Navigation Exercise
Results
Yet another narrow win for a Beginners crew
A very pleasing entry of 9 crews arrived for the start of the 2016 Navigation Exercise held, yet again, in the Wye Valley. Regrettably one crew was a late prior withdrawal.
According to Pete Stowe 2016 is the 40th anniversary of our club running navigation Exercises.
The weather was typically dark, overcast with a light drizzle.
It was good to note that Joe Trott and Max Edwards returned after their win in 2015 this time in a customised BMW 3 series. We were pleased to welcome Joe and Andria Gilmour in a ‘traditional’ Range Rover. This being a very suitable vehicle for a few stretches of road facing the crews. Danny Castleton and Don Neate arrived in a Jaguar XJ8 which was probably a tight fit in some roads. It was good to welcome Martin Baker back to these events, which he dominated for a few years, this time navigating for Pete Goodman. Katie Davies accompanied father Martyn for this annual event which they won a couple of years ago. A really pleasing sight was Mike Dentten’s ‘classic style’ Peugeot 205. Mike was navigated by Max Edwards.
The pre event briefing, held at the start in the car park adjacent to Tintern Abbey, covered the need to act responsibly especially given the concerns regarding competitions on the highway held by the Gwent Police with whom our continuing responsible behaviour has ensured good relations.
The Final Instructions and Beginners, Novice or Expert Route Cards were handed out just prior to the 7.30 start. As usual route plotting was completed in the car park prior to moving off. All cars had departed by 8.20pm.
The 26.5mile route visited places with, now, familiar names; The Cot, Devauden and Newchurch before turning north to Llangwn then heading south to Earlswood, close to Bice Common onto Gaellwyn, Bullyhole Bottom and Itton Common before finishing at the hospitable Tredegar Arms in Shirenewton.
Regrettably Mike and Max had an engine water pipe failure close to Devauden and with regular water top ups returned home to the Somerset Levels around midnight.
No lateness penalty points were incurred byth 8 finishing crews and the winners by a small margin were Ralph Colmar and Ben Bishop in a VW Golf. In second place were Pete and Martin and an unsurprising third were Martyn and Katie.
My congratulations to all competitors and my thanks to each of you for supporting this traditional season opener.
