Adrian took an early lead, clearing both of the unbelievably steep hills near Monmouth and going on to drop only one mark in the mud bath at Ropers. The trial was won on these first three sections, as second place man Dean Partington dropped thirteen in this group, compared to Adrian’s one. There had been a fair bit of rain during the preceding week, adding slurry to the Kyrle’s near vertical sections.
The first two hills were just up the road from the start, competitors briefly entering Wales as they headed west on the A40. Both Pillbox and Goldsmiths 2 were un-believably steep, muddy and rutted with a re-start on Goldsmiths 2 for seven and eight. Adrian was one of ten class eights to clean both of these two horrors. The other classes didn’t fare very well, especially on Goldsmiths 2, where it was very hard to get around the 90 left just up from the start. A special shout-out to Derek Tyler (VW Baja), Sticker Martin (Ford Escort) and Tony Young (VW beetle) who not only got around the corner but went on to clear the section.
Ropers was one of the few non-forestry sections on the event. Approached by a steep descent down to the River Wye, the section is a PCT style muddy bank, with penalties for hitting the markers. Apart from supermen Adrian Marfell and Simon Woodall, who both got as far as the one marker, nobody else got more than half way. Then came the next challenge, getting up the exit road, fearsome enough to be a section itself. Not so bad for the sevens and eights, but a problem for some of the lower classes, causing an appreciable delay.
It was back to forestry for the next group of sections, comprising Jack, Jill the first special test, and Pludds. All familiar Kyrle favourites. Dean Partington threw down a challenge here, cleaning all three to close the gap on Adrian Marfell. Elsewhere most others floundered on some, or all, of the sections, apart from Adrian Dommett whose supercharged Wolseley Hornet stormed up all three, not bad for class two! In class four Emma Robilliard had already had three punctures and Tony Young was struggling with a dead starter motor and wasn’t enjoying the delays.
Next came a whole string of muddy forestry sections, many of which had no exit at the top, necessitating a perilous descent with the handbrake as they were all pretty steep. Snompers was the only one to see many cleans.
The last two sections offered some respite from the gradient, but not the mud! They were both new to the event and Paul Bartleman and Simon Groves are to be congratulated for finding them as they were different to all the forestry and consequently added character to the day.
Shapridge was in forestry but no tree weaving here. After a short time it turned into a real Crackington, only much more so, the mud and ruts extending as far as the eye could see! No problem for most of the class eights but event leader Adrian Marfell dropped six, dropping him within seven marks of Dean Partington. In class three Richard Hayward cleaned both this one and the last section to pip Sticker Martin for the class win. Tony Young was still going, despite his starter problems, powering his raucous Beetle through the mud for a resounding class win as he was so far in front he could have dropped twelve on the last one! Keith Sanders was another to do well here, his clean giving him a class win in a class five rather decimated by retirements.
The final section, called High Hope, was another new one, approached by a long, very muddy track, which was nothing compared to the section to come. It was a great section though, skirting a farmyard before an assault up a semi-surfaced track before a “chicane” and more mud. No problem to class eight but tough for the rest. Class seven was decided here, Ray Goodright (Arkley) just holding onto his lead despite dropping four. Derek Tyler (VW Baja Beetle), Murray Montgomery-Smith (Marlin) and Brian Colman (Dutton Phaeton), all cleaned it but Ray held onto his class win by two marks.
| Best Overall | Adrian Marfell (VW Special) | 16 |
| Class Winners | ||
| 1 | David Haizelden (VW Golf GTi) | 99 |
| 2 | Adrian Dommett (Wolesley Hornet) | 54 |
| 3 | Richard Hayward (Ford Escort) | 64 |
| 4 | Tony Young (VW Beetle) | 62 |
| 5 | Keith Sanders (Reliant Scimitar SS1) | 76 |
| 6 | Gary Browning (VW Beetle) | 57 |
| 7 | Ray Goodright (Arkley) | 68 |
| 8 | Dean Partington (DP Wasp) | 23 |
| 0 | Rodney Green (Ford Escort) | 51 |
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