Round One:       "Cento Giunzioni"
 

        
         Class Winners:     Campbell/Jones, Rousell/Rousell, Bloxham/Bloxham.

The new season’s opener seemed to go down rather well. You lot pleased, I’m pleased!  Well done anyway to all my little helpers & very well done to all competitors on & off the private land!
Class winning scores on the doors go to the always grinning Campbell/”Selwyn” duo, a determined Rousell duo & of course the up for it duo Blox. Oh, and Mr. & Mrs. Bentley won the job…

I’ve planned a rather tight one for quite a while so it was with a little apprehension that I waited patiently on the “patch” while the Girlz administered Section 1. Simple affair using a straight line bone which took (after run 1 on said stage,) crew’s SW to Poolhouse Farm & East toward Enville golf course. Back to Highgate Common and a section finish NW of Highgate Farm. Simple relaxed run back to the disused airfield where crew’s were allowed a 2^nd run at the “stage” prior to being set loose on the 38km S2 followed by a rather steady 5km S3.   

So, Bulwardine start followed by… Beobridge, Sytch-Ho Green & 5-Ways. The simple (but not so simple when you are under pressure) format of exiting each & every next square by points of compass was soon to take it’s toll. Competitors now travelled through Lower Beobridge to just shave the NW corner of Sq 8092 (have a look!) whilst Sq 7993 was black spotted. Aston, West & SE to Broughton forced crew’s N to Draycott & on to Upper Aston. The next portion did in fact give one or two a head ache but, well this is what it’s all about so having looped Upper Ludstone the route entered 7995 travelling NW. Longest route in this square meant a trip around Rudge Heath but a few fell foul by taking the yellow triangle (far East of said square) instead.
Almost done then, Hopstone, Woundale & Wyken allowing the walking wounded to sample the final Yellow in S2, Hoccum.

S3 was a short affair but managed (via Stanmore,) a rather decent sting. Instruction had you finish on Northing 91 (using as little “A” road as possible.) The A442 travels through Northing 91 but just so happens to have a Yellow that peels off just a few metres prior to the line. Take the Yellow & find the final code board!

Now… I would admit that my Missus can make a Lasagne but that Lisa Leah effort takes the biscuit!
One or two points about the above results… note Mark/Max’s total without the fails & penalties added & two crew’s separated by just 10metres in over 60km!
I’m also going to do a prediction thing here. It will not be too long before a mixed crew in the Semi class take o/a victory… we will see.

Very interesting event right from the word go, it’s rather unusual for us to have descriptive info for route plotting, more please, refreshing change was that. Tracing the route, although rare, always keeps you on ‘yer toes but in the end the two forms blended. The Bunch & Leah combo worked well again & spare a thought for good olde Davy Clayton who is rather unwell in his bed just now, missed his smiling face handing out the choc’s! So, Cambell/Jones trawled back to Welshpool with the spoils as did the rather on form “Georges”. Bloxham duo, although fourth also held the class awards up high. With the usually effervescent Mr. Darkin a little off colour & the Ellis/Jarman duo having a mediocre run the result has certainly opened the job up.

Focus DIY car park it was then, on an unexpectedly dry eve that an almost full entry plotted & moved to the start of S1 (of two,) just NW of Edgmund. These lanes are quite a challenge for CB plotting, by the time we arrived at Cherrington three boards were already on the sheet! Over the 5062 followed by Cruddington, Cherrington & Tibberton Moor’s all of which handed out another dose of the things! Dropping South through Preston Moor the section ended just on the A442 which allowed a couple of relaxed km’s prior to S2 which began on the Yellow NE of Wrockwardine. Rushton, “Gibbons Coppice” to Little Wenlock allowed us to sample the little used yellow that drops down Braggers Hill & stays West of the railway line to finish @ SH42. Paul did admit that a CB would have worked well here, (Sq 6604) as he feared quite a few crew’s did indeed use the “white on map” found hidden behind the “o” & the “a” in Coalbrookdale. A run East through Ironbridge allowed us to slot right nr Brockton, up through Grindle & the rather mucky lanes through Evelith en-route to The Hem. Couple more boards up through Wyke found us parking up and enjoying the welcome of a well on form wood burner… & an even more on form Lasagne!! Cracker.

Classic Lane’s, classic route & a Classic Car on the entry list. I contacted the org’s on the Saturday to say a thank you from us all & I was not surprised to learn that they are already sketching out a route… for NEXT season! Ta once again George’s, well done of course to Campbell/Jones, O’Dowd/O’Dowd and the Darkin trio for pushing us very hard on this one. A close victory indeed from the oldest crew on the block!
A counter clockwise cct of Shrewsbury… that should do the trick! A full entry gathered on what has become std weather on that Golf Club’s car park, damp. Now… if your spot height’s were previously not hi-lighted on ‘yer map, it was always going to be a struggle against time so be warned because I sense more of this to come. Mark your maps folks, save bundles of time on the night.
Luckily, section 1 allowed us to skirt the Boreton rather deep ford, so onwards through to Atcham, over the A5 to approach Hunkington from the South.
With a couple of CB’s in the bag, org’s thinned ‘em out a little prior to reaching Hadnall where a clever loop or two took the already mucky vehicles as far North as Grinshill. The Bomere Heath to Merrington yellow gave us the last glimpse of a CB marked “G” which, unknown to crew’s of course would precede a baron period designed to worry! Due West then across to Little Ness & the cracking but flooded Yellow’s through Wilcott Marsh. Not until Shrawardine did the longed for CB appear, just prior to section end at Montford Bridge.
Sect two, relatively short affair, mazed us around Shoot Hill before the clever ruling had one or two stumbling around the B junction near Cruckton. Arscott to Annscroft delived the now far from pristine motors to the doorstep of Hookagate & S2 finish.
As is the norm, the PH host’s welcomed all and fed us to bursting. Great event, less than a year till the next one!
       
      

 Conditions:  Rain, mud & fog.         

       Round Seven:                                                         "50mtrs West of 128..."