The 3rd and final round of the ACU British Cross Country Championship headed to Canada Heights MX track in the south east of England. The sandy soil would be a different surface for the riders to contend with but it proved to be a little dusty due to lack of rain in recent months. The 5 mile lap was full of interesting features and beyond the MX track, the course threaded its way through a wood over logs before bursting out into the sunlight for a mile of stubble fields around a mowed field & there was a rock pile with an easy and a hard route. The second half of the course w as through another wooded section where the track was narrow & the surrounding vegetation held the dust in the still air.

The 2.5 hour main race started at 1.30pm. Jason Thomas took the holeshot from Ashley Wood with Ollie Moyce in 3rd on his Midwest Husaberg UK, but as they rounded the second corner Ollie dropped his bike & the series leader Daryl Bolter collided with him. Neither rider was injured but Daryl broke his de-compression lever. Jason Thomas took the overall win with 13 laps, Dorren Coutts was the runner up on 12 laps and Daryl Bolter was 3rd with Ashley Wood in 4th & Ollie Moyce was 5th. Ollie said “We have had very dry weather leading up to this event and that has ironically proved to be its downfall. Normally Canada Heights holds up very well and is a joy to ride but nature decided today would be different. The track was laid out very well but because of the lack of moisture the whole lap became a 1 lined dust rut and no fun at all! I had a good start in 2nd and then turning a sharp corner I pulled the front brake too hard and went down. I jumped ba ck on in around 5th position and entered the tighter woods section where I sat in a cloud of dust following the person in fronts back wheel. After catching lapped riders and not even being able to pass them I continued to get frustrated with not being able to show my full potential and eventually stopped pushing with around 40 minutes to go, it was very annoying not being able to race properly but not anyone’s fault. Eventually finished 5th on the day but more importantly I finished the BXCC in 3rd overall in the championship class for Midwest Husaberg UK. Thanks Guys!”

Fellow Midwest Husaberg UK team mate, Tyson Maytom-Jones was racing this weekend with the possibility of winning the Expert class but circumstances made it hard work with a clutch problem in the first part of the race which was fixed and then just after halfway some rope got caught in the rear wheel and stopped the bike but fellow Midwest Husaberg Uk rider Jamie Paget stopped and helped Tyson remove it and he went on to finish 5th on the day and win the Expert class by 1 point!

Further success was achieved by long term customers Alan James and Peter Neal who finished 1st and 2nd in the Over 50’s class.

BXCC Final Standings Rider Points Championship Class   1. Daryl Bolter 55 2. Ashley Wood 45 3. Ollie Moyce 36   Expert Class   1. Tyson Maytom-Jones 48 2. James Burroughs 47 3. Tom Healey 33

Pics: M. Harding & Bob Mullins