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 2010 ACU BESC series set for a
thrilling end at
Saints Well, Nr Rhayader, Mid Wales on May 29/30
Elite, Under 23, Expert & Clubman entries still available for 2010 BESC final rounds Riders keen to compete in the ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship are reminded that the new for ’10 series comes to an end over the weekend of May 29/30, at the Saints Well venue in Mid Wales. With all rounds of the championship having so far delivered exciting racing in all classes, rounds five and six take place the weekend before the Hafren Enduro, offering the perfect opportunity for riders to prepare for the first Welsh BEC event of ’10. Series organisers GMC Events Ltd have already started work on what will be another challenging and enjoyable course, and are expecting a special test lap time of around eight-to-nine minutes. Situated close to the familiar enduro towns of Rhayader and Llandrindod Wells, the course at Saints Well will be similar to the opening round of the series and will largely be marked out over differing types of farmland with motocross and woodland sections also utilised to give a diverse, exciting and enjoyable course. Alongside the series’ Elite, Expert and Under 23 classes a Sunday-only Clubman/Veteran class will again be added to the schedule at round six, the final stop of the ’10 BESC series. As previously stated Clubman riders are welcomed and encouraged to compete in the Expert class, which is intended for both Expert level riders and, as a guide, Clubman riders that enjoy the competitive side of enduro sport and who would normally place near the top of the Clubman class results in BEC events. Riders wanting to compete in rounds three and four of the British Enduro Sprint Championship can find entry forms and regulations, as well as detailed championship information, on the series’ website – www.enduro-sprint.com Riders that entered all rounds of the series at the start of the year are asked to confirm their participation with event secretary Julie Evans – 01978 354811 (evenings only). John Collins – ACU Trials & Enduro Chairman ‘Bringing the ’10 ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship to a close in Mid Wales will be a fitting end to the championship’s first year as it’s where the UK’s first ever enduro sprint event took place last August. So far the series has enjoyed great venues and fantastic racing in all classes. With rounds five and six being the last of this year’s championship it’s hoped that some new riders will give the series a go ahead of the expanded ’11 championship. Taking place just one week before the first Welsh round of the British Enduro Championship the event also offers perfect training ahead of the Hafren Enduro.’
David Knight
wins in Dorset The 3rd & 4th rounds of the ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship moved to Rogershill Raceway in the heart of Hardy country near Dorchester. The fine Spring weather has continued but - with a clear sky - the overnight temperature dropped. Camping was strictly for the hardy but the morning sun was warm & soon burnt off the heavy dew with only a frosting of Mayflower in the hedgerows. Rogershill is a superb venue nestling in a shallow valley with a vast parking area for the spectators to overlook the equally vast Motocross complex. The two areas were bisected by an ample pit lane that was large enough to accommodate all the teams gazebos & MPS Racing's new articulated leviathan. At 8.30am the riders were given a sighting lap of the 4 mile course & Ollie Moyce led off the first group of under 23's. From the start they snaked around the first half of the MX trrack before striking out across the fields over chicanes of pipes & logs to a copse of trees with a 30 foot bank that rose to almost vertical. There was a longer easier route but easier is a relative term in this case & almost all the riders took the shorter route. With the hill behind them, there was a breather back across the top of the parking field before they rejoined the MX course through a bomb hole. There was a final sting in the tail on one corner as the track went through a hedge into a second copse where there a second smaller but equally steep bank. After week of dry weather the ground was rock hard but - where sandy soil had accumulated on the corners - it was soft. Initially the organisers had planned on 10 timed laps. The Under 23s were first away & GasGasUk's Ashley Wood took the early lead from Mark Roberts. Tyson Maytom-Jones was best of the Experts although fellow Midwest rider Aaron Poolman was close enough to give the spectators the impression they were seeing double. The diminutive Tarah Gieger from the USA proved she was a match the big boys in 3rd. In the Elite class David Knight started at the back & put in the fastest lap - 19 seconds ahead of Daryl Bolter. Greg Evans had a crash on his first lap & he would be playing catch up all day. Robert Lynn also had a bad first lap when he crashed & broken his handle bar mounts. Robert Johnson lost time "on the ropes" in the wood. Motocrosser Luke Hill looked impressive on the jumps - particularly as he was riding a 10 year old CR he had picked up for £850. On lap 2, Huskysport's Simon Wakely - on his home track - moved up into 2nd. Alex "Rocky" Rockwell was temporarily blinded by dust whilst overtaking a slower rider & he crashed into the bombhole. The impact threw him against his bars & he injured his hands & hips. He was airlifted to Dorchester where x-rays revealed a broken thumb. the groin injury - although disablingly painful - was not serious. The bombhole was taken out & - due to the delay - the organisers dropped a lap. At the lunch break, David Knight led from Daryl Bolter, Simon Wakely 3rd, Greg Evans 4th, Phil McLaughlin 5th, Luke Hill 6th, Kev Murray 7th, Paul Bolton 8th, Gordon Clarke 9th & Edward Jones 10th. Despite his lead Knighter was unhappy with his set up & he swapped his forks. After rapid repairs, Mick Seward of MPS Racing lent Alex Rockwell's 250 4T to Luke Hill for the afternoon session. Despite the change of motor, Luke kept on the pace. MPS Racing's Matt Ridgway was also in the pits to support the team. Although he is still on crutches, he is another example of an MPS rapid repair. On the 6th run, Phil McLaughlin's clutch cover gasket failed & it began to weep oil but he was able to dog it down. Jamie Burrough's Husqvarna was also on it's side in the pits but slithers of metal around the stator plate meant that there would be no quick fix for him. David Knight's progress was as irresistible as a cloud of volcanic ash. The Battle for 2nd place & the track temperature both increased in the afternoon & on lap 7, Greg Evan moved up into 2nd place. David Knight was the overall winner by 3 minutes & 20 seconds from Greg Evans with Daryl Bolter less than 7 seconds behind him in 3rd. Tyson Maytom Jones led the Experts from start to finish with Aaron Poolman in 2nd. Danny McCanney won the Under 23s from Ollie Moyce & Ashley Wood was 3rd. Jamie Paget overcame his hand injury to finish 6th. Frazer Norrie - who literally traveled the length of the country to compete - finished 9th The evening was full of sunlight, smiles & the smells of the BBQ. Overnight clouds rolled in from the South bringing light rain to dampen down the dust. The second day was - for the most part - a re-run of day 1 in reverse. There were 8 tests & Knighter again led from the back. Greg Evans closed the margin to 2 minutes & the KTM triumvirate was completed by Daryl Bolter in 3rd. The battle for the Expert class between Midwest riders Tyson Maytom-Jones & Aaron Poolman was continued with day 2 going to Aaron. REME rider Steve Hunt took 3rd by 2 seconds from Oliver Hart in 4th. Despite a nasty cut on his wrist, Ollie Moyce won the Under 23s on day 2 from runner up Daniel McCanney. Fellow GasGas rider Ashley Wood was 3rd. Once again the riders all agreed on how much they enjoyed this new format & what a great preparation for the 17 lads who are off to the first round of the Europeans in France next weekend.
