2007 Reports

Report by Jack O'Nory

A small but class entry of riders contested the annual Oxford Ixion Norton Trophy Trial for pre 65 machines.4 laps of 12 were contested in what could only be described as very slick after many weeks of rain. Steeple Hill bank is notoriously wet even in high summer with it's natural streams running through,So course plotters O'Brien and McCullagh decided it would have to be straight lines. 250 unit BSA mounted Darren Snell pictured took the premiere this year with a very consistent ride Darren going particuarily well on section 1 an uphill blast over humocks of reed grass with a tricky turn through bog to the ends.

Peter and Neil Gaunt took the long trip down to Oxford from Yorkshire to hone their mud riding skills but unfortunatley Neil's ariel played up from the start and left Ken O'Brien 500 Matchless to run out a clear winner in the pre unit class.

Dad Peter 250 Enfield called in all of his years of experience to secure third spot in the unit class, Pete had 2 brilliant cleans on section 8 a climb around a big oak a steep drop with a left hand turn through deep mud finishing with a thirty yard off set camber.

Three strokers on show today with Mick Clarkson Bantam getting the better of ex centre champions John Bull Dot and Firefly mounted Brian Devereaux, these three little machines getting thier necks rung many times.

Mud master Tony Sulivan 'Cotswold Special' literally cleaned up in the twinshock class with a controlled ride in these very testing conditions , sully cleaning 'Dickie Barretts' a 40 yard deep slot with turns over roots for good measure not once but four times.

A sprinkling of club members turned out on modern machinery for an easy days sport and Adrian Steele went home happy.

On the easier route Nick James BSA just edged it from Chris Drew in the 2 stroke class , while Roger Ashby was struggling on his big rigid in the mud but all the same showed a not so clean pair of heels to the opposition.