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enduro
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Paul Bolton |
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 Paul
Bolton Enduro Coaching
Next date: Tuesday 29th December Cowm Leisure, Cowm Quarry, Nr Rochdale. Maximum 10 riders - FULL Update Due to the demand for places, Paul will be running a 2nd coaching day at Cowm Quarry, Nr Rochdale on the 30th December. There are 4 places left so contact Paul as soon as possible on 07931 403754 or paul-bolton@hotmail.co.uk My training days aim to improve your off road riding skills by giving you the confidence in trying things that you would not try alone. Perhaps you keep struggling with a particular aspect of your riding, or maybe you just want to ride to your full potential. I can focus on enduro, extreme enduro or endurocross – the choice is yours. I can tailor training for anyone from total beginners, up to national level riders. My coaching is relaxed and flexible, based on your personal aims for the day. There are a number of ways I can coach – one to one, small groups or groups of up to 10 riders. I will try to ensure that riders are of a similar level on each training day, to ensure that you get the most out of your experience. Getting the right techniques and improving your skills will let you get a lot more enjoyment out of your riding. You’ll be able to ride faster, longer and use a lot less energy and be much safer. In my training schools so far, I have tutored both children and adults, ranging from beginner to expert. Some of the common issues arising are:
Currently I’m taking bookings for groups and one on one coaching at FatCat Motopark, Doncaster and Cowm Leisure, Cowm Quarry, Nr Rochdale. I am willing to travel if you have a personal practice area. New on my schedule are three abroad opportunities… Training in Romania – GPS training and riding the Carpathian mountains in Transylvania (see www.adventuromania.co.uk for packages.) An awesome tour! One is already scheduled for 14th-20th June (week before Red Bull Romaniacs 2010) – 7 places left! Hell’s gate training/riding near Florence (check it out on www.enduroextreme.it or email me for details) California (coming soon, if there is interest out there!) Bikes and gear hire can be included in these packages. If you would like to arrange a gift experience, I can do gift vouchers and get them mailed out for Christmas, if you contact me soon enough on 07931 403754 or paul-bolton@hotmail.co.uk Prices for group training days start at £40 per person, based on a group of 10. Enduro Scott Trial Challenge by Paul Bolton
After the first few field crossings, I felt like it might have been a bad idea. I was slipping and sliding all over, due to the weight of the enduro bike, with less than new trials tyres on! However in the sections, the trials tyres definitely proved themselves. Yet at some points, they gave me so much grip, that the steering became really heavy…which started to take its toll by the time the afternoon came. I had forgotten about some of the treacherous sections, many of which are not seen by spectators. They proved to be very interesting! I was really chuffed to get some cleans on some difficult sections, but then again, some of the more straightforward sections required me to sit down and paddle! With regards to the moor crossings, some of these were awesome on my enduro bike, but in other more technical parts, a trials bike was far more suited to nipping through the gaps and over the obstacles. Although I could sit on the seat and RELAXXXXX, whereas the trials riders had to stand up and endure the pain!
I was aware that as a charity rider I would not qualify for a finishing position or any awards – they were the last things on my mind! However it was really nice to be included in the results showing that I finished in 77th position, half an hour clear of the time limit. I was also presented with the ‘Best Endeavour’ award which was a big surprise. Thanks to everyone who made it possible, I would like to say I enjoyed it….but at least I raised a load of money for a worthy cause!!!!!! Many thanks to Richmond Motorcycle Club for allowing me to undertake this one-off charity challenge and of course Eurotek for letting me put my enduro bike through such gruelling conditions! But most importantly a big thank you to all of those who have generously donated. So far we have raised £725 (£900 with Gift aid added) for the North West Air Ambulance. It provides a vital service throughout Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside where it has saved many lives, including that of a close family friend. So it’s not too late to donate! The charity receives no central government or lottery funding, relying entirely on public donations. If you would like to donate, just click on www.justgiving.com/PaulBoltonScottTrialChallenge
After a long and interesting drive to Romania, we arrived at the prologue course, which was still under construction. After the diggers and axe-wielding men worked their magic through the dark hours, what had looked like a few logs and tyres, became an endurocross rider's dream. Taking on a different set up to last year, due to the multitude of injuries on the very wet and technical course, the organisers decided to have a straight run over the obstacles, along the main street in Sibiu. Thousands of spectators looked on, as each rider had two timed runs from one end to the other. Their best time was used as a qualifying time, where the fastest 16 went through to the semi-finals in two heats of 8 riders. As the semis commenced, a rider got wedged in the logs in front of Paul which trapped him in the logs too. Nightmare, but hey that's endurocross! The two finals followed. The main final for the top 4 from each of the heats and the second class final for the numpties who follow people into mistakes! The main final was won by Xavier Galindos-Arbones, 2nd place Andreas Lettenbilcher and a well deserved 3rd went to Brit Graham Jarvis. Paul won the second-class final by a mile, but with the new format this year, he was still left with a six minute penalty which would carry through to the first day. Much controversy was caused by this system, whereby every rider (apart from the prologue winner) would be left with a proportional penalty, added to the first mountain stage.