Manx ace runs away with the Elite class victory while competition for top spots in Under 23 and Expert classes proves hotter than ever Rounds three and four of the 2010 ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship moved onto the Rogers Hill Raceway facility in Dorset this past weekend where once again great weather and a diverse and challenging course ensure some great racing in all classes. Carrying on where he left off at rounds one and two of the series Britain’s #1 enduro rider David Knight dominated the proceedings in the Elite class taking the win on both days. With competition close for the second and third place positions on both days it was KTM Off Road Racing Team rider Welshman Greg Evans who claimed the runner-up position on both days with his team-mate Daryl Bolter third. With no rain for at least three weeks prior to the event conditions were extremely dry during Saturday’s round three giving all riders their first taste of genuine hard-pack conditions this season. Featuring one motocross track at the start of each lap, a wooded extreme section, a grass track section, and finally a second motocross track, the average lap time for Elite class riders on day one was over 11 minutes. REME Yamaha rider Steve Hunt was the rider to beat in the Expert ES1 class on both days where he finished ahead of Tarah Gieger – the event’s only female competitor – with Robert Lynn third. With Gieger opting not to compete in round four TM’s Robert Lynn moved into second behind Hunt with Yamaha mounted Phillip Cooper rounding out the top three. The battle for the top spot in the Expert ES2 class was an all Husaberg affair as Midwest Racing team mates Tyson Maythom Jones and Aaron Poolman battled it out on both days with Tyson claiming the top spot at the end of round three while Aaron got the upper hand after some committed riding during round four. Oliver Hart claimed third on both days. With Under 23 ES1 class pre-event favourite Alex Rockwell crashing out of the event early on during round three Husqvarna’s Joe Deakin stepped up to take a well-deserved win before doing the same again at the end of round four. Following Joe home on both days were Lewis Belfield and James Giddings. Ollie Moyce and Ashley Wood were the two fastest riders in the Under 23 ES2 class finishing comfortably ahead of third placed Joe Jones on day one. With Ashley setting the pace early on during round three Ollie soon got into his stride to enjoy a 17 second winning margin. On day two there was no catching Ollie as he finished one-minute clear of Ashley, who in turn placed one-minute up on Joe. There was no question as to who the fastest Under 23 ES3 class riders was as Gas Gas mounted Daniel McCanney romped to two convincing class wins placing ahead of Jamie Paget, who was returning from injury, and Kieran Jones. The British Enduro Sprint Championship’s now moves onto Saint’s Well, close to Rhayader, Mid Wales on May 29/30 where Britain’s best enduro riders will again do battle in the Elite, Under 23 and Expert classes. The event will again feature a Sunday-only Clubman class. John Collins – ACU Trials & Enduro Chairman ‘The British Enduro Sprint Championship has delivered another superb weekend of racing. With all riders facing an all-together different style of course to that used at rounds one and two it’s been great to see such close competition among riders in all classes, especially the Under 23 competitors. Mixing things up with some extreme style sections is something that’s not been done before in a British championship enduro event, and although the sections weren’t too extreme they were certainly challenging. All of the riders who now head to the opening round of the European Enduro Championship do so having had a great workout. With just two rounds of the series remaining for this year the final event in Wales looks set to be a cracker.’ David Knight – Elite class winner Rnds 3&4 ’10 BESC Series ‘It’s been a really good weekend. Although I’ve just raced in Spain, where it was dry and dusty, this is the first time I’ve really raced on hard pack this year. Spending quality time riding my bike is exactly what I need to do and that’s what I did this weekend. The first day was really dry and then the second day, after we had some rain, was seriously slippery to start with but then came really good. I was happy with my riding. It’s difficult to push really hard when you have a strong lead as obviously I don’t want to make any unnecessary mistakes. At the first round of the series we had perfect traction, where as here you had to think about accelerating out of many of the corners, especially on the motocross track. It was good because you had to think, you couldn’t just ride flat out. Having some extreme sections was great because again you really had to think. The motocross sections of the course were really fast, and then you had to get into another mind set for the more technical sections or you’d make mistakes. It’s great to see the younger riders doing a good, long day of special tests. All in all a great weekend.’
