Category: Taw & Torridge

Taw & Torridge 2025

Wins for Adrian Wade and Andrew Rippon

Andrew Rippon was best car on this years Taw & Torridge. Photo by Norton Selwood

The 2025 trial began at the Closely Visitor Centre after the summer break.  While the morning was initially damp and deceptive for some, the weather quickly deteriorated into torrential rain presenting a challenging environment for both competitors and marshals.  Competitors took refuge at the Blackberry Farm Shop and café for a lunch break during the downpour.

Some notes from the sections.

Lynches 1-4: These sections involved muddy grass tracks and steep climbs. Many competitors reportedly went the wrong way on Lynches 3, following an older line from previous years.

Rat Wood: Featured a special test and observed sections that involved navigating ditches and steep banks. Some drivers car drivers found the special test here quite demanding.

Hembury Castle was cancelled for safety reasons after cars experienced rather to much sliding on the descent due to the conditions. Adrians Aisle was also cancelled after recovery issues.

Linton Field was particularly difficult due to the rain running down it “like a river”; only a few drivers, including Andrew Rippon and Paul Merson, managed to clear it.

Cutliffe Lane: The final section of the day, provided a nice finish on a traditional hill.

Competition and Results

The event saw several mechanical failures, including Arron Haizelden, who retired early with a broken CV joint and window. Andrew Rippon, driving a Beetle, was the overall car winner of the trial. Adrian Wade was best Motorcycle.

Other notable winners included:

Class Winners: James Shallcross (Class 1), Matt Facey (Class 3), Ryan Tonkin (Class 4), Dave Haizelden (Class 5), John Early (Class 7), and Keelan Hancock (Class 8).

Best Bike Team: Team Woodbine (Mark Wills, Dave Hewlett, and Simon Fillan).

Sidecar Winners: The Sewards.

Penhale Cup winner for Best Car. Andrew Rippon on Lynches 4 in this Norton Selwood Video

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Taw and Torridge wins for Andrew Rippon, George Godkin and Steve Urell

Tough event for Class Eight with a lot of restarts

The Taw and Torridge had a strong outfit entry. Here Vince Feeney pictures Richard Maddern storming Hembury Castle on his way to a First Class Award. Steve Urell and Julie Williams were the best Outfit. Click Here for more of Vinces work on Facebook

After taking a year off Holsworthy’s Taw and Torridge was back to resume the season after the summer break. There were some new faces in the organising team and some new sections but the start was still at its familiar Clovelly location.

It was nice to see a strong entry in Class D with six outfits taking the start. Andy Beveridge had the only “conventional” chair, the others having an Enduro style chassis.

Class eight dominated the car entry with fourteen of the 35 starters. A glance at the route card showed the specials were going to have a challenging day with a lot of restarts in store.

Although it was a dry day there was an awful lot of mud on Sewards Shimmy and after the bikes went through Rob Holdens BMW got well and truly stuck and couldn’t be extracted with manpower and the section had to be cancelled from the car results.

Continue reading “Taw and Torridge wins for Andrew Rippon, George Godkin and Steve Urell”

Closely fought Taw and Torridge

Narrow wins for Tristan Barnicoat and David Haizelden

Tristan Barnicoat was one of three Solos to score a clean sheet, taking the Demar Trophy with a narrow Special Test Win over Rom Dobbs. (Photo by Paul Morris Motorsport Photgraphy)

In the car classes ACTC Chair Dave Haizelden (Reliant Scimitar SS) fought of the class 8 challenge to win the Penhale Cup, just one mark better than Charlie Merson in his Ford Special.

Kracken constructor Lee Peck was third car and came so near to a win but dropped four after going the wrong way after the restart on Wembsworthy 3.

Special mention to Nick Deacon for the only car clean on Rat Trapper.

Dave Haizelden
Charlie Merson
Lee Peck
Photos by Paul Morris Motorsport Photgraphy

Links:-

Full Provisional ResultsDownload

We have been publishing stuff about Classic Trials on the Web since 1995 and always appreciate feedback. Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns are all welcome. You can leave a comment to have your say here on this web site or our Social Media

Duncan Doubles Up on T and T

Duncan Stephens followed up his win on the Exmoor Clouds with a dominating drive on the Taw and Torridge

Paul Morris captures Duncan Stephens and Stuart Bartlett on their way to a win. Click here for more photos from Paul Morris

With Stuart Bartlett in the passengers seat of his UVA Fugitive Duncan had a day long battle Keith Sanders in his Reliant Scimitar SS. At the end of the day these were the only cars with single digit scores, the win going to Duncan on six with Keith on nine.

Apart from Duncan and Keith the remainder of the entry attracted some high scores on what was reckoned to be a tough event with some very steep sections.

The motorcycles had a strong class X entry. Ian Thompson was the best Solo amongst the regular classes

Continue reading “Duncan Doubles Up on T and T”

Season Resumes with Taw and Torridge

There was plenty of grip after the dry summer even though there was some drizzle on the day.

1809TawandTorridgeRichardMaddern
Richard Maddern and Chris Barnicoat gun their outfit in the dry conditions (Photo by Adam Walter)

Videos by Duncan Stephens and Josh Cook

Competitors appreciated Holsworthy Motor Clubs revised route which still included the classic Cutliffe Lane

Paul Merson was best car, dropping nine marks, the only four wheel competitor in single figures. Aaron Haizelden was second on 14 in his Reliant Scimitar.

Tony Hocking was best motorcycle, followed by Kathy Martin who was also best in Class B1. Steve Urell was best outfit.

Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns are all welcome:-

 

High Scoring Taw and Torridge

Dean Partington was best car on a Class 8 dominated, high scoring, Taw and Torridge. The event was muddier than usual for the time of the year

Videos by Norton Selwood and Duncan Stephens

Dean dropped 34 marks in his familiar DP Wasp, ahead of Paul Merson on 34.

Steve Grinter was best Solo and Leon Torres best chair.

In car with Mark and James Smith

Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns welcome:-

 

Taw & Torridge Trial 2016

Keith Sanders was best car, Tristan Barnicoat best motorcycle and Steve Urell best chair

1609-taw-and-torridge-results

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