BULLETIN 1, MARCH 2007

Welcome to the first bulletin of 2007, both to those previous contenders and the new faces for this year.  There are a few new events to our series, which hopefully provides a varied spread of events across the whole ANCC region, and beyond, in some cases!

ROUND 1 – SHAW TROPHY, 27^TH / 28^TH JANUARY, WHICKHAM & DMC

The 2007 season got underway with 25 crews tackling this popular event in the North East. Steve Retchless made a successful return to the championship, with Paul Taylor on the maps, taking a well-deserved win. They were pushed all the way by Nick Toplis & Mick Fern in their Proton and Dan Willan & Paul Allen’s Astra. Dan Robinson & Ian Gibbins suffered with brake problems but still managed 4^th. A number of our crews drowned out in a ford, including 2002 champion Gavin Smith, but all three made it to the finish. Top Non-experts were Paul Buckel & Steve Butler.

Chief Marshal Peter Metcalfe has asked me to thank all our contenders who turned out to marshal on the event, the standard of marshalling was excellent. He also reports that the competitors treated the marshals very well, which is great to hear so pats on the back all round. Thanks to Whickham for putting on another good event.

ROUND 2 – BRUCE ROBINSON, 10^TH / 11^TH FEBRUARY, LINCOLN MC & CC

A cold and wet night and a few more whites than usual made this a very challenging event, but Dan Robinson & Ian Gibbins were up to the challenge and took the win, having sorted out the brake problems on the Shaw. With Steve Retchless securing 25 points for marshalling, the win took Dan to the top of the drivers’ table. Paul Taylor was up there again, this time 4^th alongside John Wilkinson and this keeps him in the lead of the navigators’ championship.  Well done to Alastair Crosby & John Thornton on an excellent 6^th overall and to Annette Pashley & Sasha Heriot, who were 15^th and first novices in a standard 1100 Peugeot 205.

Many thanks to new Clerk of Course David Dimbleby, the rest of the Lincoln team and all the marshals, I hope you’ve all dried out!

My thanks to Ian and Dan for taking registrations in my absence on the first two rounds and to Andy Stewart, Midnight Motorsport’s ‘on the spot’ reporter, for his reports on the two events. We should have a direct link from the ANCC website to the MM site so you can check out the reports hot off the press.

With this bulletin you should have the tables after round 2 – if you notice any errors or omissions, please drop me a line.

Iain

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

ROUND 3 – RYEMOOR, 17^TH / 18^TH MARCH, MALTON

ROUND 4 – WESTMORLAND, 14^TH / 15^TH APRIL, EDEN VALLEY MC

The route will be approx. 150 Miles in North Cumbria , on Maps 90, 91, and 86 with approx 5 miles of smooth whites; some never previously competed on before. The route will feature some of the best bits of more recent years and also some roads that have not been used for several years. The event will follow a similar format to previous years, simple plot and bash navigation will be used, although this year we intend to use some pre-plot sections where the terrain allows.

If you haven’t yet received regs, contact Tony Williams (entries secretary) 07963 216811, or Tom Wilcox (Clerk of Course) 07968 342425, tom.wilcox@lycos.co.uk or on the club website www.edenvalleymotorclub.co.uk

Marshals contact Mark Hodgson 01748 884865 or Henry Lowthian 07738 190706.

ROUND 5 – JACKSON TROPHY, 21^ST / 22^ND APRIL, SHEFFIELD & HALLAMSHIRE MC