The KTM Off-Road Racing Team saw superb results at rounds three and four of the British Enduro Sprint Championship held in Dorset. Both Daryl Bolter and Greg Evans were hoping to improve on their results from the first two rounds of the championship held in late March. With a mixture of motocross and extreme sections the decision to practice at FatCat Motopark the week before the Sprints proved to be perfect as both riders tacked the tougher parts of the course with skill. Welshman Greg Evans rode his KTM EXC-F 300 to second place during both rounds in the highly competitive Elite class. Whilst Manxman David Knight stormed ahead of the rest of the pack Greg kept a cool head on the hot and dusty track to record some stunning times eventually finishing only nine seconds in front of team mate Daryl Bolter during day one. He then went on to be even more impressive on the second days competition, setting a pace which the rest of the field struggled to follow, he recorded lap times within sixteen seconds of Knight and went onto take second place by thirty seconds overall. KORR team mate Daryl Bolter kept the pressure on Greg throughout the weekend swapping position with him on more than one occasion. Using the two rounds as an opportunity to test some new parts Daryl finished both days in third place and overall was extremely happy with his performance. Greg Evans: "I've had a great weekend to be honest; I was pushing
a little too hard during the first round and dropped the bike on the first
test. I started to relax as the day wore on and my times were starting to
get where I wanted them to be. I'm happy with finishing behind David and
in front of Daryl; David is in a league of his own and to be the fastest
man behind him is great. The second day was again pretty much perfect for
me; I Daryl Bolter: "I came into this weekend expecting to be right on David's tail to be honest. After battling with Taddy at the last two rounds I knew I had the pace to keep with the front runners but a small crash early on during the first day meant I had to make the time up. Overall I'm pleased with third place and I take my hat off to Greg; he rode a pretty much perfect race both days. For the second day I changed my bike and tried some new parts which worked well for me. Again I was doing pretty well and had second position for a while but a silly mistake on the logs cost me quite a bit of time and I just couldn't make it up over the rest of the day. Like a say I'm happy with third place overall and I've found some really good settings."
It was a case of good speed but bad luck for Husqvarna UK rider Si Wakely at this weekend’s rounds three and four of the ’10 ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship staged near Bere Regis in Dorset as falls on both days prevented Si from turning his impressive speed into top three results. Looking to improve on his performances at rounds one and two of the series Si placed fourth on day one and fifth on day two. With a four-rider battle to claim the runner-up result behind David Knight, Si knew he’d have to give both days his all. And in starting the first day of competition by placing third in class things were looking good for the former European Enduro Champion on his TE250. Going on to record the second overall fastest time on lap two Si looked extremely confident around the challenging Rogers Hill Farm and well on track for a strong result. Again performing well on laps three and four things took a slight turn for the worse for Si as he took a trip over the bars during lap five. Losing precious time to his rivals Si pushed as hard as he could during the remaining four tests but was unable to place higher than fourth. Day two again started well for Wakely as he recorded the second fastest time on lap one. Confident that he could continue to run at the front of the competitive Elite class he again set impressive times on laps two and three. On lap four a crash on the extreme section of the course saw Si lose close to one-minute to his rivals, ending his chances of a top three result. Frustrated that his performances weren’t reflected in his result Si was nevertheless pleased with his riding. Delivering great results for Husqvarna in the Under 23 class was Joe Deakin aboard his WR125. With Alex Rockwell, class winner at rounds one and two, crashing out of the event on lap one, Joe stepped up to win on both days. Si now heads to France for this coming weekend’s opening round of the European Enduro Championship. Si Wakely: ‘The weekend’s not gone exactly as I hoped it would, but it’s been a great event and it’s been great to race so close to home. I had a big crash over the handlebars on the extreme section on day one, which messed things up for me and cost me some time. It was just a slow speed fall, but it threw me off my rhythm. I then had another crash, which meant there was no way I could challenge for second or third. Sunday started really well and I put in a good first test. But then I had another crash and hurt my ankle a bit. That was really disappointing. Myself, Greg Evans and Daryl Bolter are all pushing 100 per cent and those of us that made mistakes didn’t get the results we hoped to. I can take a lot of positives from the two days but it’s just disappointing not getting the results you know you can. It’s been great having a British championship event so close to home. It’s a busy time during the next month as I have the first European Enduro Championship race in France followed by the second round of the BEC and then rounds five and six of the enduro sprint series. I know that my speed is good, I just need to remove the few mistakes I’m making.’
