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A dignified two minutes of absolute silence at 11.00am in Nantmawr Quarry on Sunday gave time for reflection. A quiet before the storm at the final round of the Motul GBHS Series. KB Racing's Lewis Bellfield led from start to finish and took the win some 5 minutes ahead of Rob Reese with Paul Herbert taking third in the Expert class. Clubman Owain Humphries tookhis class win ahead of Scott Hughes and Gethin Humphries as Jason Hope, Jack Twentyman and Chris Roberts made up the Over 35's top three. Allan Hopwood nailed the Over 40's from Michael Reece and Paul Robson with Ray Whittall taking the Over 45's from Gareth Lloyd and Dennis Harrison. Sportdsman A went to Paul Engelen from Scott Smith and Andrew Donald as Luke Williams took Sportsman B from Huw Edwards and Mike Belshaw. Jaroslav Ceri was the top Novice rider ahead of Alex Stock and Glynn Boughton while Johnny Jones nailed the Youth Class from James Dent and Huw Jones. Results
WOR BEAT THE WET WEATHER AT NANTMAWR IN STYLE! Race Reports by Gwynne Turner. Pictures by Cetra Event Photography. "Once again the mighty WOR Events machine took on the horrendous UK weather conditions and won in style with riders and spectators enjoying at great weekends sport at the famous Nantmawr Quarry. The whole of the UK had been battered with the heaviest rain fall for years and flooding was happening all over the place with lots of events being cancelled. The story is quite a bit different at Nantmawr as the huge quarry simply soaked up the wet stuff and stayed ride able for the riders to blast around. The sunshine even managed to surface in very small doses but the main thing was that the rain actually stayed away whilst the racing was taking place. Heavy Overnight rain blasted the quarry but the switched on track construction team tweaked and fiddled the Nantmawr circuit enabling a brilliant race to take place and offer the riders a fair and competitive event. Starting at just past 10am the flag was dropped and off went the groups of eager dirt bikers to tackle some very big puddles and extremely slippy Shropshire hillsides. Leading from Start to finish and making it a double family win for the weekend was that man again, Paul Edmondson. The Relentless Suzuki mounted Edmondson was simply untouchable as he pulled clear of the rest of the chasing pack. The track had a superb "special test" type section in the viewing area at the base of the quarry and Edmondson's pace through this bit on some of his laps was nothing short of unbelievable. With switchbacks and some fast gravel turns the RM250 of Fast Eddy was stunning to watch. Come the end of the 2.5 hr race Eddy had pulled a 5 minute advantage and cruised home for the win. Taking a very well earned runner up position was Rob Reese, Reese can really go well and this event suited the long legged Wrexham based rider as he got faster and faster on his KTM 300 as the race drew on. It was very nice to see Andy Cripps Kawasaki KX2502T), an old friend of WOR, finish on the podium in what was one of his better rides of late. Cripps put on flashes of the old style he is capable of as he endo'd and hopped and skipped his way around the quarries rocky sections, as always entertaining the crowd with his sublime skills. All of the top 3 riders completed 15 laps.
