Folly Farm Beckley was the venue the South Midland Centre Championship was the event and three laps of twelve sections were to be ridden over varying terrain including climbs ditches cambers and roots.

 

This Trial was also the last round of the 2017 club champs and our annual charity trial.

 

Expert and Intermediates set off to section one where eventual Expert class winner Steve Swanson JL 300 Beta 17 marks lost made it look all too easy a deep ditch crossing before a wall of death tactic to cross a swollen stream.

 

This section deteriorated as expected as wave after wave of all classes attempted the hazard with different styles.

 

John cowley TRS 280 took runner up spot on 30 with an exceptional performance at section 5/6 starting with a loamy turn then a three foot tree to have a go at then several awkwardly growing low branches before entering the second part of the double where there were more stumps and muddy turns before a steep uphill rooty climb.

 

Best Intermediate went to Steve Bird putting the TY 250 Pinky around for 33 marks lost on the 50/50 course.

 

Steve had three superb cleans at section ten a steep sandy climb with a cambered drop over roots before dropping off a ledge to safer ground.

 

On the Standard yellow route Adrian Steele 250 Beta was in a class of his own losing 19 to take best clubman.

 

 The only section to trouble Adrian today was section nine the second part of a Double-Sub a really testing affair with several stream crossings but with the water dragging up the exit bank it was impossible to burn through for grip so threes it had to be.

 

Brian Tomkins took best novice losing 64 making light work of the Graded-Hill on his way to victory.

 

In the Twinshock class Stephen Young 200 Honda had a good day over from Cambridge although 69 marks were lost this was enough to secure the win.

 

Stephen was good at the last section of the day number twelve an angled drop over a lattice of roots then twists and turns over swampy boughs with a sharpish climb out over a two foot step.

 

The easy course today was indicated with white markers.

 

Brian Ayres 250 yam was the man to beat but a miserly score of 11 was enough to lift the trophy although Tim Roblett was snapping at his heels on 12.

 

Brian had a rare three at section four first attempt but clean thereafter this sub a mulchy entrance to an array of hazards including a muddy camber and a leafy climb to the ends. 

 

 

Full results can be found here .