One of the primary goals of the newly formed ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship is to provide a high profile platform from which to develop up-and-coming, young talent. Put simply, the BESC aims to make enduro racing simpler and less daunting for competitors from outside the sport, while giving seasoned enduro campaigners a competition driven series, one focused purely on special test racing. After only four rounds of the ’10 BESC series one such motocross ‘convert’ is already beginning to rattle the established enduro elite by setting special test times that far out weigh his limited enduro experience. 18-year-old Manxman Daniel McCanney finds himself leading the points chase of the Under-23 championship and is unquestionable a rider with a very bright enduro future ahead of him. British Enduro Sprint Championship organisers GMC Events Ltd tracked him down after the series’ recent visit to Dorset to find out how the Gas Gas rider from the Isle of Man is enjoying competing in the BESC series Firstly Daniel, as winner of the Under-23 E3 class at rounds three and four of the BESC series, as well as having topped the Under-23 class outright at round three, you must be extremely pleased with your continued success? McCanney: ‘Thanks. Yeah, it was another really good weekend for me, one that’s kind of taken me by surprise again to be honest. I got on pretty well with the track straight away and was able to put in consistent test times early on. The motocross track really suited me - I felt comfortable on it. I also enjoyed riding the extreme sections as well. They were a change for me, riding something like that is something I’ve not really done before.’ So how did you find the extreme sections? McCanney: ‘They were a bit daunting at first, when I walked the course. But the sighting lap helped me get a feel for it and took some of the nerves away. With eight timed laps during each day it gives you time to learn how to get over them best, but sometimes you just have to hit them fast and see what happens.’ How did you find the difference between the track at rounds three and four compared to the mainly cross-country based course used at the championship’s opening rounds? McCanney: ‘I think this course at rounds three and four was probably harder for me, although the motocross tracks suited me well. With both motocross and trials type sections in each lap there was something to suit everyone, which helped to even out the pace. You had to be fast on all parts of the track to put in a fast time. I really enjoyed it. Both tracks were really good.’ Being a relative newcomer to enduro, what's your background and have your results in this championship encouraged you to try out a time card enduro? McCanney: ‘I've grown up racing the schoolboy motocross scene both at home and in some British motocross championships. I've never raced in any time card events before and aside from the first four rounds of the BESC series I've just raced in one Hare and Hound event on the Isle of Man. But after the results I've got here it's definitely made me want to try out some enduros, so the plan is to try the next round of the British Enduro Championship (BEC) in Scotland. Being mainly involved in motocross it may come as a surprise for some to see that you're not riding a four-stroke but instead a two-stroke Gas Gas 300. What's the reason for that? McCanney: ‘Last year I was riding a Yamaha YZF 250 in motocross, but midway through the year I had a big crash that ended my season early, so I sold the bike. When I was fit enough to ride again I bought a second hand Gas Gas from a friend of mine and just started riding that. The power seems to suit me though and I like the way it handles through the trees. It's different to what I'd been used to riding but I'm enjoying it, it’s a great bike.’ That’s clearly showing in your results. With only two rounds of the ’10 BESC championship remaining you're in the driving seat to win the Under-23 title in what’s a seriously competitive class. What's your plan entering the final rounds? McCanney: ‘I'm not sure really. It's a really tough class, so hopefully I can just stay consistent and try to take it one test at a time. If I can do that I'll have given it my best shot and if winning the championship comes with it, that's more than I could have hoped for. If the course for the final rounds is as good as the ones we’ve had so far it’ll be another great event, I’m really looking forward to it.’
Rounds three and four of the 2010 ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship moved onto the Rogers Hill Raceway facility in Dorset this past weekend where once again great weather and a diverse and challenging course ensured some great racing in all classes. With no rain for at least three weeks prior to the event conditions were extremely dry during Saturday’s round three giving all riders their first taste of genuine hard-pack conditions this season. Featuring one motocross track at the start of each lap, a wooded extreme section, a grass track section, and finally a second motocross track, the average lap time for Elite class riders on day one was over 11 minutes. Ollie Moyce (Midwest Husaberg UK) and Ashley Wood were the two fastest riders in the Under 23 E2 class finishing comfortably ahead of third placed Joe Jones on day one. With Ashley setting the pace early on during round three Ollie soon got into his stride to enjoy a 17 second winning margin. On day two there was no catching Ollie as he finished one-minute clear of Ashley, who in turn placed one-minute up on Joe. There was no question as to who the fastest Under 23 E3 class riders was as Daniel McCanney romped to two convincing class wins placing ahead of Jamie Paget (Midwest Husaberg UK), who overcame his hand injury, and Kieran Jones. The battle for the top spot in the Expert S2 class was an all Husaberg affair as Midwest Racing team mates Tyson Maytom-Jones and Arran Poolman battled it out on both days with Tyson claiming the top spot at the end of round three while Arran got the upper hand after some committed riding during round four.
Electraction TM UK rider Phillip McLaughlin has showed that he is now all but over the crash that put him out of the opening round of this year’s Enduro World Championship, and sidelined him from the second round of the series, by placing fifth and fourth at the third and fourth rounds of the ’10 ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship, staged near Bere Regis, Dorset. Arriving at the event directly from the EWC in Portugal Phillip was initially unsure about competing but having decided to race enjoyed some impressive results in the competitive Elite class. Although feeling anything but 100 per cent before the event Phillip soon showed that he would be battling for a top five result in the Elite class. Performing consistently throughout the opening day it was on day two that Phillip stepped things up a gear. Improving his speed over day one and remaining consistent McLaughlin secured a comfortable fourth place finish, the result of a solid day-long performance.
Phillip McLaughlin (TM EN 250 FI): ‘I’m really happy with
the way my weekend’s gone, especially after the last few weeks I’ve
had. I wasn’t sure if I’d ride on Friday, as I still felt a bit tender
after crashing in the world championship event in Spain two weeks ago. I
was a fair way off the pace on the morning on Saturday. I started off
being about 20 seconds off where I should have been and ended up about
five or six off the pace, which I was quite pleased with. I really enjoyed
the day but I needed to be a little quicker. Day two was really good. It
was a little strang Gordon Clarke (TM EN 300): ‘Saturday started really well for me, and went well right up until about the third or fourth test. I’m not sure if I didn’t have the right front tyre on, the track was changing, or I was getting tired but around tests eight and nine I fell a few times. I lost a position and was a little disappointed having started the day well. I’m not sure why but I couldn’t get going as well as I hoped on day two when the track was reversed and made a few mistakes. I kept pushing throughout the day but started pushing too hard at times. All in all I’m happy with everything and really enjoyed the event.’ Robert Lynn (TM EN 125): ‘I’m just pleased to have got here because I was stuck in Portugal following the flight cancelations and didn’t think I would get here. Disappointingly I had to pull out of the first lap as I damaged my bike but I ended up third in the Expert ES1 class so I was happy with that. I had to take a fair few pain killers during the second day because I made a mistake and crashed as I was going through the tunnel. It got better as the day went on. I didn’t have an answer for Steve Hunt who won the class but I’m still leading my class with one round to go so I’m looking forward to the next round now.’
