Category: Torbay

Front Wheel Drive Win for James Shallcross on the Torbay

Tough Trial for Class Eight the best only managing 20th place overall. Richard Maddern was best Solo of the four bike clean sheets.

You don’t come to Devon in March for an easy Torbay Trial, especially in Class Eight, and Dave Haizelden and Keith Sanders certainly made things tough for the specials this year with some difficult restarts.

James Shallcross and Mike Greenwood on Penhale Climb. Photo by Vince Feeney

It’s a while since a Class One car scored an overall win so well done James Shallcross and Mike Greenwood in their Peugeot 205. The second car was also front wheel drive with Aaron Haizeldon piloting the Golf he passengered in when introduced to the sport as a very young man. Rob Holden was third in his BMW Estate.

The initial batch of sections were on private land and their restarts sorted out 7 and 8, only Roger Hancock emerging with a clean sheet.

Andy and Kayleigh Seward were best outfit. Pictured on Simms by Vince Feeney

Transiting over to the Ilsington area the action started with Tipley although later this had to be scrubbed during to some scoring issues.

Derek Hibbert was at Simms

This group of sections were mostly familiar although MCC types were in for a shock when they saw the deviation on Simms!

James Shallcross nearly left Ilsington Parish with a clean sheet but for the one he dropped on Birchanger Bank.

Duncan Stephens got some great video at Coomehead Creek

The event finished with the Coombehead sections where once again Class Eight had some difficult restarts.

Richard Maddern was best Solo on his Husqvarna. Photo on Penhale by Vince Feeney

It took the special tests to decide the best Solo; Richard Maddern (Husqvarna), Ian Thompson (Beta Alp 200), Ryan Eamer (Triumph T100) and Stephen Kingstone (Matchless G3L) all going clean. Andy and Kayleigh Seward had a one point win amongst the outfits over Steve Urell and Julie Williams.

Best CarJames Shallcross Peugeot 2054
Best SoloRichard MaddernHusqvarna0
Best OutfitAndy and Kayleigh SewardSuzuki3
1Aaron HaizeldenVW Golf8
2Steve HillFord Model A15
3Rob HoldenBMW E3010
4Jack SelwoodVW Beetle14
5Nick FarmerBMW Z312
6Karen WarrenVW Beetle18
7Josh TuckDutton Melos20
8Roger HancockVW Buggy22
90Brian Hampson Suzuki X9011
B2John ReevesKTM Freeride3
B1Ian ThompsonBeta Alp 2000
ARyan EamerTriumph T1000

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Barnicoats Triumph on Tough Torbay

Tristan was best Solo while Chris passengered Richard Maddern to a Sidecar Win. In the Cars Matt Facey came home in front of Duncan Stephens and Tom Jones

What no Mud! Solo winner Tristan Barnicoat on Penhale Climb, one of the few sections to escape the full effects of the recent wet weather. Photo by Vince Feeney

Torbay organisers Dave Haizelden and Keith Sanders like a tough trial and everyone knows this is what the event is all about. This year more than lived up to expectations with the wet conditions ensuring that grip and ground clearance were at a premium.

Continue reading “Barnicoats Triumph on Tough Torbay”

Simon Oates wins Torbay in his Liege

Mark Wills best Solo and Steve Urell/Julie Williams took the Outfit award on a tough day made even more difficult for later numbers when the rain came down in the afternoon

Torbay winner Simon Oates on Tipley (Photo by Jo Goodman)

Returning to its traditional start at the Kennford Court Hotel the Torbay attracted its usual good entry. The start list was dominated by no less than 17 Class Eights, drawn no doubt by the Torbays reputation as a tough trial.

Principle organisers Dave Haizelden and Keith Sanders had to contend with a very wet period leading up to the trial which made some of the sections a little more challenging than planned. Then rain on the day itself made some very slippy for the later numbers.

Continue reading “Simon Oates wins Torbay in his Liege”

Dry Torbay

Wins for Gary Browning, Steve Urell and Andrew Kearns

Steve Urell and Julie Williams were best outfit. Seen here on Birchanger Bank in this VidCap from a Norton Selwood Video

Organisers Dave Haizelden and Keith Sanders believe in tough trials, who will forget 2018 in the snow! This year they were thwarted by the dry conditions but still put on a challenging event.

