About SCOR

SCOR are a competitive off road club based in the south of England. We run Comp Safaris, Trials and a yearly 200 mile Randonnee.

Comp Safaris

What is a Comp Safari? Well the full title is Competitive Safari. Competitive Safari's are the UK's off road motorsport equivalent of a multi-use (or single venue) stage rally.

A course is set out of between 4 and 12 miles and then the competitors are given a set number of laps to achieve within a certain time frame. Each of the laps is timed and the lowest aggregate time at the end of the day wins. The competition is usually split up into various classes to enable different vehicles and budgets to compete against each other.

Comp Safari is not just about out and out speed. It's a test of reliability, of engineering skill, of ingenuity and above all team sprit.  It is not just about one or two competitors in a racer; it's about a whole team. Whole families or groups of mates get involved in making sure their racer makes to the finish line. Whether holding the steering wheel or holding the spanners, everyone plays their part.

Make no mistake, it can be a hard day, but you just have to witness the intense staring at the timings board after each lap to know that hidden just beneath the feverish activity in the pits there is a grin, not just like the Cheshire cats, but the size of Cheshire!

SCOR hold a whole host of Comp Safaris all across the south on varying sites that will test both man and machine, but leave them coming back for more. Such is the attraction of 'just that little bit faster'...

So if you fancy yourself as the next big name in off road racing, or just want a challenge like no other then come along and see what SCOR have to offer. You'll be made more than welcome; as long as you don't disturb a pit crew in the midst of red mist fuelled remedial repair work!

Trials

Like many of the most popular games or sports, trialing has only a handful of rules that can be explained in about 5 minutes but hide such subtlety that it draws competitors back time and time again.

I've also heard trialing called "the art of counting backwards while driving" and that pretty much sums it up while keeping with the 'handful of rules' idea.

So let's get down to the actual rules.

Each section is set out with a series of gates that are marked with numbered canes. The start of the section is gate 10 and the end of the section is gate 1. Each driver drives between those gates in order 10 down to 1 without stopping (or more likely getting stuck!). If you do stop then you are awarded the score that corresponds to the next gate number, or if you hit a cane then your score is the number on that gate. For instance, stop between gate 4 and 3 and you will get a 3. If you hit gate 4 the then you get a 4. Drive through all the gates and you get a score of zero, often called a clear.

The driver with the lowest score at the end of the day is the overall winner.

You see, there really are only a handful of rules; but here's the subtle bit. The gates are not in a straight line and they are not laid out on a bowling green!

There are a couple of 'tweaks' to the basic concept. On some sections there will be 'crossed canes' arrange in an X form. These denote the edge of a section and you are not allowed to drive outside of the boundary. Also long wheel base vehicles are allowed a shunt.

Within SCOR a long wheel base vehicle is defined as one with a 100 inch or greater wheelbase. A shunt is one reverse maneuvre per section allowing you to line up for the next gate, but at least one wheel must remain inside the area of the section.

Unlike other forms of off-road motorsport, trialing can be a family orientated past time. Due to the nature of the competition the whole event takes place in a fairly small area, which also allows everyone to see the entire section from one point. Obviously you will need to move from section to section during the day, but you need never miss any of the action. While one competitor is on the section the rest are gathered around to give the benefit of their advice and how they wouldn't have got stuck there!... but unlike other forms of off-roading everyone will eventually have prove their metal!!

So as you can see with trialing there is time to chat and time to drive but the whole thing has a competitive edge where you will have to show your true prowess as an off-road 'Driving God'!!

Randonnee

A Randonnee is a navigational scatter - of which SCOR's Ebble Valley Trail is widely regarded as one of the UK's premier events. The event is held using Public Highway and un-surfaced Rights of Way. It is suitable for all types of road legal cross country vehicles, with the majority being standard production types. No modifications are required and only a minimum of extra equipment is needed: a towrope and a warning triangle.
 
The event is open to all members of SCOR and any other invited MSA Club.
 
A Randonnee will consist of a chosen route - given in various navigational formats. Competitors will be required to work from the Road Books provided and convert the information onto an Ordinance Survey map. The route can then be driven and points will be awarded for 'code boards' spotted at various intervals. These provide the scoring element of the event but there may be an extra exercise e.g. Trial section, in order to provide a tie break in the event of a draw. Navigators will require a basic level of navigational skill but novices need not be put off, as help will be at hand if required.
 
The event provides an opportunity for offroad drivers, of all levels, to drive un-surfaced tracks within a controlled environment but with an additional competitive element. The route should be non-damaging in nature with regard to both the surface of the tracks and the competing vehicles. There is no speed element to the event; the only timing requirements being that competitors must report to the start, finish (and possibly a lunch stop) within a predetermined time. A Driver and Navigator are required but additional passengers may be carried. Trophies are usually awarded for the top ten finishers. The event traditionally runs over a weekend and is based in the Salisbury area.
 
It is the Club's constant goal to promote responsible use of the countryside. Using motorised vehicles has always been a contentious issue and the Club would hope to encourage not only considerate behavior during the event but also that competitors can take away a philosophy that they will use in the future. Misuse of lanes and irresponsible behaviour will undoubtedly lead to further restrictions if not a total ban.