Welcome to the web site of The

2009 Kenchington Trophy Trial

which is now in its fifty seventh year.

It was held Wick Hill Farm, near Selborne, Alton on Sunday 5th March 2009, starting at 10:30.

Signed from the Selborne to Alton road,

Nearest post code: GU34 3BP | MAP

Secretary of the meeting: Mike Hutchings

Clerk of the course: Mick Coles.

2009 Scores | Awards | Pictures

Cyril Kenchington was an Alton citizen and was general manager of Wrights, a road building equipment company (road rollers etc.) situated on the side road at The Butts, Alton. He was a good friend to Arthur Hay, one of our past presidents and a hard working club member.

The Cup was first competed for in 1952 as a motor cycle Trial starting from Wyck Farm (Mr Wall) and included a lot of road work. Competitors travelled to Binsted with sections there, then across country to Priory Farm, Selborne (Mr Eddie Lucas). After those sections in the river etc., they went up to Wick Hill Farm (Mr Chapell) and then back to Worldham and finally Wyck Farm.

The Trial continued in this format with the late Bill Oliver as Clerk of the Course for several years until restrictions on competitors riding on public roads led to the Trial being set out entirely on private land. With the kind permission of Mr Beech of Priory Farm and Mr Chapell of Wick Hill Farm, this area became the home of Kenchington Trophy Trial.

The Kenchington

Name and history

By Jack & Phyl Blackman

Weather plays the game

With a perfect sunny day and a great venue it was a little disappointing that just 26 riders entered. Maybe memories of what the Wick Hill venue can be like if the weather turns nasty had kept them away.

Clerk of the course, Mick Coles, had done a great job skilfully plotting 10 varied sections, with two routes, across both sides of the valley and making good use of the stream.

The first two sections eased riders into their stride with straight forward descents and climbs before it was off into the stream sections. These featured several crossings of the stream and took marks off those who didn't take a good line through the ruts.

The next section turned out to be the real test of the Trial with an opening steep drop into the stream followed by some equally difficult climbs out. As the mud churned up the challenge on the top route increased, with only expert Lee Flanagan from Gosport managing to get a clean. However, this wasn't enough to take victory away from local rider Chris Lewis of Headley who eventually won the class by a margin of 7.

On the easier route it wasn't till section 9 on his second lap that Intermediate class rider Reynard Norris lost his first mark on a steep, greasy camber. He lost a further 3 marks here on the third lap but with an overall loss of just 6 marks he pipped Fawley's Ashley Colleage to take the class.

In the remaining classes there were notably good rides on the harder course from both James Willcox from Petersfield who has just left the youth class and Philip Wiffen on his twinshock Fantic who got the lowest score of the day.

The most unfortunate rider was James Brown from Liss who broke a footrest on his rare, and until then, immaculate twinshock Merlin.

Alton Club would like to thank all the helpers, especially the Observers, for their good natured assistance which helped ensure this was an enjoyable event for all. - Keith Davies