In the very competitive Over 35 class it was the turn of the" always getting faster" Jason Hope to scoop the spoils as he put a well earned 4 minute cushion over runner up Jack Twentyman. Both Hope and Twentyman completed 14 laps with Hope taking a brilliant 8th overall in the entire race as well as his class win. 3rd place went Wirral based rider Chris Holland who rode very steady and comfortable to take his well earned silverware home. In the super vets, the over 45's it was once again that man Ray Whittle that was victorious as he blasted to a 30 second advantage over the always competitive Colin Jones. As usual the battle between these two rivals was intense and close, But Jones had one eye on his flight to Turkey on Monday morning for a family holiday. CF Racing boss, Gareth Lloyd was out on his brothers Gas Gas 125 for a change and struggled with a misfire for most of the race. Lloyd still managed to secure the final podium place though and matched Whittle and Jones number of laps on 13. Top Sportsman in the longer race category was Chris Kent with a fine win over Mick Belcher and Mick Reynolds in 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Chris Wagstaff moved from Sportsman to the over 40's class (2hr) and topped it in his first attempt. Wagstaff had a battle with Allan Hopwood for the win and finally finished 3 minutes up on Hopwood, Allan was struggling with a nasty knee injury though. 3rd placed over 40 was Michael Reece. In the shorter 2hr sportsman class the margins of victory was literally seconds between the top 3. Paul Engelen was the main man taking a 17 second advantage from runner up Mike Erratt who in turn took avery narrow 6 second win from Darren Heyes. Real close racing at its best. The Novice class was topped by Luke Williams who was just ahead of the top lady rider and again a WOR young gun that keeps getting better and better, Jane Daniels. 3rd place Novice was Darryl Morris. Last but certainly not least we come to the youth class and Local Rider Johnny Jones proved a worthy winner as he blasted to a 3 lap winning margin from runner up Joe Wooton (wootton had mechanical probs though!) and the third placed Ryan Ireland. And so….another quality WOR Events Enduro and plenty of smiling riders leaving the venue with a real sense of achievement and endeavour as the weather could not break the spirit of the off road rider. WOR Events next spectacle is at a brand new venue that simply cannot be missed. Saturday and Sunday 20/21st September sees the club run at the fantastic virgin venue called HALSTEN HALL in Whittington …. See www.worevents.com for more details. Ps….footnote…. WOR Events are very pleased to announce that PRO DIRT FILMING will be making a DVD of ALL the races from now on. Tony will be on hand filming and recording all the action at the events and being a dirt biker himself he really knows which action to catch…. Tony can be contacted via the WOR website to order your copies of the action…
WOODS WINS WOR MOTUL ROUND 1REPORT BY G.TURNER. PICS BY CETRA EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY. "After the cancellation of the first round back in April the WOR Events road show finally got the first round of it's now very well established MOTUL GBHS (Great Britain Hare Scrambles) under way at the always popular Maeshafn venue near Mold in North Wales. The circuit was very much like an American GNCC with its whoops and dusty, loamy berms. The sunshine was blinding and very hot and for all the world the riders could have been in Florida and not Flintshire. Oil giants MOTUL have now supported this series for 5 years and once again their help with promotion and event accessories is much appreciated by the WOR Events team. With a very demanding but also enjoyable 5.2 miles per loop for the riders to negotiate, it was certainly a survival of the fittest as slowly but surely the conditions punished each and every rider. WOR had made big noises recently regarding going back to the old school 3 hour races and this was their first 3 hour main race so far in 2008. What a venue and what conditions to resurrect the old format!! From the looks on tired riders faces it was evident to see that there is so much endurance and stamina needed to compete in these Cross Country type events and that it truly is the best man wins. With a great atmosphere in the paddock and pits area, the big WOR event arches and sound system added to the hype and a brilliant line up of quality riders set the tone for two splendid races. The format is now simple at WOR, 9.30am has a two hour race for the intermediate riders (over 40's, Sportsman, Youth 14-16 and Novice) and then in the afternoon starting at 12.30pm the main 3 hour event takes place with the Pro's through to Championship Veterans taking part. Both races ran like clockwork and on time with a full awards and result presentation at the end of each race, its little things like this that WOR pride themselves on and know that the riders appreciate.
…Was once again very well supported and as always at this popular venue had lots of riders enjoying the well planned loop. Fastest man by far of the race was Young Sportsman Ryan Faulks (lefi: KTM 200). Ryan is improving week by week and is now riding very fast indeed as the clubman challenge and 3 hours awaits him. Second in the Sportsman group went to Edward Briscoe although he was four minutes down on the flying Faulks. Ben Ball was consistent as ever and secured the 3rd place trophy. All three completed 10 laps of the Flintshire mountain side.
The top Novice was Darren Moloney and Kate Lloyd once again finished as the best lady rider. 2hours in the heat and on this always demanding track ensured a good work out had been had by all. THE 3 HOUR MAIN EVENT.. ..Was always going to be a tough one and the quality of the Pro class was very good indeed, a testament really to the profile of this established championship. With BEC front runner and PAR Homes supported Ashley Wood alongside the up and coming Gareth Hopkins, Gethin Price, Mark Roberts and Tim Foreman, it was never going to be easy for Lincoln Brewster to continue in his fine run of form at WOR Events. Gareth Hopkins was the event leader from the off as he rode very impressively to stay at the front for nearly four laps. Disaster then struck poor Hopkins as for the 3rd event in a run whilst leading his Back wheel broke up on him. Good times will certainly follow for the KTM mounted rider. With Hopkins out it was the super smooth and very fast Ashley Wood that made the rest become the chasing pack as he pulled away at the front. Mark Roberts was a very steady 2nd place until he too had a disaster, his new exhaust pipe fell apart and he was forced to retire whilst setting some blistering lap times. All the time this was going on the super determined Lincoln Brewster was always pushing hard as he always does made sure he was on that podium come the end of the race. Tim Foreman pushed Brewster hard though and come the final results it was Wood as the winner with Brewster in second and Foreman in third. Some truly great racing. Wood and Brewster were the only riders to complete 17 laps as the clock and new 3 hour ruling forced both of the riders out for another lap with only seconds to go.
