WVAC Percy Chadney Trial, October 11, 2009

report by Dan Sanders
Results

The Wye Valley Auto Club held the tenth round of the Western Centre Trials Championship last Sunday at its excellent Lodge Wood venue, in the shadow of the Black Mountains in Herefordshire.

A grey and damp morning greeted the riders, eager to take on four laps of ten sections, set mainly in the main rock strewn brook with some mud and roots thrown in for good measure.

On the hard route sections one and two proved to be straightforward openers with section three in the main brook taking a two from John Luff and a three off James Welch.

Section four, a steep twisting gully out of the brook with a rock step at the top had the Experts scratching their heads. James Welch was the first to get up with a genuine three followed by a succession of fives from the other Experts before six times centre champ, Simon Welch, showed how to do it, easily cresting the step for just one loose dab. Welch again scored single mark losses on this section on the following three laps, with only Luff and young Matthew Christopher escaping for anything less than a three, with two mark losses on laps three and four respectively.

The remaining six sections didn't cause too many problems for the Experts with only the big rock step in section seven taking any serious marks. Good first lap rides here came from Welch, Luff and Henry Bendall but Christopher struggled here losing an eventual nine marks in this section with Welch the only rider to go clean on each lap.

When the scores were finally added up Welch was a clear winner on just seven with Luff second twenty marks adrift. Christopher recorded probably his best result in the centre to date with an excellent third place just one mark ahead of Bendall.

Nathan Pekala was the only rider on the 50/50 route but still put in some promising rides and it wont be long before he's mixing it with the top riders on the expert route.

Riding a twinshock Majesty, Wye Valley clubman Andy Pitt really showed the visitors how to do it on the Clubman course, losing just six marks on the 30 year old machine. His nearest rival, Glyn Smith was only one mark behind but a comfortable four ahead of Welshman Dai Clothier who was starting to feel more at home on his recently aquired four stoke Beta.

On the Conducted course, it was the final round of the WVAC Junior Trials Championship. Jake Hoare has dominated the Experts from start to finish and again took the win on the day and in the championship. Three third places gave Dale Screen runner up spot in the championship with Kieran Heycock and Wye Valley's Tom Watkins sharing third place.

In the Novices Ioan Heycock took charge of the championship, with three wins, including last Sunday, and a third in round one, he finished well clear of local lad Josh Smith, brother Ben Heycock and National D Class runner Deryn Edwards.

RESULTS:

Expert (Hard) Route: Simon Welch (300 RAW Gas Gas) 7 marks lost; John Luff (300 BVM Beta) 27; Matthew Christopher (250 Gas Gas) 31; Henry Bendall (290 Sherco) 32; Matthew Welch (250 Montesa) 37; James Welch (270 Beta) 42.

Clubman Expert (50/50) Route: Best Youth: Nathan Pekala (125 Beta) 38.

Clubman Route: Best WVAC: Andy Pitt (250 Majesty) 6. Best Over 50: Glyn Smith (250 Gas Gas) 7. Best Novice: Phil Marsh (250 Montesa) 12. Best Over 40: Alf Bendall (250 Gas Gas) 17 Best Youth: Oliver Pekala (125 Gas Gas) 97

Conducted Course: Junior Expert Route: Jake Hoare (Gas Gas) 31; Dale Screen (125 Beta) 66; Kieran Heycock (80 Beta) 94. Junior Novice Route: Ioan Heycock (80 Beta) 10; Ben Heycock (80 Beta) 58; Deryn Edwards (50 Gas Gas) 65; Josh Smith (50 Beta) 93.

Final Championship Points: Junior Expert: Jake Hoare 80 points; Dale Sreen 62; Kieran Heycock and Tom Watkins 43. Junior Novice: Ioan Heycock 75; Josh Smith 51; Ben Heycock 49; Deryn Edwards 46.