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James Shallcross won a closely contested
Ilkley Trial in his Peugeot 205, with the top six coming from four
different classes.
John Bell took over the C of C role from
Stan Peel and continued to improve the route and sections. Unfortunately
the event will be remembered by controversy at scruitineering, an issue
that will have to resolved if the event is to continue.
Dragging water up the section after fording the
small stream Class 5 winner Chris Maries tackles Hawpike 1 in his Suzuki
X90 while overall winner James Shallcross waits his turn in his Peugeot
205
After many years moulding the
Ilkley into an ACTC event Stan Peel handed over Clerk of the Course duties
to John Bell. During his custody of the event Stan had changed the event
from a series of PCT sections into a real Classic Trial, albeit still
betraying its PCT legacy. John had some route authorisation issues which
denied access to some traditional sections. His hard work payed off though
and the way he used the restarts meant the overall winner could have come
from anywhere in the field.
Scruitineering was a strange
affair
With John Blakeley in charge,
assisted by June and Alex, the formal part of car scruitineering went
smoothly. However competitors then had to endure further scrutiny by a
local official who found fault with by far the majority of visiting cars.
Visitors had been forewarned this would happen, and assured it would be
resolved, which it was. However, this will need sorting if the event is to
continue.
Changes at Hawpike
Ilkley Trial winner James Shallcross assaulting the bank at the start of Hawpike 1
Bill Bennett in his immaculate MG J2 on
the new section at Hawpike 2.
Dave Cook pictures Class 5 winner Chris Maries successfully
re-starting on Hawpike 1
Julian Lack came close to an outright win but was judged to have
failed the restart on Swordpoint 2
It was dry when cars arrived at
the familiar Hawpike 1. John Bell had introduced a restart on grass
towards the end of the section and the majority didn't get away. A few
performance markers were laid down here. James Shallcross went clear, as
did Julian Lack (Liege) and Chris Maries (Suzuki), the only clears in
their respective classes.
Section 2 was a new one at
Hawpike Farm before the long track over the moor to the Special test where
there was a compressor available for competitors to pump up afterwards.
Barry and Graham Redmayne weren't able to take advantage of this facility
having retired their Liege with a sick Suzuki engine.
Strid was a Stopper
Strid Wood was just down the
road from Bolton Abbey for the usual two sections. Both stopped all the
four wheeled brigade. Nobody could get over the huge step halfway up the
Strid Wood 1 gully which has dug out very deep before the slab. Strid Wood
2 was very muddy and the lower classes struggled to get to the top track.
Outside of Class 8 only Julian Lack got to spitting distance of section
end, scoring a two.
Problems at Peels
Later numbers were delayed at
Peels Wood 1 where Class 8 deviated left before attempting the very steep
bank. Only Mike Chatwin was able to surmount this obstacle with Carl
Talbot next best dropping six. Some of the less competitive cars in the
lower classes had problems getting to the start of the section but the
section itself didn't produce to many problems for those that didn't have
to deviate.
Restart at Wilsons Wood
Wilsons Wood is an interesting
section in a nice setting. Its all about a tight, near hairpin,
left-hander with a restart for Class Four and above. The restart area has
really dug out over the years but there is plenty of grip. It wasn't
Suzuki X90 friendly but Chris Maries continued his good day and joined
Nigel Jones in his Mazda MX5 as the only class fives to get away.
Brimham Lodge was Difficult
The club had repositioned the
burger van to the farmyard near Brimham Lodge so there was opportunity to
get some hot food and drink to counteract the cold wind. The section is
grassy and quite damp. The corner just before the steep bank was pretty
slippy and the challenge was to get round without under-steering into the
trees. Outside of Class Eight only three cars succeeded, James Shallcross
(Peugeot 205), David Golightly (Ford Model A) and Julian Lack (Liege). All
were to head their class at the end of the event.
Coppy was Rough
Charlotte Arrowsmith about to ford the stream on Coppy in her Class
6 Beetle. (Picture by Dave Cook)
David Golightly and Carla Smith won Class 2 in their wonderful Ford
model A (Picture by Dave Cook)
With no Incline on the agenda
Patley Bridge was bypassed on the way to Coppy alongside Gouthwaite
Reservoir. There isn't much gradient here, the section is all about
picking your way over some very greasy rocks. This is the roughest section
on the trial, in the opinion of some to rough, but in fairness to IDMC its
nowhere near as rough as Putwell or Tipley.
The 7's and 8's had a restart
and Liam Rafferty was the only class eight to get away. The six Mike
Chatwin dropped put his score up to twelve, one more than James Shallcross
who went clear here. Julian Lack also went clear and was now overall
leader of the trial with only six marks lost.
The section took its toll on
tyres and Nigel Jones ripped the sidewalls out of both rears on the way to
going clear. Nigel continued but was to break the MX5's diff on the next
section.
New exit track from Longside
Wood
This was the third year the
Ilkley has used Longside Wood, a long, steepening track through a Bluebell
Wood. In previous years clears have had to come back down but John Bell
had secured the use of an exit track for those lucky enough to reach the
summit. The track was a lot drier this year and most competitors got to
the twisty steep bit at the top, many for the first time. Few in the lower
classes managed to get through this part of the hill so hats off to
Jonathan Toulmin who stormed out the top in his X90.
Rain at Watergate
It had started to drizzle by
the time the later numbers arrived at Watergate 1, another excellent
Ilkley Hill. 6, 7 & 8 all had a restart but there was plenty of grip. It
is a bit rough though and despite not having to restart many in the lower
classes were defeated by the greasy rocks. Michael Leete conquered the
rocky part but running almost at the back fell foul of the grassy bit at
the top which had become very greasy now it was raining.
Peels Wood 2 Cancelled
The rain had turned the
approach to Peels Wood 2 into a quagmire and the section had to be
cancelled when some of the later numbers couldn't get to the start, even
with the help of a Land Rover tow. Charlotte Arrowsmith had retired her
1600 Beetle with a variety of small issues that made the car difficult to
drive.
Julian lost his win at Sword
Point
There were two sections at
Sword Point. The first had a remarkable amount of grip this year and very
few didn't make the tight right hand turn onto the exit track at the
summit.
Sword Point 2 weaves amongst
some pine trees and is all about a leaf mouldy restart on a left hand bend
for all but class 0. Most got away OK but Julian Lack was judged to have
failed and his hopes of an overall win slipped away.
Dob Park Watersplash returns
Browns Wood was the last
section, which was nice as it was approached through the Dob Park
Watersplash. The restart on this nice little section was quite tight but
it was nice to see it return to the event.
Back at the Finish
So the 2013 Ilkley saw James
Shallcross take an overall win in his Class 1 Peugeot 205 with Mike
Chatwin 2nd in his DP Wasp followed by a disappointed Julian Lack in his
Liege. John Bell is to be congratulated on getting a spread of classes in
the top 10. It will be interesting to see how the Ilkley evolves in the
future.