ICEMAN COTSWOLDS CUP ELLIS

Once again, another traditional one-day national trial held on a Saturday. As was usually the case for motorcycle trials, the start would be at a public house, hotel or social club. For the Western Centre Cotswold Cup, it would start at the Brockworth House Club, near Henley on the main A46 Shurdington to Cheltenham road.

Snow and cold had featured over much of the country, making it a difficult road trip for many to get to the event’s start location for 10.30am. A 30-mile, single-lap route around the Cotswold countryside would take in 46 hazards for the 69 solo and nine sidecar entries (apologies to the sidecar fans; we have no photos or results). At the time, many top UK riders opted to ride at the prestigious European Championship round in Spain where, in a strange coincidence, it too was hit by the snow and cold.

On many occasions, I spoke with a good friend and fellow photographer,

Eric Kitchen, about the memories of taking pictures at events. He told me that I would also build a photographic memory of all my photos I would take in my own mind, which brings me round to retired gentleman, Alan Vines; another good friend and a mine of knowledge and started to go through the negatives from the world of past motorcycle events.

It was late 2020 when we started to explore his pictures from 1971 when he came across the Cotswold Cup. Talking on the phone, he explained the day in detail and could remember, yes he could still remember that very day, as a very cold one with snow on the ground, with the area shrouded by cloud all those years ago. Looking at the many super pictures he has, and talking about the programme and results, is how we arrive at this article for the event.

WIDE OPEN

Old quarry working, steep climbs and wooded areas were all a consistent feature of the Cotswold Cup Trial, but, on this occasion, the ground had a dusting of snow and the cold had frozen everything solid. Snow would also fall during the day to add to the cold conditions, with ice on the roads and tracks to also watch out for.

The day would be just as challenging for the observers and officials as the riders, but the event did attract a small but hardy bunch of people to watch and enjoy the action. With the cream of the UK riders missing, the event would be wide open as to who could win.

With wheel grip at a premium you would have expected the larger 250cc machines to be favoured, and this turned out to be the case early on as Southern visitor, Geoff Chandler, set the pace on the Bultaco. He looked to be on course for the victory as he took an early lead until a ‘Brit shock’ knocked him off the top spot.

EXPERIENCE

As it turned out, it would be the experienced Scott Ellis on the 175 Greeves Pathfinder who would be the victor at the end of the day, his last national one-day trials victory in his long career. Chandler had lost his form mid-trial and became involved in a four-way battle for the win with Ellis, Mick Bowers (175 BSA) and Tony Davis (250 Bultaco). Bowers was flying the BSA flag on the Bantam model and would have loved to take the victory, but he eventually lost out to Ellis, who was two marks clear, and, on the tie-break decider, to Chandler to finish third.

With Malcolm competing in the European round in Spain, the older of the two Davis brothers, Tony upheld family honour by finishing fourth.

With Scott Ellis taking his first national trials victory for three years he gave Greeves some hope in the ‘Pathfinder’ model with three in the top six. In truth, when you look at the machine statistics, you will see the hold that Bultaco had on the UK market which was pushing nails in the coffin of the failing home industry at a very rapid pace.

COTSWOLD CUP, 1971

RESULTS: 1: Scott Ellis (175 Greeves) 24; 2: Geoff Chandler (250 Bultaco) 26; 3: Mick Bowers (175 BSA) 26; 4: Tony Davis (250 Bultaco) 30; 5: Derek Adsett (175 Greeves) 34; 6: Ken Brooker (175 Greeves) 38; 7: Brian Higgins (250 Bultaco) 39; 8: Karl Rowbotham (250 Bultaco) 40; 9: John Luckett (170 Cotton) 41; 10: Jack Galloway (125 Saracen) 44; 11: Mark Kemp (250 Bultaco) 46; 12: John Kendall (250 Bultaco) 48; 13: Brian Shuttleworth (250 Bultaco) 48; 14: Chris Leighfield (125 Sprite) 52; 15: Ross Winwood (175 Walwin BSA) 52; 16: Dave Pinkerton (250 Bultaco) 53; 17: Allan Collier (250 Bultaco) 56; 18: Bill Andrews (250 Bultaco) 56; 19: Dennis Saunders (170 Cotton) 57; 20: Roy Peplow (250 Bultaco) 58; 21: Pat Valentine (250 Bultaco) 59; 22: John Close (250 Montesa) 60; 23: Eddie Cordle (170 Cotton) 61; 24: Paul Barrett (250 Bultaco) 63.

MACHINES: Bultaco: 13; Cotton: 3; Greeves: 3; BSA: 2; Montesa: 1; Saracen: 1; Sprite: 1.

Scott Ellis (175 Greeves). Geoff Chandler (250 Bultaco): Riding the new ‘Slimline’ Kit Campeon Bultaco model, the tall Southern-based rider had to settle for second on the day, after leading in the early stages. Tony Davis (250 Bultaco): With younger brother Malcolm now back on Bultaco in scrambles and trials out in Spain, Tony came home with a strong ride in fourth position. Derek Adsett (175 Greeves): With no gloves in the cold conditions and under the noses of the hardy spectators, Adsett focuses on staying ‘feet-up’.

Karl Rowbotham (250 Bultaco): A regular rider on the national scene usually in the company of his wife, both competing on Bultacos. Chris Leighfield (125 Sprite): Picking your path on the polished and icy rocks was no mean feat! John Luckett (170 Cotton): A three-man team from Cotton motorcycles including Luckett, Dennis Saunders and Eddie Cordle were entered on the Minarelli engined machines. Dennis Saunders (170 Cotton): Many readers may wonder where Steve Saunders learned his trials technique. You only had to watch an old master for an answer, his father Dennis. Jack Galloway (125 Saracen): Always a good strong rider who gave his very best, and one who was a very good rider on the Saracen. Jack also worked in the factory, producing the machines. Roy Peplow (250 Bultaco): ‘Pep’, along with many riders, had moved across from the traditional British trials machines to the new Spanish ones including Bultaco.