This long-standing event at this particular venue always attracts a good entry and this years event true to form with plenty of riders filling the Solo, 2-man Team, Quad and Sidecar classes. The seven and a half mile loop was along fire roads and through woodland, which was surprisingly dry in places considering the snow and rain over the last few weeks.

Vic Madeley had thrown in a few ‘testers’, one especially steep bank provided plenty of entertainment for spectators. Solos, quads and sidecars made various and spectacular attempts to descend the slope and one sidecar stopped at the top to contemplate which route to take and was kindly ‘nudged’ by a quad, which made the decision for the outfit.

The Solos were off first for four-hours with the quads joining them and hour later and the sidecars 30 minutes after the quads.

The Expert Solo class blasted off the line first with AMCA Championship rider Jamie Powell taking a good lead on his Williams MX KTM  and holding on to it for three hours. Disaster struck at the three-hour mark as Powell retired with a front wheel puncture and eventual Expert class winner Barry Furber took up the running for the Premier award followed by Wayne Price, David Lloyd-Jones and Steve Biddle all completing sixteen laps and taking Gold awards. Powell still took fifth place, testament to the lead he had built up even though he retired with an hour to go.

The KB Racing pairing of Rowland Morris and Lewis Belfield took the Team Solo class Premier award with Tudur and Gareth Davies taking Gold. Both teams nailed 17 laps and in effect took the overall win and runner up spot. Morris experienced a few small technical problems but his team-mate Belfield did well to keep the pair in contention for the win, although it really was a team effort.

Andrew Cooper managed to keep Alex West at bay in the Clubman Solo class, taking a well-deserved victory and the Premier award with West, third placed Rob Mcleod, Darren Morgan (on his shiny new Husqvarna) and Rob Murfin all taking Gold awards.

Trefor Davies took a convincing victory in the Clubman Over 40’s class, finishing just over 7 minutes clear of second placed Nick Morgan who had Graham Howes hot on his heels less than two minutes behind in third spot.

John Hayward and Ross Kenyon vied for top spot in the Sportsman Solos with Hayward finishing just over three minutes clear to take the win. Kenyon took second place, a lap ahead of third placed Colin Griffiths whilst Iain Rendall and Dean Williams were a further lap down in fourth and fifth. Tom Price and Lee Jones were the only Sportsman Team to enter but they finished in style with 12 laps to their credit.

Martin Bembow and John Robson battled hard in the Pro Quads with Bembow finally gaining a three-minute lead over Robson to take the Premier award. Robson picked up a Gold for his troubles with Rich Bradford a lap down in third place followed by Andy Mellor in fourth. Stuart Jones experienced engine problems and took fifth having been in the top three for the first half of the race.

Adam Shanlahan took the win in the Expert Quads by just 19 seconds from Ricky Roberts, both on 11 laps as Bev Barns took third spot, a lap down on the leaders but a lap up on Gary Wright and Jamie Jones.

The top four riders in the Clubman Quads all finished on nine laps and it was Andrew Kelly who eked out a 30 second lead over Arron Coles with Saul Coles a further three minutes behind in third place. Philip Hammond took fourth spot with Dean Jones fifth.

Steve Williams headed the 4x4 class, a lap clear of Tim Clark in second place and three laps clear of Edward Kevin Jones in third.

David Williams and Aled Jones took a clear win in the Expert Sidecars. Nine laps completed and nearly 16 minutes ahead of closest rivals Alistair and Sharon Neville.

Craig Radford and Gareth Clarke took third in class. Tim and Sam Wilkinson grabbed the top Clubman Sidecar spot some two laps clear of their only rivals Anne and John Giles.

The Colstey always provides and excellent event and last Sundays outing was a true, hard-core forest Hare and Hounds. MWTRA had laid out a superb course and the event ran like clockwork, lap times and positions were even available online as they happened. Technology eh!