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Cambrian 2011 |
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The Welsh Trail Riders once again had a picture perfect weekend for their Cambrian 2 Day Rally near Lyn Brianne on the 15/16th October Clear skies overnight created a frosty feel to the early morning light but a bright October sun soon spread it's warmth over the golden hues of Mid Wales in Autumn. The start was at Soar Y Mynnydd at the top end of the reservoir with it's breath taking views of the Cambrian Mountains.. The original plan was for the riders to complete 2x35 mile laps on Day 1 with the 2 tests timed on the second lap. The course would then be ridden in reverse on Day 2. The first riders should have been flagged away at 11.00am but - due to a booking mix up - the hour came but not the ambulance cover. They were still an hour and half away in Rhayader. WTRA is one of the countries' most experienced event organisers and a back plan soon took shape. The first lap was scrubbed while the ambulances made their way to the start and the Day 2 course was not reversed so the single Day 1 lap became a sighting lap and all 6 Day 2 tests could be timed. This revised plan would be news to Craig Bound who left the start early and put in a lap while the rest of the riders enjoyed the Indian Summer sun. The race was re-started at 1.30pm. The course traveled North - across the Tregaron Road - and up the western side of the Tywi Forest to the top of Strata Florida. There has been some felling in the past 12 months which has opened up some spectacular views of the Tywi valley but it has also left it's mark on the forestry roads. Under the trees heavy traffic has left some tyre tracks like tram lines and wear on the corners has been filled in with loose gravel so sight seeing was best restricted to the open straights. . Despite it's challenge or because of it, Strata Florida is an unforgettable feature of the Cambrian. For 10 kilometres the rocky track meanders back and forth across the Tywi River. The water level was low this year so Clerk of the Course Mike Corkery and his team used all of the crossings before turning the riders into Nant y Stalwyn but once again the "water splashes" took a few prisoners. a KTM 200 lost a piston and a mighty 950 set the marshals a challenge when his battery went flat. Even the experience riders like Craig Bounds and Brian Eland found underwater obstacles and tested their filters while Celine Dion sang "My heart will go on" in the background. After Nant y Stalwyn, the course climbed towards the Devil's Staircase and traveled south through the Nant-yr-Hwch forest to the two tests. Day 2. Craig Bounds won the Trail bike on his Hussqvarna TE 650 and Tony Whitehead got the most out of his CRM 250 to take 2nd. Rob Loupart on a CCM 404 was 3rd. Only 12 out of 22 Trail Bikes were classified as finishers. Alistair Brown was the fastest rider and he won the Sports class on a Husqvarna 310. David Griffiths was the runner up and Brian Eland was 3rd. The Rally class went to Lyndon Poskitt on a KTM 950 Adventurer. Steve Hague was 2nd on a KTM 690 and Rob Relton was 3rd on another KTM 950. The Rally boys seem better prepared for the long day and there were fewer retirement than in the Sports and Trail classes. Congratulation to the WTRA team for coping with the unforeseen and making the most of a fine weekend. Results |
Classic Cambrian