THERE is just a few days to go before the final round of the 2010 ACU Events/TRW sponsored Trials Championships comes to its conclusion. We head down to the South East for the Kent Youth and Wickham MCC event which takes place on Saturday and Sunday 25/26th September.
We know already that James Dabill is the Champion for the second year running in the premier class and it looks as if Michael Brown will once again have to settle for the number two bib again next season. Alexz Wigg cannot be beaten for third but there is a great little battle going on between Sam Haslam and Ross Danby for fourth. The Expert A & B groups have still to be decided so competition should be tough there. In the A Class it is between Gary Macdonald and Jack Sheppard for the title.
Gary holds a strong advantage and he will want to make that 12 hour drive back home to Kinlochleven with the title. Beta rider Jack Spencer is currently running in a secure looking third place. It is a similar situation in the B Group where Darren Brice leads the way from John Crinson. Brice’s lead was such that he could afford to miss the last round in Devon and still lead the Championship but sponsor Nigel Birkett will be keen to see his man lift this very keenly fought Championship. It does look however even if Crinson wins Brice would only need a top five finish to take the title.
Also no one will be backing off in the Championship as Dibs tries to make it a full set of wins having won all seven rounds to date. The venue will be at Sandfields Farm, Cowden in Kent and this was a very popular venue last year with riders and spectators alike. Working parties have been out finding and fine tuning 12 challenging sections for the past month so it should provide a cracking finale to the series.
As with the whole year practise sessions are on Saturday between 3 - 5 pm and the trial itself will start at 10 am on Sunday with the Experts B leading the way around the first of three laps. Cowden Farm has been likened to a mini Hawkstone with its rocky sandstone outcrops. On many of the sections however spectators will not need to have one leg 12 inches shorter than the other for viewing as you do at the Shropshire circuit.
Viewing is superb as is parking so see you down there. Admission prices are £5 per car on Saturday and £8 on Sunday with camping £5. Music has been arranged for people staying on Saturday night and there will be cyclo demos over the two days. Full travel and sat nav codes follow below.
Venue: Sandfields Farm, Cowden, Kent.
Postcode TN8 7DW
Moat Lane, Cowden, Kent.
Directions - From M25 clockwise
After J4 of M25 move to centre lane, at J5 of M25 the road divides into M25/A21 - stay in centre lane and take the A21. Stay on this road for approx. 4.5 miles and then take the Tonbridge / Hildenborough exit (B245). After approx 1.7 miles take right turn (by Mill Garage car dealers) signed Leigh/Penshurst/Chiddingstone. Go past Hildenborough Station, turn right at Tee junction (B2027) and travel through Leigh village, after approx 0.5 miles branch left signed Penshurst (becomes B2176), stay on this road into Penshurst and pass Penshurst Place on your left. At Tee junction in village centre turn right (B2188 Fordcombe Road). After approx 1 mile turn right into Grove Road. Go past Penshurst Off Road Cycling and in 0.6miles turn right. After 0.5mile the road bears left, follow this road for another1mile and then take a left hand fork signed to Cowden. Stay on this road; go past Cowden station, under a railway bridge and in 1.1 miles turn left into Moat Lane. Sandfields Farm is on the left 0.8 miles along Moat Lane. The trial is 4.1 miles from PORC and 10.1 miles from Mill Garage. Sat Nav would probably guide you in from the other end of Moat Lane via Bassetts Lane but the road is quite narrow. From M25 anti-clockwise – Leave the M25 at J5 and follow the relevant part of the above instructions. In addition the club will have the venue well signposted