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Report Ken O'Brien

Pics Gary Dowzall

Three laps of 17 sections made up of 8 double subs and the Infamous graded Hill were taken in at the Lower Riding Venue for this South Midland Centre Intermediate and 50/50 Championship event.

The scene was set on a cold but sunny day and 116 riders a brilliant entry considering the National Colmore Cup was taking place only a few miles down the road were anxious to get started.

Unbeknown to all this Events outcome was in the lap of the Gods as a storm was brewing not so far away.

All riders left the Parc Ferme together (after a presentation by the club to outgoing Sec of meeting Dick Barrett after a ten year stint) and made their way to three different start points.

Hard route riders set off to section one/two a downhill affair with cambers and steep banks to finish, Beta mounted Expert runner-up Vincent Branch had good rides here with a couple of dabs and a three.

Scorpa powered Joel Mitson the eventual Avery cup winner was the only Expert to stay clean on sub-section eight a slick offset camber with a daunting right handed rooty climb to the top path.

Top Intermediate was Berkhamstead Raider David Burk parting with 93 marks finishing eight clear of Ixion member Dave Hobley.

When the rain came Burk's relentless persistence to conquer all before him payed off with a terrific ride on section 10 last lap a very tough all or nothing drop to the deep Streams edge with an equally slick rooty climb and turn over loose stones.

Best of the 50/50 boys was Beta mounted Darren Walters running out a clear winner in this fifteen runner class.

For the first time ' The Phillip Howkins Memorial Cup ' was up for grabs but to get your hands on it you had to post the  best score  on the Standard (middle) Route any class.

Rob Faulkner done this in style with a nineteen point cushion over Ixion Clubman Barry Ward, Rob at his best in the testing 'muddy' to say the least conditions of laps two and three.

The anually awarded 'Spring Cup' for best Novice went to Sam Cherry with Enduro style tactics coming into play on many sections.

Ex Classic Scrambles front runner Jim Parker blasted his Scorpa to the Graded Hill summit on two occasions no mean feat in these conditions and could be heard 'Ringing it's neck' way down the woods.

A scattering of British Bikes were on parade and the top man today was Mark Howse on the little Bantam making an average of twenty five a lap good enough to take the class.

Paul Wickson piloting the trusty TY 250 Pinky to victory on the Blue eased course showed he is still an Ace in the mud with good rides on the very long climbs of fourteen and fifteen.

It is with regret that i have to anounce the sudden death of Ray Gerring who observed section Six for us,he was a good friend to many Ixion members over the years and an accomplished and well known long Distance trials Rider all over the UK.