CAMBRIDGE WIN THE INTER-VARSITY TRIAL

CAMBRIDGE WIN THE INTER-VARSITY TRIAL

A Well Organised Event in the Chilterns includes Seven Observed Sections. Good Performances by J. L. Fraser (M.G. Midget), T. A. W. Thorpe (Frazer Nash), M. W. B. Frazer (Alvis) and C. W. C. Gough (Morris Minor) TH. C.U.A.C. and the O.U.C.C. never make the mistake of having an easy course for their annual Inter-Varsity Trial. At least one hill of such sever

ity that hardly anyone can climb it is included, and in order to avoid ties an acceleration test was this year held on Whiteleaf Hill.

As in previous years, the start took place from the yard of ” Ye Olde Crown” Hotel at Marlow, where a motley collection of vehicles assembled including the usual Frazer Nashes and M.G.’s, a team of Trojans, various Alvises, an Aston Martin, 8 and V8 Fords, a bull-nose MorrisCowley, an old and an ancient Amilcar, a Ballot of uncertain age, a brand-new 1,750 c.c. Alfa, a Horstmann, and a 3 litre Sunbeam.

Splitars Hill, the first.to be surmounted, is only 2 miles from Marlow and caused no difficulty. Then the route led back towards Marlow and sharp right up Highruse. The chief difficulty here was the narrowness of the lane. Baulks were frequent, but satisfactorily registered, and only Sir A. W. McRobert’s battered Crossley saloon and C. S. Cuthbert’s 3 litre Sunbeam caused any delay in the proceedings. C. E. Hills (Austin) and E. W. Bass (Alvis) came to a standstill but were soon removed. The next hill was Shillingridge Wood, but no one stopped here although one or two people seemed in an unnecessary hurry. C. W. C. Gough on a Morris Minor chassis which normally carries a saloon body, charged a tree at the foot of the hill and fell off his soap box. After removing the mud he continued. Woolly and Wilde is no more. Large tree trunks and thick faggots had been placed across the beginning of the famous dip in the woods, so competitors carried

on to Ucumunstuck, where nobodycameunstuck. They had lunch instead at the “Lambert Arms.”

In a short distance came, the slippery Roman Road leading to Crowell, along which cars slid and skidded to the foot of the fearsome hill. The local landowner

appeared and informed some competitors that they were spoiling a shooting party, but he sportingly consented to the rest of the cars passing through.

Last year Crowell was almost =climbable, only two or three cars getting up. This time, however, the surface was dry except at the top, and as the gradient is nothing to worry about over half the cars made good climbs. Of these, we noted particularly good efforts by K. D. Evans (M.G., J2), R. E. Tongue (Aston Martin), T. A. W. Thorpe (Frazer Nash), C. W. C. Gough (Morris Minor) and Lord Avebury (Ford 8 h.p.). The standard of driving was good, with the notable exception of E. J. Kehoe, who failed dismally with a Ford V8 coupe. Obviously in terror of stopping, the driver kept his foot hard down, the resultant =necessary wheelspin landing him firmly in the ditch half way up. Hauled out, Kehoe then proceeded to spin slowly to a standstill near the top.

Then came the acceleration test on Whiteleafe, in which fastest time was made by J. H. Baldwin (Ford V8 Greyhound) in 8 seconds. Second in 9 secs. were K. D. Evans (M.G.), whom the official on duty solemnly described as the Oxford “star,” and T. A. W. Thorpe (Frazer Nash) whom he called with equal seriousness the Cambridge “ace.”

All this while competitors had been uneasy in their minds about the last hill on the route-card, Cab Calloway. Their worst fears came true, for only one car out of the whole field succeeded in getting up. The hill is approached by way of a. narrow lane, and cars are prevented front rushing the hill by a sharp bend just beforethe steep part is reached. Some tried this procedure, and G. B. C. Sumner

M.G. Magna) nearly wrote off a gate post while Cuthbert burst a tyre on his 3 litre Sunbeam. Only the Cambridge Secretary, W. B. M. Frazer (Silver Eagle Alvis) made a clean climb, a really fine effort for the hill was

a most difficult proposition. Most of the cars failed to climb the first stretch of muddy grass, and the few who succeeded did not stand a chance on the steep, slippery gradient which followed. Kenneth Evans (M.G. J2) got nearer to climbing the whole hill than anyone, barring Frazer.

The Trial ended at ” The Rose and Crown,” ‘F ring, during which the officials worked out that Cambridge had won the “Motor Cycling” Cup by 129.6 points to Oxford’s 72,5.

RESULTS.

The Falkner Cup (under 850 c.c.) : J. L. Fraser (C., M.G.). The Fairtlough Cup (under 1,500 c.c.) : T. A. W. Thorpe (C., Frazer-Nash). The Maw Cup (unlimited): M. W. B. Fraser (C., Alvis). The Veterars’ Cup : C. W. C. Gough C., Morris Minor). The May Cup (best undergraduate performance): T. A. W. Thorpe (C., Frazer-Nash). Team Prize: C.U. No. I team, consisting of J. L. Fraser (M.G.), T. A. W. Thorpe (Frazer Nash) and W. B. M. Frazer (Alvis). First-class Awards: W. B. M. Fraser (C., Alvis), A. F. Scroggs (0., Trojan), T. A. W. Thorpe (C., Frazer-Nash), and Lord Avehury (0., Ford). Second-class Awards: A. C. Fairtiough (C., Acedes), J. L. Fraser (C., M.G.), R. E. Tongue (O., Aston-Martin), K. D. Evans (O., M.G.), N. A. Watkins (O., Frazer-Nash), A. L. Watson (C., M.G.), 0. B. Bennett (C., M.G.), C. W. C. Gough (C., Mcrrris Minor), T. C. H. Heycock (C., Riley), H. Murrell (O., Austin), T. A. Fraser (C., Amilcar), 3. A. Harrison (0., M.G.), H. H. Oak-Rhind (C., M.G.).