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enduro
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Kingswood Mcc |
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 Matt
Ridgway wins Kingswood MCC Abbotside Hare & Hounds for the 6th year
running
Kingswood MCC was delighted with the number of entries to this year's event, with a maximum number of 120 riders entering. It was nice to see that riders from Devon & Cornwall attending for the first time and also the riders from Cotswold Enduro Club making the journey down. With the introduction of the above riders it made for some excellent riding, with the local riders being tested in every class. Matt Ridgway wins Kingswood MCC Abbotside Hare & Hounds for the 6th year running. Matt had a poor start which allowed Gary Baker to get the holeshot, with the first part of the track being a single track through the tight woods Matt had to settle into third place until the track opened up into one of many fast flowing fields where Matt made his move to claim first place midway through the first lap. Once in front Matt lead the race until the end, however the youthful Jack Twentyman making his first appearance at this event did not make it easy for Matt, after a poor start and getting held up on a short off camber climb by falling riders Jack stayed in contention during the race at one stage of the race Jack was within 20seconds of Matt but was unable to push on and take the lead. After 2½ hours of hard riding Matt completed 17 laps with Jack completing 17 laps only 90 seconds behind Matt. After getting the holeshot Gary Baker led the Ex Vets form the start until the finish, completing 17 laps, Gary McCoy pushed Gary Baker hard until the midway point of the race with no more than 90 seconds between them, then Gary Baker pushed on and manage to get through the lap scoring zone just before the 2½ hour point which allowed him to complete 1 more lap than Gary McCoy who saw the flag drop just seconds before he could get through. Results:
6 months after an horrendous crash in training, Matt Ridgway returned to competition with a spectacular win at Abbottside farm on Saturday 17th August. The 2.5 hour race - organised by Kingswood MC - is a favourite of Matt's & he has won it in 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009. The Kingswood club enduro was well supported with 104 riders turning out for their annual Saturday afternoon hare & hounds. The event has proved very popular with most riders returning every year. A well run event with manual timing & tags, this year the organisers imported the transponder expertise of the Mercia Dirt Riders. The course was much changed from previous years with small woods, a cambered hillside, an extreme section with stones and tyres then over an old cart to open fields and a stone drainage ditch running alongside the M6 motorway with the riders entertaining people sat in their stationery cars in the south bound lane. The first group away were the Experts. Matt Ridgway got the holeshot from Andy Frost. Like Matt, Andy was also a welcome returnee. He has been racing in very different conditions "down under". The lush grass was very slippery after the overnight rain but it soon got ripped off & the laptimes began to tumble. After the first hour a heavy shower blew in from the Channel and lasted for 15 minutes - making the course very slick and interesting for the spectators.
The runner up was Andy Frost. He said he felt a bit rusty but enjoyed the event and he was looking forward to doing some more enduros. Third was Simon Ellway. The first three riders all completed 15 laps. Well done to Catherine Smith - the only lady rider completing the event riding a 450 Husaberg.
Timing was done by Phil Hodges & the results were
printed 5 minutes after the finish. Well done Phil.
Dave Nutall was the 1st off the line closely followed by Tyson and the rest of the expert field. Matt Ridgway made his move on the first lap in the second lot of woods, once in front Matt led the field until the finish. Tom Smith was pushing very hard whilst competing with Tyson, Joe Duncan and Dave Nutall for 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th positions, when he fell heavily ending his race leaving Tyson, Joe and Dave fighting for the final 2nd and 3rd. Matt Ridgway rode within himself knowing of the fight behind him and kept a sensible gap between him and the others. Matt felt in good form and was saving his energy for the GBX race the next day. Experts 1. Matt Ridgway 18 Laps 2. Tyson Mayton-Jones 18 3. Joe Duncan 18 Ben Shuttleworth led the 2 stroke class midway through the race with both Pete King and Greg Hodge following closely behind finally wining by 2 minutes. Clubman 2 Stroke 1. Ben Shuttleworth 17 Laps 2. Pete King 17 3. Greg Hodge 17 Ed Hopkins nearly missed the race due to his entry going missing, after several telephone conversions between Ed and the Secretary of the Meeting and a quick visit to the local post office by Mrs Marshfield to collect the missing entry, Ed made the 2 hour trip to the event for his home in Warwickshire. Ed won the clubman 4 stroke class by a single minute from Richard Cox. Clubman 4 Stroke 1. Ed Hopkins 16 Laps 2. Richard Cox 16 3. Peter Ballinger 16 Has usual the Veteran class was the most closely contested with Stuart Keedwell taking the win by 40 seconds from Terry Beecham. One of the Veteran favorites for the race Jerry Adams retried early with a seized engine. Veterans 1. Stewart Keedwell 17 Laps 2. Terry Beecham 17 3. Russell Benson 16 Ian Barrett only took delivery of his new KTM 250 on Thursday and was only going to use the event to run the engine in. After starting slowly and riding sensibly Ian upped his pace to finally win the class by 4 minutes. 16 year old Kristian Barry rode extremely well throughout the event finishing a very creditable second. The story of the day went to Mark Ridgeway who is Matt Ridgway's older brother who finished the event in third position, Mark hadn't been on a bike for 6 years, only to be entered into the event by his father John, when Mark cross the line a big cheer was heard to celebrate him not only completing the event but also coming third. Sportsman 2 Stroke 1. Ian Barrett 16 Laps 2. Kristian Barry 16 3. Mark Ridgway 15 The closest race of the day was between Scott King, Scott Robson and Callum Hacker, with Scott King winning by the smallest margin of 20 seconds from Scott Robson with Callum Hacker only 20 seconds behind. Sportsman 4 Stroke 1. Scott King 15 Laps 2. Scott Robson 15 3. Callum Hacker 15 Trail & Trial 1. Simon Cook 14 Laps 2. Chris Jones 14 3. Roy Hutchings 13
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Matt
Ridgway returns to win at Abbottside 
After two and a half hours Matt Ridgway was the overall winner - making it
his 5th win in a row at Abbottside. It was a very emotional moment for
Matt & his father John after the months of recuperation. While Matt was
recovering, he set this event as a goal to aim for which he
has now achiveved with a spectacular win.
Matt said that this was the first step on the long road back.
He enjoyed the course - riding his MPS Racing 125 husqvarna -and intends
compete in the British Enduro Championship rd 5 at the Dyfi.
Provisional results
Matt Ridgway wins Kingswood MCC Hare & Hounds