Rounds three and four of the British Enduro Sprint Championship headed to Bere Regis to the Rogers Hill Raceway last weekend and Gas Gas UK Enduro Team rider Ashley Wood was out to take the Under 23 ES2 title. With the opening round of the UEM Enduro Championship held in France only a week away Ashley used the sprint as a last practice and to tweak any final settings to his machine. Arriving Friday afternoon it soon became obvious how dry and dusty the motocross section of the lap was and with no rain in sight Saturday's racing proved to be much closer than expected. Enjoying the demanding conditions and the extreme sections of the course Ashley recorded a string of quick laps early on in the day setting a fast pace for the rest of the field to follow. After over an hour and forty minutes racing Ashley finished the first day in second position thirty seconds behind Midwest Husaberg's Ollie Moyce and a clear minute in front of KTM mounted Joe Jones. An overnight scattering of rain helped subdue the dust for the start of round 4 and once again Ashley kept at the sharp end of the pack edging ahead of Ollie during the first lap. A small mistake on lap two gave Ollie the lead and Ashley spent the rest of the day playing catch up and battling with eventual ES3 class winner Daniel McCanney. After eight gruelling laps Ashley had put his Gas Gas CC250 machine on the second step of the podium for the second day and was happy with his performance. Ashley Wood: "I really enjoyed the whole weekend, the track was really interesting to ride and I felt strong throughout both days. The competition in the E2 class was really tight and I was fighting with Ollie both days which was great. It was good to be able to push hard through the fast motocross bits and then the slower more technical extreme parts, especially when I have the first round of the European Championship next weekend; this is exactly what I needed. Daniel and Ollie were fast all weekend so I'm pleased to be within a few seconds of them over a lap. All in all I've had a great weekend and the Sprint format is working really well for me."
David Knight has won the 1st 2 rounds of the new ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship at Chavenage near Tetbury on 27/28th March. GMC Events' Jonty Edmunds & the Midwest team had to cope with a week of wet weather whilst laying out the course but they didn't take any short cuts. The whole of the 4 mile lap was taped & staked with stout posts. The weather on race day was dry but the ground was wet. The riders were divided into Under 23s, Experts & Elite classes & they were all given 8 laps. The Elite class were given additional Marathon final lap ridden back to back. The riders were flagged away from 8.30am at 15 second intervals for a sighting lap. From the start, the course weaved across 2 fields with lots of slick corners & a bit of stubble trouble before crossing the valley & entering the woods. In the trees there were 2 challenging hills. The first had a big tree across it & the second was big enough not to need a tree. Daryl Bolter had a misfire & he had to drop a lap while the problem was diagnosed. Riders who dropped a lap were penalised by the slowest lap time plus 2 minutes. On the 2nd lap the tree was cut out. Simon Ellway was running late & he timed it perfectly to miss the tree.
David Knight set the fastest opening lap & he consistently improved on each subsequent lap to win the overall. Taddy Blazusiak (left) was 2nd & Greg Evans was 3rd. Jon Hinam did well to finish in 11th only 3 weeks after breaking a rib. Alex "Rocky" Rockwell (above) on the MPS Husqvarna 250 4T was the best Under 23 ahead of Daniel McCanney. Midwest Racing's Ollie Moyce was 3rd & Mark Roberts was 4th. Aaron Poolman won the Experts & Tyson Maytom-Jones was the runner up. Freddie Brioadway was 3rd & - after an 18 month lay off through injury - Robert Lynn on a TM proved he has lost none of his competitive edge by taking 4th. Paul Bolton looked like he was enjoying himself so much that Jonty tossed him a marshal's bib as crossed the finish line & sent him out for another lap to close the course.
Richard & Andrea Snowden were in charge of the lap scoring & Richard also commentated & interviewed the top 4 riders over the PA at the end. This was made easier by the fact that David, Taddy, Daryl & Greg were all in the KORR pits. When Richard pointed out that the rest of the riders would be pleased to see that David was sweating, David replied that "if you're not sweating, you're not trying". All the riders found that the new Enduro Sprint format had tested them but they all agreed that a great course & some superb organisation had come together to make a fantastic event. John Collins – ACU Trials & Enduro Chairman ‘The opening two rounds of the British Enduro Sprint Championship delivered everything series promoters GMC Events said it would – a great course, great racing, and a great spectacle. It was fantastic to see this new format of enduro racing being so well received by not only the Elite class riders but by all of the competitors. It was clear for all to see just how much work had been put into the event, from the course to the start/finish area to the paddock. All in all it was exactly the start to this exciting, new championship the ACU hoped it would be. If the remaining rounds of the series are anywhere near as exciting, which I am sure they will be, then I am sure the BESC series will grow and grow.’ David Knight – Elite class winner Rnds 1&2 ’10 BESC Series ‘I’ve had a great weekend. I was sure that the weekend would be great practice for me ahead of the start of the Enduro World Championship, and it was. It was the best thing that I could have done. Everything about the event was great – the racing, the social side of things in the paddock, even the weather. Things went perfectly for me during both days. The course was great, a really good mix of different styles of terrain and obstacles. The important thing for me was to keep pushing hard throughout both days, which I did. I had no problems, didn’t make too many mistakes and really enjoyed the event. Winning both days was great, as was meeting so many of the people that came along to watch the event. It was a great event.’ Taddy Blazusiak - Elite class runner-up Rnds 1&2 ’10 BESC Series ‘I really enjoyed myself this weekend. I think like a lot of people I wasn’t exactly sure how the sprint format worked but it was great, really easy to understand and it gave all riders lots of riding time. It was really slippery on the first day and because I haven’t ridden on mud for 12 months it took me a little while to get into it. David was a long way ahead but you have to remember he was on the big bike and is the best rider in the world in those kinds of conditions. I finished the day as runner-up, which I was happy with. During the second day I had a great fight with Daryl Bolter, and I’m pleased I managed to finish second again. We did nearly three hours of special test racing over the weekend, which is fantastic. I think the event was a real success and getting the chance to meet some of my fans in the UK was great. I’d love to come back and do some more BESC events.’ Results Round 1 Round 2 Photos Mark Fleming Video Tom Davison Rounds 3 & 4 will be at Rogers Hill Raceway, Nr Bere Regis, Dorset on April 24/25th - Details NB Check out details of the new Clubman class.
