Stoney Green Western Centre Championship Trial 2004
Words Ben Falconer Photos By Colin Jones
Simon Welch edged a tight battle with Steve Workman to win the West Glos' and Dean Forest MCC's May Trial on Sunday 16th May.
The Western Centre number two overcame last year's champion by 16 marks to 19 over three laps of 13 sections at Stoney Green, near Soudley, Glos'.
Hefty rocks formed the backbone to the trial, which attracted around 45 riders to this Western Centre Championship round.
Welch (Beta) was the only rider to conquer the oversized rockery that was section 11 with an inspired ride over a double rock step which offered less than a bike length to work with. And only he and third placed man Barry Husband (Sherco, 28 marks lost) managed to clean the next section too.
Welch and Workman (Gas Gas) were neck and neck until the last lap, when Workman dropped his only five on section 10 and dashed his hopes of a win.
The venue had not been used for around ten years and some riders discovered perhaps why that was by the time the third, energy-sapping lap came round. The large rocks last saw action on the national Cotswold Cups trial and in many cases there was just no way around the big rocks.
A fair few riders found the going tricky but all appreciated the challenge set by chief course plotter Merv Morgan, especially the old-fashioned section eight. A straight-up climb in a muddy slot which grew deeper and slicker further up required a touch of blood and thunder and it helped to offer a wide variety of sections.
Luke Chamberlayne proved best Intermediate on a creditable 66, along with D Wathen who took Best Novice. Best Schoolboy was C Bond on 49. On a testing alternate route, R Christopher and Nigel Tomkins both lost 28 marks to take Best Intermediate and Best Over 40 respectively.
- Standard Route
- Premier: Simon Welch 16
- Intermediate: Luke Chamberlayne 66
- Novice: D Wathen 66
- Best 'A' schoolboy: C Bond 49
- Alternative Route
- Best novice: T Gribbins 52
- Best intermediate: R Christopher 28
- Best schoolboy: Ben Bowkett 49
- Best over 40: Nigel Tomkins 28
- Easy Route
- Best novice: N Tippins 30
- Best over 40: K Smallwood 24
- Best trailbike: Ben Falconer 37
- Best schoolboy: M Christopher 35