The Clubman class as always was hotly contested and St Helens based Ben Haycock was the man to beat. After battling with the hard charging Lewis Belfield for the majority of the race it was the 450 Yamaha of Haycock that had a 1 and a half minute lead over Belfield come the end. Third clubman was another frequent podium visitor, Jamie Robinson. The top 3 clubman did 15 laps each. Jack Twentyman (Honda 250 2t) rode like a man possessed in the over 35's and once again proved the man to beat as he pushed his body to its limits and took a near 1 minute advantage over Yamaha Mounted Richard Main. Twentyman had ridden so hard that had ripped out the seat of his underpants and he proudly displayed these to all at the presentation ceremony at the end. Well done Jack. Carl Claybrook took the final podium place with yet another good ride in his comeback with WOR.
Andrew Dean topped the Sportsman PM class with a determined ride that saw him battle fatigue and stamina issues half way through. And so another WOR production with safe and professional racing, and lots of happy riders taking to the road on their way home. The clerk of the course wishes to thank the awesome WOR marshals and team, The land owners, Mr and Mrs Thomas and most of all the riders for their support and respect for the track and no course cutting. WOR's next event is this coming WEDNESDAY night at the same venue on a fully revised track in the CF Racing evening championship. The famous Nantmawr Quarry, Home of the World Famous "Tough One" near Oswestry then becomes the venue for the next weekend of WOR activities on the 21/22nd June. Nantmawr is such a quality venue and held hopefully in summer conditions will certainly be one not to be missed. The event at Nantmawr will be the 3rd round of the TBM XC series (formerly the GAS GAS XC). More details at www.worevents.com Related Items
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Great Britain
Hare Scrambles
GB Hare Scramble
Owain Humphries stormed to a fantastic Clubman class win as he almost put a
complete lap on the rest of his challengers. Owain finished a fantastic 9TH
place overall!! Owain is just 16 and this kid is going to be one to watch as
week by week he improves, just like his youth winning brother Gethin. Two
brothers that will be around in this cross country Enduro game for a long time
to come. Runner up to Owain was another of WOR's young prodigies that have come
through the ranks, Michael Briggs. Briggs is a strong and determined rider that
never gives up and his 13 laps were a credit to the Yorkshire based rider. The
final clubman podium place went to the local boy and again another young rider
that has "done "the WOR ranks, Scott Hughes. Hughes completed 13 laps
but was just over 2 minutes down on Briggs.
THE
2 HOUR RACE…
Allan
Hopwood (right) was victorious in the Over 40's taking a steady win from Paul
Davies in the silver position and Mark Moloney in third. Again the top 3 riders
in this group all completed 10 circuits.
James Dent
(left) from Cumbria is a young man that is growing not just in size but
also in stature as he took a very commanding lead in the competitive youth
(14-16) group. James has ridden WOR events for many a year now as have his
family and it really is nice to see him come on in his form like this. Dent took
a fine 3 minute advantage over second placed Johnny Jones. Both Dent and Jones
both did 10 laps and the final podium place went to Adam Barrat although Adam
completed one less on 9 laps.
Ben Wootton was head and shoulders above the rest of the Expert class as he
secured another fine win with nearly 5 clear minutes on his nearest rival,
Rheinallt Davies. Honda mounted Wootton , Husqvarna Mounted Davies and Gas Gas
Mounted Chay Granby all did 16 laps and took the podium in that class.
In the over 45's it was once again the Ray Whittle Show as he put out a
commanding 3 minute advantage over second placed Colin Jones. Jones and Whittle
had another real ding dong as they raced neck and neck for the duration until
the fitter Whittal pulled clear after the two hour mark. Dave Smith was two
minutes down on Jones in 3rd place and it was nice to see the unassuming Smith
back on the podium after he had dominated the class so much last year.