Darren Wheeler	Paul Howells
Chris Joyner	Paul Wickson

2013 Club Champs 1st Round

Report Ken O'Brien

Pictures by Mike Yiend,  others can be found here

Folly Farm Beckley was the venue for the first round of Oxford Ixion's 2013 club Championship where four laps of Ten testing but open sections were to be ridden by a quality entry of 64.
There were some big name runners today in the Expert class with the likes of Sam Haslam, Bradley Cox and Rob Warner all going for the win.
Pre race favorite and eventual best Expert was multi national winner Sam Haslam.
Sam's loss of one today was at Jim Axfords section four maybe 60 yards of muddy slots roots and turns there were many options as the gates were several metres apart so a good eye for the best line was essential.
Also up to the task today was runner-up Expert Darren Wheeler whose Enduro experience tactics payed off  at many subs where fourth and fifth gear flat out was required.
Bradley Cox had to settle for a creditable third today after a misjudgment of the ends cards at section eight first lap a 50 yard steep climb with a twist at the top before dropping though two big oaks on a mixture of sand and mud to the ends.
Best Youth A on the hard route was Ben Hayes screaming the 125 Gasser around for a loss of 20.

On the Standard white route several classes were contended with Local farmer Ali Haigh 290 Beta having an exceptional ride parting with just two and taking maximum points in the Clubman class.
One of Ali's dabs went astray on section two manned by 'I am the Fire-Starter' Chris Hurworth who always likes to keep his Chestnuts warm at Christmas.This sub started with a steady turn over a tree root and then an awkwardly positioned drainage gully to cross before dropping into a swamp-like affair and blasting to the ends cards.
Best Twinshock today was Rob Faulkner parting with eight although seven of these were lost to section seven a steep slick climb though the undergrowth turning on a camber and dropping into a very tricky muddy slot.
Paul Howells lost 27 to claim best Novice whilst Liam Anderson put some controlled rides in to take the Youth B points.

On the blue eased route Mark Anderson was looking good cleaning every section at some stage which tells me one thing a clean ride was on.
Runner up on the Blue was David Wadley who put faultless rides in at sections three-six-eight and ten the latter was tricky a gentle camber to start before looping into the field to get fourth gear selected before blasting to the summit.
Many thanks to one and all we can't do it without you.