Welshman Greg Evans successfully launched his campaign for the 2010 British Enduro Sprint Championship with strong results at the two opening rounds held at Chavenage Farm, Gloucester this weekend. Following on from a successful opening to the British Enduro Championship in mid March Greg enjoyed a podium finish after the first round with a third place and then placed himself in fourth position after the second round. Initially finding the slippery conditions of the first round challenging, Evans went on to post some impressive times throughout the day to finish behind World Indoor Champion Taddy Blazusiak and British Champion David Knight. After an hour and a half of special test racing Greg saw his own team mate Daryl Bolter take third by only thirty seconds but he was more than pleased with his overall performances. Greg Evans "I had a great start on Saturday but then started to get fatigued mid day and lost a bit of time. I came into the paddock and realised I would have to push hard if I wanted to take third and managed to find some time on the final few tests which was good. Round two a little different because we tackled the course in reverse; I struggled with the start of the day but soon got into a good pace a set some reasonably quick times. Again mid day I got tired and I want to work on my fatigue before the next round but I'm more than happy I managed to keep hold of fourth place. Overall it was a great event at an awesome venue!"
Husqvarna UK rider Si Wakely has finished fifth in the competitive Elite class at rounds one and two of the British Enduro Sprint Championship, staged at Chavenage farm, Gloucestershire. With the weekend long event marking the start of the exciting new championship TE250 mounted Wakely put in two solid days of racing finishing as the third placed 250f rider on both days. In the Under 23 ES1 class Husqvarna UK’s Joe Deakin also performed well placing his WR125 in the runner-up position on both days, finishing behind newly signed MPS Husqvarna rider Alex Rockwell. Continuing the good form he showed at the opening round of the British Enduro Championship Wakely made an impressive start to round one of the BESC series as he recorded the second fastest time on the opening special test before again placing second on test two and then third on test three. Frustratingly, test four didn’t go as well as Si dropped precious time to his rivals. Not quite managing to find the speed he showed in the morning Wakely nevertheless pushed hard to the end of the day finishing fifth in the Elite class and just 17 seconds behind fourth placed rider Phillip McLaughlin. Enjoying the drier conditions on day two a little more than those of day one Si’s opening test wasn’t to be his best. A little off the pace he then spent the remainder of the day working his way back into contention and after more than one-hour of racing closed to within nine seconds of Welshman Greg Evans. Matching his fifth place result from day one Wakely ended the weekend pleased with his performances and having enjoyed the BESC series opening events. In the highly competitive Under 23 class Joe Deakin delivered two impressive results finishing as runner-up on both days to Alex Rockwell, ensuring a Husqvarna one-two. Although some way behind Rockwell at the end of the first day Joe finished comfortably ahead of the third placed rider. Day two ended with Deakin again finishing as runner-up in the ES1 class, but by a considerably narrower margin following a day-long battle with Lewis Belfield. Si Wakely: ‘The first day was a little frustrating to be honest. Things started well when the test was a little slippery in the morning but I think it was my fourth test that wasn’t good. After that I wasn’t quite as fast as I needed or wanted to be. I finished fifth and third 250f rider, but it could have been better in terms of my result. The second day was much better. I was riding well and more on the pace and although I’m not quite where I want to be I was happy. We made some suspension changes and they made a big difference, I instantly felt more confident on the bike. Having a 10-minute test and having to do as many tests in a day as we did is a great thing for all levels of riders. It’s been a tough two days. With an hour and a half of sprint racing on the first day it was physical. I’ve really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next round of the championship now.’
The MPS Racing Team has had a tough start to the year with a long list of bad luck and misfortune but it seems their tables have turned for the opening round of the British Enduro Sprint Championship. With Matt Ridgeway out of action following a huge crash MPS were left with a place to fill when twenty one year old Alex Rockwell (right) appeared from almost nowhere but the young Manxman went on to dominate the Under 23 class at the first two rounds of the BESC held at Chavenage Farm finishing first on both days and a clear five minutes ahead of his closest rival. 'Rocky' had only spent the previous week practicing on his new Husqvarna TE 250 machine and coming from a motocross background feared he may fall short in the woodland sections of the course but nothing could have been further from the truth as he ploughed his way through the ruts and roots on both days to take two very convincing wins. Alex's team mate Tom Braddock rode a more reserved race and came away with fourth in the Under 23's class in round one and fifth in round two. After the event Tom admitted he was finding it hard to put his team mate, Matt Ridgeway's crash to the back of his mind but by the end of each day it was getting easier. Not wanting to push too hard and risk injuring himself Tom rode a mature race on both days, steadily improving his times as the two rounds unfolded.