Day three and the race moved from Petrosani back in the direction of Sibiu. The day was unlucky for Graham Jarvis, who suffered technical problems with his bike, forcing him to retire. It was also an unfortunate day for race leader Xavier Galindos-Arbones, who crashed out and broke his leg. Nevertheless in a turn of fate, Paul clocked up the fastest time of the day and won the day. Although this was fantastic news, it had a significant disadvantage. On the final day of the rally, the day of reckoning, A.K.A navigation day, Paul would set off as first man away. This effectively means no tracks to follow in times when the GPS has no coverage (in dense forests and deep valleys) and also when you reach a section, even some of the officials are unsure of the race route until a rider has successfully been through. As predicted, the final day was a GPS nightmare for most riders, with Pro, Expert and Hobby routes switching and changing. Paul and Chris Birch (NZ) realised that they had taken the wrong route and missed a check point. In order to ensure a finish, they decided to back track and correct their mistakes - Paul adding an extra 75km to his already lengthy day! Paul's parents and I waited and waited at the finish, on the roof of the six storey derelict hospital. Eventually Paul arrived and raced up the staircases and along the corridors of the aptly named Crazy Biker House. When he reached the roof, I hitched a backy over the spine of the roof, through the red bull finish and (to my surprise), down the steep wood slatted decent. I don't think I would get away with this in many places in the world! That just summarises the Red Bull Romaniacs Rally…it's a crazy race where just about anything can happen and unexpected things become the norm! Paul finished in 5th place overall (a little gutted about his
final day fiasco which cost him 3rd place). Neigh bother! He
conquered Romaniacs with a mega finish in the Pro Class, amongst
mainly factory supported riders. Not bad for a full time mechanic and
sweeper driver from Lancashire! However, he couldn't have done it
without the support of Jacko at Eurotek, Martin from FatCat Motoparc,
Nick at Touratech for mega GPS, Si, Sander and Jayne of Renault
Specialist Breakers and Dom at Kriega. Thanks guys. And not to forget
the fastest, most efficient support crew in Romania - Mum, Dad and
me!
Bolts brings it back for the Brits What an exhilarating weekend. The setting itself was enough to leave me awestruck. Blue skies, beaming sunshine and snow capped mountains, surrounded the towering iron ore mountain that is Erzberg. The initial two days of the 'iron road' prologue were enough to attract 1500 competitors from 32 different nations, with 32,000 spectators. Overlooking the prologue course was what the Brit lads refer to as 'Mad Max' hill. It was a landscape strewn with tents and campers, booming music and bustling with bike fanatics. Here spectators watched in anticipation as competitors on a myriad of bikes (from the ordinary to the ridiculous) roared, crashed and back-fired up the seemingly endless zigzag of fire roads, from the base to the pinnacle of the mount. Their aim: to qualify amongst the fastest 500 riders, to guarantee entry into Sunday's main event, the 'Red Bull Hare Scramble'. More specifically, the elite riders were to strive for a top 50 ranking, to gain a much sought after front row starting position. The endurocross, which took place over 3 days, developed into somewhat of a showdown, with the top riders all trying to set the fastest time. The pyramid logs, steep inclines and descents, rock gardens and dumper truck body were all designed to cause maximum carnage. On days 1 and 2 the battle was on between Blazusiac and Lettenbichler. However in the morning of day 3, Paul Bolton set the fastest time of the event. The commentator enticed Taddy to return in the afternoon to reclaim his crown, which he did, by just 0.2 seconds. With sights firmly focussed on the following days main race, Paul decided not to compete in the evening endurocross final, despite lying in second place during qualifying.
