Class Winners: Hunt/Jones, O'Dowd/O'Dowd, Ellis/Jarman.

The Route: Four sections, S1 a real short affair (confusing some right from the off!) taking crews due South toward Onibury. On the menu for Sect 2 was Aldon, Goat Hill and along the Roman road to Shelderton. Just prior to the section finish the Knights duo was on hand to retrieve score cards & wave crew’s on the way to the strangely named “Brokeback Mountain” S3! This was designed to ensure the competition remained fierce, too fierce though for the Ellis/Ellis combo who ended up balancing over a small precipice and out of the running big style! (Many thanks to Pete & his Hella Trooper for the rescue mission.) Through Obley & Pen-y-Wern to the Rockhill triangle, the route forced cars ever East as far as Upper Treverwerd before dropping South and the cracking slot just North of Purlouge. Back to Obley & one of my favourites, the downhill real tight slot right near Llandevy. The Beckjay yellow meant that this marathon section (40k’s) was almost over with just a run up to Whittytree to finish off. The final section was a simple reversal of S1 and from there; car’s rolled downhill to the adequate finish venue in Craven Arms.
Nice sarnies, great Birthday cake & even better company.
Well done. 

Conditions:    Dry but muddy.

Round Two:     "Long way round... Long Mountain..."
 

Class Winners:  Darkin/Darkin Jnrs, Falconer/Morgan, Ellis/Ellis.

Seems we cannot do much wrong just now, entries are as healthy as I can remember. And some!
Great event that. We all knew (and relished) that this one was to be a real challenge. And so it turned out.
Congrats to all, but in particular the new & Novice crew’s that all seem to have enjoyed themselves so far.
Top Novs on the night, Darkin/Darkin jnrs… what a great display. The semi win by Falc & Clare was also well deserved, not their fault the only ones in the SE class.
Quite exceptional showing from Ellis/Ellis, if not for a 10 pointer they would have pushed the olde geezers Bond/PhilM all the way!
Organisers are obviously intent on getting the double. Best event award that is! 

The Route: At an elevation of approx 350m, our rather windy Long mountain rendezvous point was not for the faint hearted… especially if you required a wee before the off! For what was to be four “loops” the junction in sq 2707 was the starting point for each section.
Once again, a full entry graced the event & soon dispersed to take on section one which included Hope then the tricky slot right off the “A” to drop down from the NE to Nelly Andrews Green. Frochas and on to Winnington to finish the sect at the code boarded SH in sq 3009. Hand card in, back to plot and straight out to S2.This one kept us right at the aforementioned X roads, picking up the A458 once more prior to a second Nelly Andrews Greeen visit (SW app.) Continuing North, through Trewern and on to the amazing lanes around and about Old Mills. A blast across Bulthy just S of Breidden Forest saw no respite with even the Trooper require bottom gear in places! Halfway House & Vennington passed by prior to us finishing once again in 3009 & the S2 Fin. Third loop, the shortest, started at the now very familiar X roads but dropped SE to Rowley then simply a return North to the SH 337 junction before the anticipated final “long one” of the eve! Clever use of pre-printed sections of the map saw nav’s (time getting on remember,) transferring this data to their own OS sheet in readiness for the final push.
SSW from the section start, before pushing on down to Leighton Tre’R Lla, South to the Stubb  & Trelystan. Super sexy lanes on through Rock Ho, Brockton & the like of the Knapps saw the now well travelled crews approach a welcome finish in Westbury. This not before a small sting requiring competitors to arrive from the SE. Unfortunately, some did not.

Conditions:   Windy, showers, mainly dry.

Round Three:    "ness' n' more..." 

 

All things considered, Richard and the crew must be congratulated for even attempting to run an event. Poor chap (and his rather elderly mate that agreed to “nip” him round the route) even endured an “Italian Job” and a Landy tow from a rather dangerous overhang whilst simply checking the iced roads the day prior!
Anyway, nuff said. Ta again to all that helped and of course a big thank you to all that turned up.
A not too surprising win (on the cards for a while me thinks,) for Dad & Son Ellis whilst the lone Novs came in an NE career best 2^nd O/a!  The Green duo kept it together with a class win whilst the Senior Darkin’s took the remaining award home.

The Route: True to Mr. Smalleys’ form, a minimal data and max attack route saw crew’s struggling a little at the start (over near The Holt,) but all seemed ok as we set out on the 1st section which (having altered slightly due to snow/ice,) saw us go mainly SE taking in Wooton, Kingsnordly, Lindridge & Birdsgreen. A rather mucky but always entertaining Romsley farm section saw us venture East to Kinver Edge then South via Drakelow and Fairfield with it’s brilliantly sited Cboard in Sq 8178 just North of Franche. Like a few others, Pete & I were sited on the triangle on the RHS and simply missed it!
S2 started over the River, led us up the B4194 to Buttonbridge and (using as little B as poss at all times,) forced us South through Sturt Common to exit N on the B4363. Bagginswood saw us directed past Chorley & Billingsley with the final yellow across to Sutton finishing the job off.
Well, no one went hungry that’s for sure, as ever the table in the room centre was fit to overflowing.
Shame the entries were lower than our norm but what with the weather and a little illness its does happen from time to time of course. 

Conditions:   Mucky with a touch of Ice...

Round Five:  Postponed... see below...

Class Winners:  Darkin/Darkin jnr's, Falconer/Morgan, Bloxham/Bloxham

Cannock Chase. Well, said it before and I will say it...
Decent entry of ten crews all made the journey to Middle Earth(!) and signed on, not expecting, not knowing what was in store really! Great result for Darkin jnrs, another class win for the Morgan/Falconer crew. This allowing them the o/a challenge class win. Bloxes took 1^st in class allowing the big Darkins to take it by 20metres!
Hard work for the orgs on that one, worrying finish venue as they were open until 2am!

The Route: First section of four saw crews doing a loop (or two,) of Sycamore Hill, including the real difficult Boulder area, before handing in the old score card and getting down to business. Second section prompted us to start on the extreme Westerly edge of 127 and drop on to a very accurately photocopied section of never used (to NE,) 128. Interesting route saw us travel across Lady Hill, bit of A road and on to Brereton, Longdon & the real narrow yellows on South to Farewell. With a mixed bag of “longest and shortest” squares the olde Nav had to be on top form here as we entered yet more unchartered NE territory.
A real tight run through Creswell Green saw the code boards arriving at alarming pace. For once I could cope! Continuing to follow the orgs “black route line” we faced North and West to enter Brereton Hayes Wood prior to SF2 near Regent Wood.
SS3  began as a short simple affair but turned into a nightmare for many of the crew’s out enjoying the eve.
On the run down the A460 @ 128/0200 1450 a short lay bye/track is situated rather adjacent to the A on the NW side. This “road” contained a live CB. Minor problem being is that this is an acknowledged White road on all OS databases & maps...
Anyway, enough already, sect three finished on the entrance to 127 with just a handful of remaining yellows to sort out the pack.
After crossing the A34 we moved South toward Cannock, Four Crosses and Great Saredon. Nice roads these, finishing off with Latherford and the longest route round the three roads just South of the Marina finish venue.

Conditions: Dry