Winter Sunshine
We arrived at the event on the Thursday night greeted with warm temperatures at the Hotel S’Agaró in the southern part of the Costa Brava which, as explained earlier, is the base for the trial. The rooms are very traditional Spanish with very helpful staff on hand and a superb internet connection — result!
After a very good breakfast and with the sun shining we took the walk along the beach at the resort and over the hill to Sant Feliu. This beautiful village adorns the sandy beach and has a long maritime tradition, and its main industry is cork production. This is a very small resort but what caught our eyes were the hazards in the middle of the town. Each day the trial would finish here.
Sat outside in the winter sunshine having a nice cool beer on the harbour front was most enjoyable and, as the day continued, a taxi ride back to the hotel was considered the better option by my good lady.
After eating at the hotel on the first night — which was excellent — we ventured to the other hotel the organisers recommend.
This hotel is a two-minute walk from the headquarters, called the Barcarola. We dined here, and once again the food choice and quality was excellent with an excellent bar area where the ‘Brits’ were situated as normal with the talk all about the trial…oh, and a few beers!
Day one of the competition dawned, a little overcast, but it was far from cold. We followed the club officials in our hire car to the hazards, which were very good traditional classic trial hazards. Wishing I was riding, and not taking pictures, was very much on my mind. With the entry departed we made our way to another group of hazards on the coastal headland. It was then a short ride down into Sant Feliu, where you signed off and enjoyed the food and drink on offer from the club.
Day two pretty much replicates day one. In the late afternoon the party atmosphere continues with an awards presentation and once again a superb buffet and drinks reception hosted by the club in the grounds of the Hotel S’Agaró.