ready to start ,trial came to an end with doing 40 sections ,went up to hand bib back into registration then had a cup of tea and got chatting to more people from the trial. All in all for my first trial it was a great day and will be coming back for more in 2014!
Graham Pennington (Twinshock Clubman)
The endless rain subsided and the sun came out to welcome riders and observers to Plas Onn Farm and the first round of the Aqueduct Classics 2014 Championship. On the clubman route Russ and the team had set out ten superb stream based sections to be attempted over four laps. Nothing that was impossible, but tricky enough to take the odd dab if you didn't concentrate.
The first group of four sections in the narrow, fast flowing stream which comprised some large rocks and smaller moveable rocks with variation in and out of the stream on to the muddy banks with the odd tree root.
Section 4 had a tricky entry over roots and mud combined with a tight turn exit up over some exposed roots with the exit gate set high on the muddy bank.
The remaining six sections were distributed across the farm in groups of two making for a good sized lap with the surface between the sections fairly greasy after the prolonged rain and a heavy overnight frost.
Section 5 was a fairly straightforward climb up the stream with a muddy and rocky exit up the bank while Section 6 involved a couple of tight turns following the stream uphill between the trees, before a tight left exit up the bank which deteriorated as the day wore on.
Section 7 dropped into a wider tree-lined area of stream- bed with loose rocks before a steep exit up the bank which cut up throughout the trial and had become a mini waterfall by the end.Section 8 was a 30 metre straight climb up a narrow stream with loose flat rocks which needed good throttle control between grip and slip before yet another steep muddy exit.
To finish the lap Section 9 and 10 were located in a wider section of the stream bed back near the main farm buildings with some tricky boulder strewn exits, entries and turns on the muddy banks.
All in all another fantastic day out with a club who have the section marking out spot on between challenge and enjoyment, with the added bonus of sunshine to take your mind off your cold, wet feet..
Rob Sloggett (50/50 Inters Twinshock)
As we have two clubman reports this month, I thought I would go on a bit of a detour for the 50/50 route which is exactly what it is....... a detour.
In order to aid progressing riders in the move from Clubman to Experts, Aqueduct have taken the approach on not doing the "hardest clubman/easiest Expert route" Instead they mark out a "green route" which tends to be about 60% of the clubman route but with a few extra obstacles or variations thrown it. This has allowed riders who want to push themselves that little bit more but who feel they are not quite ready for experts to come out for a fine day's sport without doing themselves any injury. Many thanks for Russ and the team who decided on this approach!
So what was different? A few memorable variants spring to mind as follows:
Sec 4 immediately threw in an up bank left hand turn then drop back into the gully followed by a climb up the right hand back, across some roots and then drop back in. The final variation was tighter turn out of the gully into the bank on the left hand side with two possible exits routes to choose from. This was a great challenge and after a 1 on my first lap I got the final turn wrong on the second lap taking an unrecoverable 5. Watching some riders back through on lap 3 threw up the second route and attempting this on laps 3 and 4 gave me a clean and a 2
Section 6 had a great variation whereby once entering the section we had to maneuver through a tight pair of trees, turn right and the a tight left turn to aim up a bank (before picking up the yellow route again). This offered two routes, straight up with a number of large embedded rocks in the bank face or keep right where it was a cleaner route but more mud which quickly grew into a channel with a badly placed rock cutting into it. First attempt involved brute force 1st gear (I think I was the 2nd or 3rd rider through) via the muddier route which resulted in a well dabbed 2, second lap it all went wrong and I got caught in the gully with the back wheel quickly spinning on the rock to stop "forward motion", proper no stop rules here.... Once agian, lap 3 and 4 involved walking the section again, watching some riders through and trying the straighter rockier route in a less aggressive style. It seemed to work as it landed a dab and a 2.
This year stepping up a class has taught me a number of things: Firstly I only use to really walk the section once, now if I have a 5, the section gets walked again. Also maybe its my age but I can't remember them all so I am tending to walk most of them for the first 2 laps! Its great spending more time watching other riders lines and I certainly have found that my style of riding has changed along with my confidence. Ive just got to speed it up between sections as I was the 2nd to last to finish!!
Class honours were taken as follows:
Pre 65:
Elite: Chris Gascoine 1 mark (Cotton 250); Russ Jones 4 marks (Francis Barnett); Phil Alderman 15 marks (BSA 250)
50/50 Inters: Craig Hawarth 4 marks (Bantam 175); John Wilson 5 marks (BSA B40); Colin Fray 6 marks (Dot 250)
Clubman: Kevin Walker 0 marks (Cub 200); Terry lloyd 4 marks (Cub 250); Mark Strong 5 marks (Bantam 175)
Beginner: Ray Critchlow 18 marks (Cub 200); Peter Thomas 54 marks (Enfield 250)
Twinshock:
Elite: Danny Littlehales 1 mark (Fantic 212); Dave Wood 2 marks (Bultaco 325); Kev Ellis 10 marks (Beamish 325)
50/50 Inters: Stephen Knight 12 marks (Yam 175); Mark Samuel 16 marks (Fantic 300); Rob Sloggett 27 marks (Bultaco 175)
Clubman: John Sowden 1 mark tie (Honda 200); Martin Johnson 1 mark tie (Bultaco 250); Martin Roberts 3 marks (Honda 200)
Beginners; Matt Hopkins 31 marks (Yamaha 250)
Pre 90 Mono:
Clubman: Stephen Richards 7 marks (Yamaha 250); Gaz Thomas 8 marks (Yamaha 250); Chris Macgillivray 29 marks (Fantic 303)
Modern Mono:
Elite: Robert Wild 2 marks (Gas Gas 280); Dan Williams 10 marks (Beta 250); Gordon Wilson 23 marks (Montesa 250)
50/50 Inters: Mark Waterworth 6 marks FC (Montesa 250); Ioan Ritchie 6 marks (Gas Gas 250); Kevin Thomas 10 marks (Gas Gas 250)
Clubman: Ian Emery 3 marks (Montesa 250); Alec Roberts 6 marks (Gas Gas 300); Nigel Rowbottom 11 marks fc (Gas Gas 200)
Beginner: Simon Edwards 24 marks (Gas Gas 270); Rio Roberts 26 marks (Gas Gas 125); Peter Rainsford 32 marks (Beta 250)
As always, we have got to pass on our thanks to the observers, club officials and the Lovely Baps catering team as well as Barry for the use of the land.
Our next competition is on Sunday 9th March at Pen Y Graig Quarry LL14 5AL. Full results and a wide section of photos from this event can be found on the club website.