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Cambrian Rally 2003
 The 8th annual Cambrian
Rally took place on Sunday 20th April on the Eppynt Army Ranges near
Sennybridge. A month of dry weather had hardened the ground & -
apart from a couple of muddy holes - coated the track surfaces with a
thick layer of dust but unlike 1999, when the event was held in June
because of the World Round, a strong, cold wind blew some of the dust
away. Many riders like Andy Morris #7 opposite (photo by Cellopix) also
minimised the dust hazard by not touching the ground unless absolutely
necessary. The event was organised by WTRA & started as usual in the
FIBUA, a mock village used to train soldiers for Fighting In Built Up
Areas. The riders rode 3 laps of the 2002 course in reverse. From the
start, each group travelled north over the open moorland to the forestry
roads & sheep runs in Block B. Some of the roads had been recently
"patched" with fresh hardcore which emerged from the clouds of
dust as a shock to the system & to the wheel rims. At the top of
Block B the riders arrived at Mabion's way & the start of the first
of the 2 Special Tests per lap (only timed on lap 2 & 3). Bob &
Gill Jeffries with their daughter Brianne were manning the end of the
test & celebrating their 29th Wedding Anniversary thus proving that
the family that plays together stays together. The course then followed
Druids Way through the Impact Area. This is not a right of way &
WTRA had to exclude 2 riders for using this track prior to the event
during an Army live firing exercise. South of Druids Way the course
crossed a wooden bridge over a stream. Peter Brookes & I stopped
there. While we discuss an RSPB proposal to ban motorsport from the
Eppynt between April & July because of the disruption to bird life,
a dipper fished in the pool under the bridge completely oblivious to the
riders over head. Following the bridge the riders climbed a grassy hill
on the back wheel which brought a smile to everyone's face.
Unfortunately one over enthusiastic Irish rider got it wrong & lost
some teeth so he will have a shiny, new smile for next year's event. The
course then headed west along Route 60 & across the Tirabad Road to
the second Special Test on the Driver Training Course. Here - in close
proximity to the Crychan & the Halfway - the riders came across the
first mud of the day. It was as if the old forests with their endless
supply (& possibly holding a grudge that the event has moved)
spirited it over the fence in the night. Richard Godber #327 (photo by
Gary Jones) took the opportunity to see how his WR400 would perform as a
jet ski. The time schedule was slack but there was an outbreak of SARS
with 13+ riders requiring on the spot medical attention. The main
symptoms of the Speed And Rocky Surfaces virus was a long skid, followed
in rapid succession by a euphoric sense of floating & a sharp pain
in the extremities. The outbreak was so contagious that within 30
minutes of helping a rider with a broken collarbone into the ambulance,
travelling marshal Phil Wilkinson was also exhibiting identical
symptoms. Some riders attempted to use a natural "barrier"
remedy. Phillip Morris used a wooden fence on Route 60 in preference to
the corrugated steel building next to it & was able to pick his bike
up later after a brief visit to Brecon A&E. The winner of the Trail
Bike class was Katrina Price & Bryn Largue was the runner up. The
John Deacon Memorial Award for the highest placed 4 stroke TRAIL BIKE of
over 600cc. Mark Harris # 39. The “GS” Award (awarded to the highest
placed BMW “GS” Boxer type motorcycle) David Brown – # 22
Best Club Team – Trail – “West Glos 1”, # 39, 40 and 321 Best
Club Team – Sport – “The Beaver Eaters”, # 269, 270 & 271.
Best Trade Team – Sport – “John Deacon Racing”, # 34, 35 &
36. Best Services Team – Trail – “London Fire Brigade Team
Pants”, # 162, 163 & 164. Best Services Team – Sport – “3
Cavalry Squadron”, # 10, 11 & 12. Trelleborg distributor Gwyn
Barraclough got in some good product testing results with a 15th in
class. Pat Tighe (below in a still from Frank Morgan video) parted the
waters on his mighty 750 Africatwin to finish 17th. Andy Winterbourne
won the Sports Bike class ahead of Andy Morris. Ben Shuckburgh did well
to finish 4th after a long absence with knee problems, as did Phil
Gunn (12th) whose trip from Ireland was delayed while he was "under
the doctor". The Pink Amazons team of Helena Hunt & Judith Burn
(who appear to be navigating the mighty river on the right) were one
member short so they enlisted Katrina Price & almost won the trail
team award. The “Spirit of the Cambrian Rally” Award (awarded by Bob
Perring - the inventor of the rally) went to Kent policeman Les Smith
No: 54, Mark Fairhurst No: 56, Dave Greenwood who rode to the event from
Kent to raise money for Cancer Research.
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