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Pink & Manning Shield 16/2/2014
Well that’s the first Manawatu Orion moto trial done and dusted for the year and plenty of dust too. We struck the hottest day of the summer so far here in the Manawatu where Palmy Nth topped the countries temp for the day at 28c. Perhaps that’s why a number of regulars chose not to come and ride today, with only 14 turning up .
Luckily the venue we used, on Bolton’s farm, on the lower slopes of the Saddle Road over looking Ashhurst has a nice patch of bush and we set six of the eight sections under the canopy. And the other two sections were mostly under cover of trees as well. With no sections set in creeks it was a dry affair with many climbes, banks and tree roots.
And with the ground being so dry there was plenty of grip in some places but in others traction wasn’t so good as the ground crumbled under the tyres. This was probably more of a problem in the harder A grade sections as they had the steeper banks and climbs with less run up.
A grade club champ Warrick George and myself had a close fought battle right to the end in this harder grade where I just pipped him at the post by one point. I might give him some 34 years but on the rare occasion I can still sneak in front if I try hard or he has an off day.
Phil Stephenson lost 39 points to comfortably win the Intermediate grade and also the Pink and Manning Shield by having the lowest score of any MOMCC rider, regardless of grade.
It was good to see young Hannah Rushworth step up to Clubman Grade, where with Merv’s help, she got through all for rounds with a very respectful score of 69. Charlie Morisson left the cows in Waverly to look after themselves and shot down for the day where with a score of 41 he took out the Clubman grade.
With Hannah now riding the Clubman lines, mum Jane Bray had no one to compete against in the Sportsman grade, but that didn’t stop her completing four laps of the trial and posting a score. Young A J Wheatly from Wellington kept Jane company and rode the slightly easier Social grade sections.
Tod Palenski brought his son 15 year old son Kaydon along to have a go in his first event where they both rode a couple of laps before calling it a day. And thanks to Tod for assisting me set the sections out on Saturday afternoon.
Next month’s mototrial is a week earlier than it normally would be and is on March 9th near the end of Opawe Rd in the Pohangina Valley. See you there.
- - - Kevin Pinfold
