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Alan Keat was best outfit. John Luckett took the Solo win
With Patrick in the chair Alan Keat moves some dirt as he spins the back tyre on his way to winning the Newman Cup for best outfit. Photo by Vince Feeney
Launceston and North Cornwall Motor Club took to Lew Woods for their annual Single Venue Classic Trial.
Matt Facey took a resounding car win with his familiar family E30 BMW, only dropping 10 marks. Calvin Moores was second overall on 16 in the MGJ2 running in Class 7 by virtue of its relatively modern Ford power. Dan Keat was the best car in Class Eight.
Matt Facey put up a stunning performance in his family E30 BMW and was best car overall. Photo by Vince Feeney
The Launceston was another West Country trial with a well supported Sidecar Class. Eight outfits took to the start, Alan and Patrick Keat taking a narrow four point win over Steve Urell and Julie Williams.
John Luckett was best Solo
Video playlist with Videos from Emma Groves and Matt Facey Link
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
This years Exmoor trial proved a little easier than Clerk of the Course Chris Barham would have liked although the two sections in the Holdridge woodland proved too much for all but a few.
The car entry was dominated by Class Eight and a particularly strong Beetle entry spread across classes Four and Six.
Competitive sections kicked off at Porte Farm with three sections. The second of these proved particularly challenging. Most of the solos and all the outfits went clean, but it was a different story when the cars came along.
Outside of Class Eight 0nly Keith Sanders (Reliant Scimitar SS), Ray Ferguson and John Early (Lieges) and Brian Hampson in his X90 emerged from the complex with clean sheets.
The second section at Porte Farm shattered the dream of a clean sheet for most competitors. (VidCap from Steven Price)
The middle part of the trial was mostly smooth sailing, but then came High Bray, the usual highlight of the Exmoor Trial.
Steven Price on the resurfaced High Bray (Photo by Peter Browne)Vince Feeney captured Andy Beveridge on High Bray. Most of the outfits were based on Enduro chassis in Class D2. Andy was in D1 meaning the chair can be detached.
There was a solo bike-only section called Walscott just before High Bray, which stopped all of the smaller-engined Class B bikes. Then came the famous hill itself. The section looked very different this year. The local authority had resurfaced it as part of a byway improvement program. It still stopped a few bikes, but all the cars sailed up.
There were two sections in the Holdridge woodland, and these were to prove decisive for the cars. Only Duncan Stephens, Paul Merson, and Arnie Martin emerged clean, all in rear-engined Class Eights.
Ray Ferguson dominated Class 7, dropping only four marks and finishing fourth overall, passengered on this occasion by experienced trailer and fellow Liege owner Trevor Wood. Photo by Vince Feeney on Floyds Bank
Floyds Bank was the penultimate section and proved as competitive as ever, providing entertainment for the usual spectators. It didn’t stop the three leading Class Eights, and they were to finish the event with clean sheets. That meant the overall results would be decided by the time of the only special test. Dean Partington had been fastest there, but he had dropped points on the observed sections. That meant the win went to Duncan Stephens, followed by Paul Merson and Arnie Martin.
Neil O’Connor was fastest of the two Solos on zero marks. Steve Urell and Julie Williams were the best of a well supported class of outfits.
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Duncan Stephens successfully restarting on New Langleys under the eagle eye of Launceston Vice Chair Andrew Rippon
Launceston and North Cornwall Motor club had a strong entry for this years Tamar. It was especially good to see seven outfits to take the start at The Proper Ansome Cafe in Launceston. They were rewarded by a closely fought trial in the muddy conditions.
John Reeves was best Solo with a clean sheet. Matt Tilley came second after dropping five marks between the two wheels only Harts section and Kings Langleys.
Steve Urell and Julie Williams had a narrow outfit win, just one mark better than Andy and Kayleigh Seward.
The car classes were a battle between Class Eight and Matt Facey in his Class Three BBMW E30. Matt dropped his four marks early in the trial and it was three Class Eights who arrived at New Langleys, the penultimate section, with clean sheets.
Norton Selwoods Videos from new Langleys
Neither Roger Hancock or Tom Jones got off the restart, picking up four marks but Duncan Stephens was successful to finish with a clean sheet and win the trial.
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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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.
After the challenges of 2021’s Tarka Trial, I tried my best to make this years trial a more enjoyable event with a range of sections rideable even if the weather gods decided to drop copious amounts of rain on us. True to form it rained! Solidly for the best part of the morning in fact. The trial though, went smoothly without any sections becoming mud baths.
Craig Allen narrowly pipped Ian Facey to the best car award
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”
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