Tom Braddock (left) "I started the first round well and felt reasonably comfortable but I crashed mid day and I struggled to get back into the right frame of mind. I was worrying too much about crashing and thinking about Matt's crash to be honest, it's just something I'm going to have to get over. The second day was pretty much the same again really; I know I could have gone quicker if I'd have pushed myself. The event was really well organised and easy to understand but I found it hard stopping and starting all day, I'm one of those riders who once I'm riding I just like to keep going, I'll have to work on my technique for the next round."
Philip McLaughlin has finished as TM UK’s highest placing rider at the opening two rounds of the British Enduro Sprint Championship, held in Gloucestershire. Placing fourth in the competitive Elite class on day one aboard his ’10 TM EN 250FI, Philip then backed that up with a fine sixth place result on day two. With Gordon Clarke placing eighth and 10th in the Elite class and with Robert Lynn claiming an Under 23 ES1 class double win it was a great start to this new championship for TM UK. Competing aboard TM’s ’10 250f machine for the first time McLaughlin was instantly on the pace and despite his lack of time on the bike prior to the event posted some impressive special tests times during the one-and-a-half hours of racing. Sandwiched between KTM’s Greg Evans and Husqvarna’s Si Wakely, Phillip placed as the second highest 250f rider. On day two an experimental bike set-up didn’t deliver the results Phillip had hoped for but nevertheless he still placed sixth in the Elite class and as the fourth placed 250f rider. Gordon Clarke was another TM UK rider to enjoy a good weekend finishing in eighth and 10th position over the weekend. In the Expert ES1 class Robert Lynn returned from injury to claim the top spot on both days. Phillip McLaughlin (TM EN 250 FI): ‘I only got to the new bike a week
before the event and although it’s very different to the one I was riding it’s
great. It’s a completely revised bike with a new engine and chassis. The
bike is a lot more nimble and has a lot more power but like whenever you step
onto a new bike it takes a little while before you are fully comfortable with
it. We tried several different set-ups during the event, and we’re
definitely progressing Gordon Clarke (TM EN 300): ‘With all the rain we had on Friday it was amazing how well the track held up on Saturday morning. I didn’t have a great start as I didn’t realise the first test was timed, so that meant I had some work to do. I got my head down after that and I was really pleased with my fitness and speed generally. I found the last test hard and felt really tired on day two. I wasn’t quite able to step my speed up like I hoped I would. I was consistent, which I was happy with. The format was great. I enjoyed the racing as well as being able to watch other riders.’ Robert Lynn (TM EN 125): ‘I really enjoyed the event. I’ve only just started riding properly after my time off with my broken leg, so I wasn’t expecting too much because I knew I was very race rusty. Generally I was really pleased with the way my bike ran and the way I rode. I need to find a little more speed but I think that will come. Both days went relatively well for me and winning the Expert ES1 class was nice. I really enjoyed the event, there was just the right amount of time between each of the laps and the track was great. I’m looking forward to the coming rounds.’
Gas Gas UK Enduro rider Ashley Wood has finished third in the Under 23 ES2 Class at the opening two rounds of the British Enduro Sprint Championship. Mounted on his Gas Gas EC 250 two-stroke machine Ashley found it hard to get into the 'racing groove' during the first round and although his times steadily improved throughout the day he wasn't happy with his overall end result of seventeenth. With no real explanation to why he was off his usual pace Ashley put Saturday behind him and focussed on round two the following day. By Sunday the track had dried out substantially and the ground was offering more grip than the previous day although the course was now being ridden in reverse direction which added its own list of difficulties. Ashley had a slightly better day finishing twelfth overall and third in class but still felt he could have produced a better result. Ultimately the event did exactly what it was designed to do and provided the riders with over two and a half hours of special tests over the two days which puts Ashley in a great position for the up and coming BEC in Scotland. Ashley Wood "I just didn't feel like I could get into the right frame of mind on Saturday but I couldn't really put my finger on why. My bike was awesome and the track was really good as it began to dry out but I couldn't get quick enough. Sunday was more of the same really; although I managed to go a bit quicker I still wasn't as fast as I'd have expected but at the end of the day the special test practice is really good before we go up to Scotland for the second round of the BEC next weekend. The event, track and weather were fantastic and I'm looking forward to the next one already!"
KTM off-road racing's Daryl Bolter has finished the opening two rounds of the British Enduro Sprint Championship with mixed results. After experiencing mechanical difficulties on day one Daryl was forced to retire from the second and third tests which ended his chances of a top ten result. After changing the stator and electrics on his KTM machine over night the same problem reared its ugly head again on the second day before Daryl noticed that after fitting an MX fuel tank his fuel pipe had become kinked. After refitting his original enduro tank he was problem free and brought a real fight to visiting extreme enduro specialist Taddy Blazusiak. After over an hour of racing there was only six seconds separating Taddy (01:08:20.50) and Daryl (01:08:26.17) with Taddy taking second place overall. Daryl Bolter "Overall the weekend has gone really well, I arrived to find the track pretty water logged but because of the machine problems I had on Saturday morning I missed most of the wet laps and the track had dried out nicely by the time I got back on course. It turns out that I had fitted a motocross fuel tank but with an enduro fuel pipe and it had kinked so the engine was being starved of fuel. Once I'd realised what the problem was and changed back to an enduro tank everything was fine and my machine was perfect. Me and Taddy had a real battle with each other all day which was awesome, to be within a few seconds of a World Champion is unreal and I even went quicker than him on the final few tests. If someone would have told me I would be as quick as Taddy Blazusiak a few months ago I'd never have believed them. The event was superbly organised and I feel I've improved my test times no end. The test reminded me of a European round and included everything needed to improve my riding. I'd like to say thank you to all my sponsors and especially Julian Stevens for providing me with a perfect machine!"
