Flora Wins for Gareth White and Kevin Miller

Diverse entry for the sports most westerly event.

Gareth White putting the power down on his way to winning the car category

The Pendennis Motorcycle and Light Car Club attracted its usual diverse entry for the Flora Trial. Off Road Bikes, Adventure Bikes, Outfits, Quads, Bikes on Enduro Tyres, Cars, no other Classic Trial has such variety.

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Late Finish for 100th Lands End

The event attracted a big entry, which together with the conditions, led it to finish well after the sun came down.

Its Dark as later numbers attempt Blue Hills 2 watched over by marshals who had little shelter from the wind and rain (Click here for Paul Wheatleys video of his climb)

The MCC wanted to make the 100th Lands End special and their efforts were rewarded with just over 400 entries plus 3o in the Class R all tarmac event. It was a different Lands End, with the route tuned to cope with more than a hundred extra competitors compared to recent times.

The early sections proved relatively easy, but Eddys Branch Line and Blue Hills took their toll as the event drew to a close.

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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.

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Falcon Revive the March Hare Trial

Mark Hobbs came away with the only clean sheet in his Troll

The March Hare attracted an interesting and diverse entry. Star of the show was Dudley Sterry’s MG J2 in the hands of David Price

After several years absence Falcon Motor Club revived its March Hare Trial, moving it from the clubs home base in the Northern Home Counties to the Northern Cotswolds, the area where the club ran its Guy Fawkes Trial in the 60’s.

Clerk of the Course Dave Middleditch organised Falcons 75th Anniversary Trial in the area last year and the March Hare has been developed from that event. There were a few differences from most one day trials. The event included a lot of non-competitive green lanes and Gold, Silver or Bronze medals were awarded according to performance in class. Another difference was the start being some 40 miles from the finish, the 80 mile route winding its way down from the start at Porky’s Diner near Evesham to the finish at Egypt Mill, Nailsworth.

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Dean Vowden best car on Muddy Launceston

Alan and Patrick Keat came out on top amongst the Outfits and Matt Tilley was best Solo

Dean Vowden on his way to his overall win. Photo by Vince Feeney.

Launceston and North Cornwall Motor Club were back in Lew Woods for their 38th annual single venue Launceston Classic trial.

The day was mainly dry, but with all the recent rain it was a tussle against the mud. In these conditions became a Class Eight battle for the overall win.

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Tristan Barnicoat and Jack Selwood overcome difficult conditions for Chairmans wins

Competitors and Marshals were challenged by persistent rain turning the muddy sections into a quagmire.

With his BSA’s crankcase deep in mud retiring ACTC Championship Motorcycle coordinator Chris Barham resorts to leg power on Smallbrook Wood (Photo by Vince Feeney)

Tristan Barnicoat pipped John Luckett by one mark to be best Solo. Steve Urell and Julie Williams came out on top amongst the outfits

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Narrow Exmoor Win for Paul Merson

Paul and Zara Crane had a narrow win in the familiar Shopland Mk2 from Tom Walker and Tom Jones who were also in Class Eight. Guy Winsor was best Solo

Paul Merson and Zara Crane had a narrow win, equal on points with Tom Walkers Toyota engined Leige but coming out on top on test times. Photo by Paul Morris Photography where you can find more

North Devon Motor Club had good weather for the Exmoor Trial starting near Barnstable. It proved a tough trial for the lower car classes and only Class Eight came out with scores under twenty.

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Duncan Stephens wins Dry Cotswold Clouds

There were ten clean sheets spread across four classes. Duncan was fastest in his Fugitive from Joe Browning in his Baja.

Long Term Dellow Trialler Richard Andrews looks on while marshalling the restart as Duncan Stephens claws the air on Nailsworth Ladder on his way to winning the Cotswold Clouds. Photo by Calvin Samuel

Stroud attracted their usual full entry for this years Cotswold Clouds which was held in unseasonable dry conditions, resulting in a number of clean sheets.

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Slippery Clee Hills

Dean Partington only dropped one mark to win the car class. However Dean could only claim victory on the last section as until then Matt Facey had been clean. John Reeves was best bike with a clean sheet on his KTM

Colin Gwyer captures Matt Facey giving his BMW some air at the top of Longville. Matt was clean and in the lead when he arrived at the last section but spun to a stop on the slippery mud and it was Dean Partington who was best car with one mark lost on Oak Dingle.

It had been very wet in the week leading up to the trial, but it was dry when competitors set off from The Squirrel in Ludlow after completing the Clees very efficient administration. After many years in the hands of the Midland Automobile Club the reigns had been transferred to the Midland Manor Motor Club. However the old team were still at the helm in the form of Simon Woodall, Pat Toulmin and crew. Pat was using the Spotify App to keep competitors up to speed before, during and after the event and this was very successful.

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Matt Johnston wins Bodmin Heights Road Trial

Successful inaugural event for Camel Vale

Matt Johnston on his way to a narrow win on the first Bodmin Heights Trial (Cap from a Video by Duncan Stephens)

Camel Vale had planned to run their single venue Bodmin Trial in November but it had to be called off after principal organiser Simon Groves broke his leg motorcycling. Simon didn’t spend his time convulsing idly, resulting in a new 40 mile road trial incorporating sections in Dunmere, Cardinham and Laneskin Woods, The first Bodmin Heights Road Trial.

Class Eight dominated the event Matt Johnston pipping Dean Vowden to the win by a single point.

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