South Midland Centre Championships
Q By Bob Twigg
The South Midland centre championship for experts have been running since 1936, well my knowledge of it says that! In the 1950's Ernie Wiffen was the man to beat, a four times winner, Jacko Wright, John Lee's "grandpa"? Took a win, the irreplaceable Brian Stonebridge was a one time winner and Jacko Rees took three wins and occasional visitor to the centre Don Smith was "champ" three times. John Lee came on the scene in 1957, later to become the most successful winner of the series, ten times in all. John's son Chas won the series
From the 1930's, don't laugh!
in 2011 nice to see father and son "teams" win. Jacko Rees and his son Steve also shared that distinction. No mention of the series should leave out David Rolls, the Cambridgeshire farmer took the championship nine times from 1989, next best to John Lee. Adrian Haslam (Sam's Dad) is the only rider to have won the series five times in a row, that's where Sam gets it from ! "Lovely Lad" John Bull took the win in 1974 on a Montesa and 1981 saw the appearance of a young Chris Koch, a six times winner. In 1994 the championship year was changed to follow the calendar year,
up to then the series was run from September to March. Another six times winner was Richard Allen who riding a variety of bikes (who remembers the Mecatechno). That might not be spelt right! Another "youngster" Daniel Greeves took the wins in 2015 1nd 2019, nice to see the "little uns" (Dan's not a small one ) coming on. Keep the series alive lads, I know the centre trials sub committee are working hard to keep it going. Well done to all on the list, unfortunately some are not with us any more. RIP.
South Midland Centre ACU Expert champions 1936 to 2019 1936 C. N. Rogers 1961 J. Lee 1976/77 A. Haslam 1937/8 P. G. Handford 1962 D. Smith 1977/78 A. Haslam 1949 J. H. Robinson 1963/4 J. Lee 1978/79 A. Haslam 1950/1 E. J. Wiffen 1965/6 D. Smith 1979/80 A. Haslam 1952 J. H. Wright 1967 J. Lee 1980/81 A. Haslam 1953/4 E. J. Wiffen 1968 J. Rees 1981/82 C. Koch 1955 J. Rees 1969 J. Lee 1982/83 R. Smith 1956 C. N. Mills 1970 B. Marsh 1983/84 C. Koch 1958 B. G. Stonebridge 1971/2/3 J. Lee 1984/85 R. Smith 1959 J. Rees 1974 J. Bull 1985/86 S. Hole 1960 G. C. Luing 1975 J. Lee In 1994 the series was changed to include the calendar year January to December up to then the championship ran from September to March.
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