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All content © Bob MuIIins |
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BAJA GB 2015 Gordon Clarke on his Dakar prepared TM 450 took the win at the BAJA GB 2015 event based at the Sweet Lamb Motorsport Complex on the 2/3 May. The rally and enduro bikes shared a race format with the 4x4 cars, buggies and quads to showcase an event similar to bajas held in Europe and the US. The event had 102 entries, 62 bikes and 40 cars. "It was the first time since 2007 that this Baja type event had been held in the UK and it paves the way for an international Baja event for the future.” stated Chris Tomley of Tomley Motorsport Organisation. The course consisted of a figure of eight with a 20 mile timed section in Hafren Forest and an 18 mile section in Myherin. The going was mainly fast and flowing fireroad which then cut into technical offroad sections. The competitors rallied over 2 days, completing approximately 180 miles of off road terrain. The weather on day 1 was brutal, and the competitors headed out onto the first stage in a flurry of snow and minus 2 temperatures - it certainly sorted the men from the boys and the 4x4 crews thought the bike riders were mad going out - but they earned “big” respect for completing the first day. Lee Green came back into the paddock and exclaimed “I can’t feel my arms, never mind my hands!, there’s about an inch and a half of snow in the timed section on the top" Day 2 was warmer and the bikes headed off to run the timed stages again,
the Hafren stage was good this time round but low cloud and mist prevented
the timed stages in Myherin for the bikes. 1st place overall - Gordon Clarke - TM 450 Dakar With a mixed format of cars and bikes safety was always at the forefront of the organisers minds. “The figure eight configuration of the course means that the cars and bikes can compete on the same course but be completely separate, so there was no chance of the cars and bikes being on the same competitive stage together, this was paramount for the safety of the competitors.” commented Robert Hughes, RallyMoto. “The aim of RallyMoto is to take motorcycle rallying forwards in the UK and with the success of the 2015 Baja GB we feel we have moved closer to being able to host an international event in the UK” Our thanks go to Newton & District Automobile Club, Tomley Motorsport Organisation, all the marshals, timing officials, recovery and medical crews that make the event happen. Photos Garry Barnes |
The
winners of the 2015 BAJA GB and the riders that excelled in the tough
conditions were:-