TRIAL REPORT
MGCC - Spring Trial
21st March 2004
Those of you who know me well will know that I don't generally compete in PCTs, or PCT-style classics, so I got a lot of stick from certain well-known members of Stroud Motor Club when I turned up to compete in this MGCC event held on farmland near Ledbury. My justification for this uncharacteristic change of plan was two-fold - firstly that I really needed to give the car a shake-down before the Lands End and secondly that Chris Cates, who gamely offered to passenger for me on ACTC events this year and hadn't had much fun so far, lives in Ledbury.
Although the MGCC has been using this venue for years they had the misfortune to pick a date double-booked with a motocross meeting which, paying substantial sums of money, had the pick of the hills. Brian Osborn managed to set out five sections and a special test on the allotted land and gave everyone five rounds with subtle variations on the setting-out of each section between the rounds. Although promoted by the MGCC, Brian has always relied on non-MG attendance to get sufficient numbers to make the event worthwhile, and this year was no exception. Brian, in typical laid-back fashion, surveyed the assembled gathering and announced that Classes 7 and 8 would be combined and re-organised into a Marlin Class (which included a Dutton) and a Liege Class (which included a Dellow).
Off we all went and, twenty five sandy hills later, the Marlin Class was won by Ian Ramsey passengered by son Alex, followed in second place by Alex passengered by father Ian. Chris and I were just a few points adrift in third place with Roland Panes a few points behind us in fourth. Keith Oakes in the Dutton had a dreadful day and finished in fifth place with twice as many points as Ian.
As it turned out I didn't manage to effect a 100% cure to my fuel problems before the event, and we started a number of sections with the pump hammering-away trying to pump air rather than petrol, but this always cleared on the section and I'm not making any excuses for points lost due to mechanical problems rather than pilot error. It was certainly an enjoyable day out in some rare Spring sunshine, albeit punctuated by the occasional downpour!
|