The popular Leven Valley Two Day Trial, promoted by the local Kinlochleven & District MCC is the latest high profile event to be pulled from the calendar due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This would have been the third annual event which is centred at Kinlochleven and is totally run off-road.

The committee took the painful decision to cancel the 2020 event, given that the village of Kinlochleven and its remote location has been kept almost virus free since the pandemic reached the UK in late February.

The safety of the local population was paramount, given that the entry limit was originally set for 250 competitors and it was over-subscribed. The club held off until Sunday, 28th June to announce their decision and to inform that they will run a one-day event at Glencoe Ski Range instead.

Plans are already being formed for the 2021 two day event which will be held in the September.

For full details, go to the website of the Kinlochleven & District MCC > HERE <

The Leven Valley Two Day Trial has established itself as the most popular trial in Scotland, second only to the Scottish Six Days!

 

Held in the Leven Valley which encompases a considerable area covered by a sensitive SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), the locally based Kinlochleven & District MCC have had 439 entries for 250 places at close of play 1st April.

Unfortunately, due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, the club are unable to attend to the running of the ballot to determine who gets an entry accepted and who may be on their reserves list. This is due to the social distancing measures and effective lockdown in the UK.

At present the club are planning the event, but cannot even do any recannoiter parties due to the pandemic. However, much of the ground work was done before the virus took hold.

It remains to be seen if the event will proceed on the weekend of 26/27 September 2020, much depends on a variety of factors, not least of all the ability to arrange an event which would be classed as a large public gathering. Much will depend on both Governmental and SACU advice and guidance.

2020 will be the third year the Leven Valley has been run and it is a fantastic event for Twin and Brit-shock machines. The club decided at their first event to dispense with time consuming, hard to enforce eligibility rules and machine inspections. Something that gives the event a more friendly atmosphere.

Club Chairman Martin Murphy said: “We are delighted to see such a healthy demand for entries at our trial, we must be doing something right to attract  almost double compliment. I make no secret that we based our initial plans on the successful Highland Classic, run by our neighbours, the Inverness & District. We took a few of that events ideas and they have worked well for us, but with a Kinlochleven twist to them”.

Clerk of Course, Tam Weir added: “I really hope that the restrictions are lifted in advance of the Leven Valley Trial as the event brings in much needed income to the village, something that will be needed when this virus pendemic has passed. We also have excellent relations with the local landowners who are also very supportive of our event, especially Jahama Estates who own a fair acreage that the course traverses.”

This year, Trials Guru as one of the event sponsors, has supplied the club with a new trophy. The ‘Spirit of Cemoto’ award for the best performance by a competitor on a Bultaco motorcycle. The seventeen inch high trophy was commissioned to artisan welder, Richi Foss of Foss Fabrication and Welding of Inverness and consists of a genuine Bultaco Sherpa cylinder head with a stainless-steel hand in the thumbs up mode exiting the spark plug port.

More information is available on the club’s website HERE

 

Trial preview

Words: Trials Guru

Photos: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven; Fin Yeaman

The second Leven Valley 2 Day Trial takes place on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th September 2019, its base is the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven.

Satisfying a ten year desire for a Twinshock/Britshock style event, it is an alternative event to the well established Pre’65 type event held in the Kinlochleven area, as the classic trials movement moves onwards.

The word ‘twinshock’ wasn’t even used in the 1970s through to the mid 1980s when the mono-shock framed machines stole the trials show with the advent of the game changing Yamaha TY250S developed by Nigel Birkett, followed by Beta with their TR machines and of course Honda with their RTL250S model.

Riders of the original twinshocks are now into their 60’s and original Pre’65 riders are moving into their 80’s, hard to believe but true!

The Leven Valley began life in 2018 with 150 competitors, a fantastic achievement in its inaugural year, but the popularity mushroomed and this year the enthusiastic local club, Kinlochleven & District have pushed the boat out by accommodating 250 competitors, exceeding the limit of the Pre’65 Scottish and coming close to equalling the SSDT itself.

Local businessman and club chairman, Martin Murphy summed it up well when interviewed by Trials Guru last week: “We are satisfying a long felt demand for a good twinshock type trial in God’s own trials country. The event is organised by local people and that was important to those of us who live and work in the village. Last year we held a raffle at the prize giving ceremony and the funds raised went to local good causes. we like to put something back into the community. We are also very grateful to the local landowners and businesses that support us, including Jahama Estates who hold a sizeable amount of the land we use. I hope the riders appreciate the hard work that the club have put in to present a fantastic event, while maintaining good relations with the landowners and government agencies that manage our land here in the Kinlochleven area. Thanks also to Jamie Smith for facilities at the Ice Factor.”

The trial starts at 10.00am Saturday and spectators are welcome to watch the action at Hydro, Pollock, Cieran Burn, The Kennels and Lower Mamore at the start of the lap, and Mambrec and Lochiel Burn at the end of the day.

Food and refreshments will be available all day at The Ice Factor and the venue will have entertainment including a live band on Saturday evening.

On the Sunday, the action starts earlier at 9.00am with spectators accessing the sections at Hydro, Pollock, The Kennels and Lower Mamore on the outward loop, with  sections at Pipeline and Aluminium Works at the end of the second day.

Once again, The Ice Factor will be open all day for food and refreshments, and this venue will also host the Trial Awards on Sunday evening with some input from Trials Guru’s John Moffat and a trials celebrity presenting the awards.

Remember to obtain your copy of the Leven Valley Two Day Trial official programme available at the Ice Factor and start area.