This was a well planned and executed event with every class having a chance of an overall win. Classes two, five and eight all featured in the top four and this was achieved with the only one restart each for classes 5, 6 and 7.
It was unusual for Class 8 not to have any restarts, but with a couple of exclusive sections they did not have an easy trial, unless you had a DP machine, of course. The Falcon in Dean’s hands and the two Wasps of Paul Merson and Julian Lack filling the first three places in the class!
They were challenged by Ian Facey in his familiar BMW Z3, who finished third overall with a clean sheet, and David Golightly in his delightful Ford Model T-based Morton and Brett board racer, who dropped one to finish fourth overall.
John Reeves was best solo motorcycle.
There were some significant route changes compared to the last few years with no Abdon Liberty or Hungerford Steps, where there was too much work required to scrape the crown between the deep ruts.
These were replaced by sections in two complexes on private land, and the return of the Clee’s infamous figure-of-eight loops. The changes worked, and without the inevitable delays at Hungerford and sending the entry out on different loops, even the later numbers finished on time.
New Forest Complex near The Goggin
While the bikes and higher car classes set out north on the A49, the lower car classes went to the nearby Forest Complex. These muddy sections proved challenging, and only David Golightly in his Class 2 Model T-based board racer, Sam Holmes in his Class 4 Beetle, and Ian Facey with the BMW Z3 emerged without penalty.
Harton Wood and Heywood Common
Coats Farm Test
Although the event had a long way to go, this test was to decide the trial for both two and four wheels. Pouncey League champion John Reeves pipped Hayden Edmonds by a second and a half. They were to finish with clean sheets, and John’s time would give him the bike win. They weren’t the fastest, though; that honour went to Ali Haigh on his Honda 4Ride, but he was to pick up five points at Meadowley Wood.
Dean Partington was the fastest car which was important as it would give him the overall win on the trial.
Coats Wood
The section was different this year as Clerk of the Course Simon Woodall had not been able to obtain permission to exit through the wood so the section ended after turning through the gate towards the top of the slope. Only motorcycles and 6, 7, 8 attempted this section which was very muddy. The lighter bikes with small engines all went clean but it was a different story for the heavier machines.
Class Eight all used their power to weight to go clean, but all in class six, and the majority of class seven, either floundered in the mud at the start or spun out when it got very slippy towards the top.
Longville
Having been spared Coats Wood the lower car classes attempted Longville, with a restart for Class five. The section proved straightforward with only a couple of failures.
Easthope 1
There seemed to be a lot more grip on this familiar hill this year, but nevertheless it requires a full-blooded attack off the line and quite a few floundered in the mud at the bottom having failed to realise this. There was a surprise at the top as well, as the section ended by turning right instead of the more usual left.
Majors Leap/Ippikins Rock
Staying in the woodland, the bikes and Class Eight went off to Majors Leap. This proved a challenging section, and Mark Hobbs (Troll) and Ian Davis (VW Buggy) lost their clean sheets here.
The other cars tackled Ippikins Rock with its sharp right hand hairpin. This proved not to be Beetle friendly and quite a few of them were penalised.
Harley Bank 1 & 2
Harley Bank 1 was attempted by bikes and cars in 7 and 8. Like Easthope 1 it seemed to have a lot of grip this year and most stormed up the section although the deviation for bikes in B and cars in Class Eight was more of a problem.
Meadowley Wood
Meadowley, one of the Clee’s feature hills, has been in use since 1948. Its tree roots and deep ruts are always challenging, but this year’s conditions were particularly difficult due to the local hunt disturbing the track a few days prior.
Classes 0, 1, 2 and 90 were allowed to give the section a miss. A handful of bikes got up OK but it was a different story for the saloon and sports cars. Only Ian Facey made it to the top. His BMW Z3 seemingly gliding over the rough bits so tuned was his suspension to the hill. Ian was to go clean on all the sections and finish third overall. The others all struggled and several of the Beetles suffered body damage when they scraped their wings against the bank.
Some of the class eights were successful as was John Early and Simon Oates in their Leiges in Class Seven.
Hillside
There were two sections on private land at the Hillside complex. They were quite muddy, and the first one proved too much for almost all the lower car classes except for the Beetles of Dave Sargeant and class four winner Sam Holmes.
Fred Spaven gave up the battle against the Clees muddy sections here. His Royal Enfield Charging Bullet proving far too heavy for all the goo. Fred built the bike for the Lands End and the Clee was his first one day trial on the machine. He reckoned it could have made it round the 80 mile route but diverted for a precautionary charge at Much Wenlock.
Oak Dingle
The bikes and the specials in Class Eight had to follow a winding route through the trees. It wasn’t a problem for the bikes, but about half the Eights couldn’t quite make it out the top of their section and dropped two. Julian Lack was one to fail here in his ex-Mike Chatwin DP Wasp, losing his clean sheet and second overall.
All the other cars had a run up a straight rutted track which proved more difficult than it looked, stopping all in Classes six and seven who had to restart and half of those that didn’t. David Golightly couldn’t quite get to the top, dropping his solitary mark of the day in his Model T based Morton and Brett board racer. Neverless this was more than enough for fourth overall.
This was the last section for the lower car classes who had done the southern route first but the bikes and higher car classes had an 18 mile run for their sections in the new forest.
Cundalls Rise
Only attempted by the bikes and Classes Seven and Eight this short, sharp section was described as very steep initially then grass. The very steep bit defeated three of the bikes, the remainder came out the top.
Tom Hunt was the only Class Seven to go clean in his Leige. Most of the others floundered in the mud at the bottom or on the very steep bit for a 10 or eleven. The exception was John Early, who got to the eight, which was good enough for him to pip Simon Oates for the class win.
The Goggin and High Cullis followed. Both excellent sections requiring determined attempts but neither had a significant impact on the results.
The Finish
Everyone was back at the Squirrel before Four o’clock as there had been very few delays, probably helped by Hungerford Steps being left out. All in all a successful and popular trial with the only blemish being the body damage to some of the saloons on Meadowley.
Best Bike Overall – John Reeves (KTM Freeride) 0
Class Winners
A Joe Stollery (Indian Woodsman) 21
B1 Mark Wills (Beta Alp) 23
B2 Hayden Edmunds (Beta XTrainer) 0
B3 Ali Haigh (Honda 4Ride) 3
C John Kenny (13)
Best Car Overall – Dean Partington (DP Falcon) 0
Class Winners
1 Nigel Whiten (Ford Ka) 61
2 David Golightly (Ford T) 1
3 Simon Fairbanks (BMW 318is)54
4 Sam Holmes (VW Beetle) 5
5 Ian Facey (BMW Z3) 0
6 Karen Warren (VW Beetle) 23
7 John Early (Leige) 12
8 Paul Merson (DP Wasp) 0
90 David Slade (Suzuki X90) 18
0 Jonathan Ward (Morris Bullnose Oxford) 76
Links:-
- Full Provisional Results
- Clee Hills Trial on the Classic Trials FB Group
- More Clee Hills Trial on FB
- Ian Scarfes Photos
- Photos from The Goggin Complex by the Owen Motoring Club
- Meadowley Videos and Stills by Matthew Boyce
- Photos from Clive Green
- Videos from Gareth Jones
- Write up by Simon Oates in the Launceston and North Cornwall Motor Club Newsletter
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