Great racing and great weather ensured that the British Enduro Sprint Championship got off to a memorable start. The 2010 British Enduro Sprint Championship got off to a flying start this past weekend when the opening two rounds of the series took place at the spectacular Chavenage Farm circuit in Gloucestershire. Despite terrible weather during the days leading up to the event, come the weekend track conditions were perfect, ensuring great racing action in all classes. As expected it was the Under 23 class that provided much of the weekend’s best racing action. Competition was close at the top of the Under 23 ES2 class on day one with Ollie Moyce (right) placing his Husaberg at the top of the class, just 15 seconds up on Mark Roberts while third went to Ashley Wood. On day two the same three riders finished in the same order at the top of the class with Moyce’s winning margin a slender three seconds. In the Expert ES2 class Aaron Poolman placed his Husaberg at the top of the class on both days, enjoying two comfortable wins in front of teammate Tyson Maytom-Jones.
Inaugural ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship to visit Gloucestershire, Dorset and Powys GMC Events Ltd, the promoters and organisers of the newly formed 2010
ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship, are pleased to announce the venues
and dates for the forthcoming BESC series. During '10 the British Enduro Sprint Championship will take place over three weekends, with each split into two separate point-scoring days. At each round of the series competitors will be split into three main classes - Elite, Expert and Under 23. The Elite championship will be run as an 'unlimited' category while the Expert and Under 23 classes will feature Enduro 1, Enduro 2 and Enduro 3 sub-categories. Rounds 1 & 2 - Chavenage Farm, Nr Tetbury, Gloucestershire,
March 27/28
Round 3 & 4 - Rogers Hill Raceway, Nr Bere Regis, Dorset, April
24/25
Round 5 & 6 - Saints Well, Nr Rhayader, Powys, May 29/30
· Round 1 - Chavenage Farm, Nr Tetbury, Gloucestershire, March 27 Regs and Entry Forms for all British Enduro Sprint Championship events
will be made available shortly.
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Knighter dominates another great weekend of British
Enduro Sprint Championship racing …
KTM
Off-Road Racing Team
started nice and relaxed although I still had to push hard as the course
was demanding all the way. I knew that I couldn't afford to make a mistake
and I didn't, I just tried to stay as smooth as possible. Practicing at
FatCat's paid off as I felt confident with the more extreme sections of
the course; all in all I couldn't have asked for much more."
Fourth
and fifth place results for Wakely at BESC Rnds
3&4
Daniel
McCanney – talented youngster leads BESC Under 23
championship
Team
Midwest Husaberg UK's race report Report +
Pics: J. Edmunds
McLaughlin
bounces back from injury to finish fifth and fourth at rounds
3&4 of ’10 BESC series
Also enjoying a good weekend was team rider Gordon Clarke who placed
ninth and 11th in the Elite class. Performing at his very best during the
first half of day one, Gordon was extremely pleased t have secured a top
10 result. On day two Gordon wasn’t quite able to perform as well as he
had on day one but still put in eight consistent laps to finish 11th, just
missing out on 10th.
e
on the motocross track because it was so slippery
early on, but it came good after a few laps. I felt I was riding well and
my times were where they needed to be really. I need a little time to rest
and fully get over my crash I Spain now and then I’m looking forward to
the BEC event in Scotland.
Gas
Gas UK Enduro Team - Ashley Wood
After the
woods, the riders dropped back into the valley & crossed a stream. It was
a popular spot for the crowds to gather & Taddy Blazusiak in 2nd was happy
to showboat for them (photo: 
Day 2: The forecast front of rain stalled in the Channel & the weather was
perfect for the 2nd day. The clocks went forward so the 8.30am start felt
very early. The
course was run in reverse & all the riders were given 7 laps. David knight
again set the fastest laptime in every heat & Taddy was again second. Daryl Bolter's day one problem was traced to a loose stator plate &
- without a handicap - he took 3rd. Greg Evans was 4th & Si Wakely was 5th.
The fallen tree in the woods was brought back but it was now on a downhill
slope & it proved to be lees of a obstacle. Gethin Price likes technical
going so on his 4th lap he tried to bring down a second tree with a head butt.
Midwest's Aaron Poolman
& Tyson Maytom-Jones once again took the 1st & 2nd in the Experts with
Oliver Hart climbing up 3 places into 3rd. The top 3 Under 23s were also a
repeat of Day 1 with "Rocky" Rockwell 1st, Daniel McCanney 2nd &
Ollie Moyce 3rd. Ollie tried a new line on lap 4 which cost him 50 seconds
& left him with less than a 3 second margin over Mark Roberts in 4th..
KTM
Off-Road Racing Team - Greg Evans 
Solid
start to ’10 BESC series for Wakely and Husqvarna
Alex
Rockwell "I made a few mistakes during round one and had to get used
to riding in-between the trees in the woodland sections but I seemed to
get quicker as the day went on. The track was pretty slippery after the
rain on Friday night but after a few laps the track drained quite well. On
Sunday we rode the course the opposite way round from the previous day so
the ruts and lines were in the wrong place sometimes but as I relaxed
again my test times began to fall. All in all I've had a fantastic result
at the first rounds of the BESC and couldn't have really asked for any
more."
McLaughlin
on the pace at BESC Rnds 1&2
with things. I started the first day a little too cautiously. I was just
trying to get myself settled in to start with but come the end of the day I
was pleased with the way I was riding. I made one little mistake but generally
it all went well. I lost my way a little on day two. I tried something a
little radical with the suspension, which didn’t really work. Apart from
that I was pleased with my riding. I really enjoyed the event.’
Gas
Gas UK Enduro Team - Ashley Wood
KTM
Off-Road Racing Team - Daryl Bolter
Husaberg