I was lucky enough to hitch a ride and so was mobile throughout the race- tracking Bolts down at every opportunity. In one of the first sections, new to the Erzberg course, Paul took the high line to overtake Chris Birch who was trying to free his bike from a tree. Paul tackled the notorious 'Dynamite' section, trials style, impressing many with a near feet-up ride!! Then the riders were to negotiate some freshly blasted rock sections, with no lines appearing. Back into the forest in a new difficult section, Bolts clinched another place, passing Cyril Despres. The 'Staircase' proved no problems for Bolton. However the exit was a new very steep, tight, wooded section. There was no chance of getting a run up for the hills, as the handlebars were too wide to fit through the gaps in the trees. Pushing time!!! Then it was back out into the sunlight for a cool down along the maze of fire roads- with some lucky gambles about which direction to take. A much needed fuel stop followed, before the no assistance zone that is 'Carl's Diner'. The new entrance to the Diner was of a World Trials section standard. It was feet up, push the bike, roll the bike, do whatever you can, to get past the bike swallowing holes!!! Here Bolts had Salminen in his sights. Then half way across the 'Diner', Salminen slid down off the track and Paul made his move, putting him in 3rd place. Another new decent, designed to make the course more difficult, took its toll. The Honda 250 slid down into some sharp rocks, trapping Paul's knee beneath the bike. Bolts thought his race was over and he screamed, in his words, "like a baby!!". A marshal noticed that Bolton had entered the section but not returned and thankfully went in to inspect. He found Paul and lifted the bike off him. In pain, but aware that Salminen was on his tail, he mounted his bike and battled on, using copious amounts of energy drink as a painkiller. Then to the dreaded no assistance zone 'Jurisdiction Ditch' with Salminen, Kyle Redmond and Despres in close pursuit. Paul got back into the rhythm, knowing that otherwise his crash might cost him dearly. At the last hill climb, which resembled the Hell's Gate finale 'Hell's Peak', Bolton made it almost to the top without assistance. The final stint was accomplished with ropes and manpower. Glad to reach the top, it was a final decent to the Erzberg arena. I just made it to the finishing line to see Paul arrive in 3rd place in an amazing 1 hour 38 minutes. I felt like I'd competed myself, racing around on a bike with my dust smeared face, gritty eyes and adrenaline pumping! A rift of interviews and autographs followed with Paul taking it in his usual laid back stride. We stayed in the arena to congratulate the finishers, cheering in the Brit boys: Mark Jackson in 10th Place, Ed Jones in 14th place, first timers Martin Craven (17th), Andrew Reeves (19th) and Rob Wrayford (27th). We all felt for Biff Smith who reached the finish line just minutes after the 4 hour deadline. Although he was not awarded a finish, there were 6 British finishers. Well done lads! Bolts would like to extend his thanks to all that helped him out in Austria, as well as beforehand in preparation for this amazing event. He couldn't have done it on his own. I'm not too sure what Paul is most thrilled about - achieving 3rd in one of the world's most infamous extreme enduros, or his success being cheekily acknowledged by the legendary Juha Salminen, who pinched Bolts' bottom as he rode past in the finishing arena!! Mega memories of a wicked weekend…roll on next year!
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I have survived the Scott Trial and live to tell the tale of
man-handling my Eurotek KTM 250 exc around this notoriously difficult
time and observation trial. I have only just uncovered the forums on
trials central, where unbeknown to me, weeks of debate had ensued
prior to this prestigious event. I had certainly set some tongues
wagging!
It was really encouraging to see and hear spectators who had
waited in the driving rain to see me (the last man away) and no doubt
try to prove their personal predictions. At one point, Lisa, my
fiancée, considered setting up a betting post! There were so many
contrasting opinions and varied predictions about whether I would
emerge from the moor crossings to conquer another section. Many
trials enthusiasts proclaimed that it was impossible and even if I
did manage to cross the finish line, it would not be within the time
limit.
Romaniacs
conquered - Third time lucky! By Lisa
Butterworth (Paul Bolton's better half)
Day
one of the mountain rally is always a big learning curve for most
riders. However, Paul sussed his GPS and actually found the start
this year! The first mountain stage is renowned for being the most
difficult day (having cause Paul injuries in both of his Romaniacs
assaults, in the past two years). Nevertheless, third time lucky and
the day went well. Paul used it as a training day - staying safe and
injury free, without getting lost!
Helicopters whirred above, swooping down into the quarry, film
crews were frantic and thousands of on-lookers took their positions
waiting for the spectacle to unfold. The 'Red Bull Hare Scramble' was
about to begin. Despite earning a place on the front row, Paul had a
poor initial start. However, he came from 16th position on leaving
the start line to 5th position, in a mere minute. On the 2nd row was
fellow Brit and Bolts' bud Andrew Reeves, who took the hole shot,
leading his peers all of the way out of the quarry.
