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enduro
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 Frazer
Norrie wins the First Round of the Scottish Hare and Hound Championship
The Bon Accord Club worked wonders to run the first round of the Scottish Hare and Hound Championship on Netherley Moor on Sunday the 22nd November. With only weeks to go their previous location was withdrawn and the crew had to find another venue. Netherley Moor was looking good but with torrential rain from the Friday until just before the start of the race the event it became hard work for everyone from the riders and their assistants to the organisers. The course was run through the heather with soft ground beneath although there was enough grip to keep most riders moving if they kept their momentum going. The quads had an hour and a half race first and slid around from 10.00am until 11.30 with spray flying everywhere. It was expected that Craig McCormack would win with his 800cc four wheel drive quad but he made a bad choice of route on his first lap getting stuck in a bog. Craig managed to free himself but he had been passed by several riders and had to spend the day chasing to get back into contention, ultimately finishing second on the same number of laps as Brian Main who won with eight laps completed. Brian was surprised to see the big four wheel drive stuck but was happy to take advantage with Ian Neill coming home third.
With Frazer backing off when Neil retired the results show that Mark
Ritchie won and Davie Hill second, completing more laps than the
Experts. Mark and Davie battled all day with minimum stops that saw them
push all the way to the finish, mud master Alex 'Ivan' Kirk finished a
lap down in third place. Scott Macbeth won the Sportsman class with 12 laps completed and Lee Phillip followed him into second place. Stuart Cooper finished in his best position so far as his fitness saw him lead many younger riders home in third place. Stuart has not ridden in the sport for long and this is a great result for him. It was a difficult day for everyone, Di Stuart, Murray Whitaker and Gordon McGregor should all be congratulated with their crew for managing to pull this event together. The second round is the Metzeler Melville at Lochhouses in East Lothian on the 13th December, download regulations at www.scottishenduros.co.uk and www.melvillemc.co.uk remember this will be your opportunity to ride with Paul Edmondson who recently became the most successful rider ever at the ISDE. |
There
were a couple of motocrossers entered in the Expert Class who had
thought they would give the hare and hound championship a try, one look
at the course and they decided to leave their bikes in their vans and
watch the enduro specialists master the tricky conditions. Neil Chatham
was riding bike number one and took the holeshot with Allyn Scotland
giving chase. After a lap Neil had pulled away and was looking good but
the fairy tale result was not to be, just before the end of the first
hour his chain came off and wrapped itself tightly around the front
sprocket and after twenty minutes struggling to free it he had to admit
defeat. Allyn Scotland had clutch problems and despite changing his
plates in record time he also had to retire. Frazer Norrie was on his
new KTM 250 and he was able to watch all the problems unfold for his
competitors. Once Neil retired he was able to stop more regularly for
new goggles and top up with fuel maintaining a pace that would see him
lap Murray Thompson in second place. Frazer has an excellent record at
this event and this is the third time he has finished, on this occasion
with a well deserved win. Murray Thompson was also on a new KTM 300 and
he used all his experience to learn about his new bike and follow Frazer
home for second. Drew Harvey was back following months off his bike
after breaking his ankle at the start of the enduro season in Elgin.
Drew maintained a consistent pace for third with his brother James
competing in the Expert Class for the first time coming home fourth.
Kagen McKenzie decided to move up to the Expert Class to improve his
pace and was rewarded with an excellent fifth place, Kagen will be a
force to be reckoned with at the third round at Woodside motocross track
in Elgin.