Many thanks to Thomas Cowley from the Isle of Wight 4×4 Club for this report and video of last week’s trial. Ed
Sunday 10th April saw the second 4×4 trial of 2011 held by the Isle of Wight 4×4 Club. After a particularly fresh March trial at Knighton moto-x area, this month’s trial in the Knighton Sandpit was a warm welcome to spring. The venue bathed in Strong sun all day, providing mostly dry conditions for competitors.
Four sections laid out around the sandpit, due to be driven in both directions by the competitors meant a busy day for Clerk of the Course Sean Belson and the other marshals.
Simple, yet complex
4×4 trials are devilishly simple, yet fiendishly complex, as the competitors have to drive a short distance through ten pairs of numbered canes, over whatever obstacles are in their way.
The route is untimed and operates along similar rules to Radio4’s panel game, Just A Minute. Competitors must not stop on the course (no hesitation), keep as tightly to the course as possible (no deviation) and must not cross their tracks (no repetition). The overall aim is to score the fewest points possible, with a zero, or ‘clear’ being awarded when no canes are touched.
New competitors welcomed
This month we welcomed four new competitors to the sport, Alex Betteridge, Joe Fidler, Allan Marsh and the long-awaited debut of Andrew Penketh.
Joe and Alex had both come along to explore what their Land Rovers could do. This is often more of a test of people’s nerve more than vehicle capabilities, as folk find out just how capable these machines are.
As expected, both started out with much gusto, which simmered down as they figured out the measured approach needed in what is an event that rewards precise driving more than the wide open throttle.
‘It was the most fun I have had with my clothes on’
Allan had been fired up spectating at our March trial and was delighted to be able to fling his Daihatsu Sportrak at the scenery, commenting after the event ‘it was the most fun I have had with my clothes on’.
After finding out a lot more about what his vehicle can do I’m in little doubt we’ll see Allan back competing again next month, probably with a few modifications to help him on the way.
Andrew Penketh has been at trials pretty much since he’s been able to put on a pair of wellies, bought along religiously by his father, Mike. Mike is a true stalwart of the Isle of Wight 4×4 scene and over the years has rolled his Red Baron Class 1 trialers at most of the venues the club frequent.
Rookie luck?
Finally Andrew has been able to step up to the wheel and show his father how it’s done, and in what high style!
Surely there was some rookie luck involved, but Andrew finished the event 20 points better than his father. This is just a warm-up for what’s going to be a serious competition between father and son over the coming seasons (provided Andrew doesn’t do too much damage!)
Scores on the doors
Class 6 was fought out between Mike Trigg and Thomas Cowley, double driving a nimble Suzuki SJ. After Thomas made some poor line choices in a couple of sections the scores were only 10 points apart, with Thomas finishing on 32 vs Mike’s score of 42.
An exemplar of the measured approach was overall and Class 4 winner, Trevor Pointon, collecting only 13 points through the day. Nick Archer was chasing in the class in his lime green Defender Hybrid, but with a score of 27 has his work cut out to match Trevor. Trevor was campaigning his regular, a lightly breathed-on Wrangler Jeep, commenting ‘the Jeep really flatters my driving style’. It’s obviously a style worthy of flattery, as he only scored points on two out of eight sections.
Next trial 8th May
The venue for May’s trial is yet to be confirmed, but looks likely to be a new-to-the-club location, which is sure to thrill regulars and newcomers alike.
The date for the next trial has been confirmed as May 8th. Please check the club’s website or Facebook page for full details of the location. As always we welcome everyone who’d like to drive, or just come along and watch the action.
There are lots more images by Allan Marsh on his Flickr site
Image: © Used with the kind permission of Allan Marsh