Last year Covid constraints necessitated started and finishing in Ashcombe Woods, with a simple route, as car drivers were not allowed passengers and had to navigate themselves.

This year the start and finish in the woods was retained, together with the opening and closing sections.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries%3Flist%3DPLONsq_gV7pbL7d8gibddfvbU05MPFlanK
Norton Selwood’s Videos from Dire Straits, the first section for Outfits and Cars. Solos tackled Sultans of Swing as their first section.

After Ashcombe Woods the Kingswell sections for cars were bone dry, quite a contrast to usual, and there were only a handful of penalties.

Continue reading “Dry Torbay”

A Different Torbay

Jack Selwood Wins the Torbay without a Passenger!

The winning car was familiar but this time it was Jack Selwood behind the wheel and taking the honours. Photo by Paul Morris Motorsport Photography

The Torbay team, led as usual by David Haizelden and Keith Sanders, missed the easing of Covid restrictions by one day. This meant car competitors were not allowed passengers and would have to navigate their own way around the route, just like the motorcyclists!

David and Keith sensibly made other changes, forgoing many of the usual classic hills so not to attract unwanted spectators.They also started and finished the event on private land to avoid an indoor gathering.

The event started in woodland, just off the A30 west of Exeter.

The first group of sections were here, three for Cars, five for Solos and four for the excellent entry of six Outfits. This was to be be dominated by a battle between Leon Torres and Alan Wear who won the class by 1 point.

Continue reading “A Different Torbay”

Torbay on a Metisse

Peter Browne is a familiar face behind the camera lens, photographing many of our trials. But on the Torbay he took to the hills as a competitor and kindly agreed to tell us about his trial.

Peter choose his Metisse for the Torbay Trial

I have always been fond of the Torbay Trial as it is local and I have had many enjoyable days photographing the event but always with a feeling that I should be out there with them rather than just recording it. I had a Triumph Metisse that I had used for Pre 65 Scrambling and which I had been slowly preparing for Green Laneing and despite the machine being far from finished I submitted an entry for the 2019 Trial. I finally had to concede that I still had not made the bike reliable so the day before the event changed to my normally utterly reliable 500 Triumph only for that to develop an electrical fault on the third section which forced a retirement so the Torbay Trial was very much unfinished business.

Continue reading “Torbay on a Metisse”

Another Tough Torbay

Wins for Simon Groves, Tristan Barnicoat and Alan Wear

1904TorbayCliveKalber
Clive Kalber came close but was pipped for the overall win by Simon Groves (VidCap at Little Silver by Duncan Stephens. Contact Duncan for Photos from this and other events)

Organisers David Haizelden and Keith Sanders believe in tough trials and maintained their reputation with another well supported event. Their handicapping worked out well with the top ten cars coming  from five different classes. Clive Kalber, out in his Dutton Melos, came close to challenging Simon Groves overall win. However, Clive dropped two extra marks on the muddy Upper Kingswell making a total of three for the event where Simon went clear.

With the first three cars in the Clubmans Category it was Aaron Haizelden who claimed maximum Wheelspin points in fourth place overall on 11 marks.

Tristan Barnicoat was the best Solo with a five point margin over John Luckett. The leading outfits were close all day with Alan Wear coming out on top by one mark.

Lots of Torbay Videos

Sam Holmes Reports Continue reading “Another Tough Torbay”

Snow Hits the Torbay

Craig Allen narrowly pipped Ian Facey to the best car award

1803TorbayJeremySalter
Dave Cook captured Jeremy Salter brushing the bank on Simms in his Suzuki X90. Considering the conditions there were a surprising number of cleans on the old hill. There are many more of Dave’s Torbay Photos on his website where you can purchase prints and hi res downloads

Videos by Norton Selwood, Keith Sanders and Phil Parker

Snow hit the country over the weekend and many competitors were unable to get to the start.

Those that made it successfully were greeted by deteriorating conditions as the snow settled and the organisers decided to cut the event short after Tipley. Continue reading “Snow Hits the Torbay”

Tough Torbay Trial

12 March 2017

Norton Selwoods Videos from Coombehead Creek & Upper Kingswell, Keith Sanders from Simms plus InCar with Mark and James Smith

Provisional winners (after scoring relief – see results)

Best Car – Brian Andrew (VW Beetle) 19
Best Solo – Chria Barham 28
Best Outfit – Richard Madden – 30

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