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 HAT
TRICK FOR CHRIS BIRCH IN LIQUORLAND NATIONAL ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP
The Kiwi, Chris Birch (Comsol Alfie Cox Racing KTM) scored a hat trick in the 2011 Liquorland SA National Enduro Motorcycle Championship when he won the Liquorland Rover Enduro, the third round of the championship that was held in the Humansdorp area this weekend (14 May). Lots of recent rain and a muddy route counted in his favour and the likeable visitor admitted afterwards that this event was a "real enduro" and that he enjoyed the route and type of terrain. He posted the fastest time on the Special Timed Stage, a 19km section within the marked loop that national E1 (Open) and E2 (200cc) competitors had to complete three times. Behind him the overall and Class E1 results are still provisional pending the outcome of an appeal. These (provisional) results do however show the defending title holder, Jade Gutzeit (Proudly Bidvest Yamaha) finishing second, 101 points behind Birch on the overall standings and in Class E1 after he crashed over a log and struggled with only one foot peg after hitting a tree stump. Marc Torlage (Mr Price Yamaha) made a come back in the Eastern Cape after not scoring points at the previous event when he won the E2 Class and took the third step on the overall podium. He finished ahead of Brother Broadlink KTM team-mates, Darryl Curtis (E1) and Altus de Wet (E2) who, like most of the frontrunners, lost precious time behind riders that were stuck at obstacles on the route. Gutzeit's team-mate, Louwrens Mahoney, had to settle for sixth place - only two points behind De Wet - after getting stuck in mud during the Special Timed Stage.
Like last season, the battle between Scheepers, who had no rear brakes during the last lap, and Bradley van Aswegen (Kargo Racing Yamaha) was red-hot again with a mere three points separating them in the Eastern Cape. Dominic Mantle (Comsol Alfie Cox Racing KTM), like Scheepers and Van Aswegen also from KwaZulu-Natal, finished 12th while Mark Garland (Kargo Racing Husaberg) was 13th. The route and type of terrain suited the KwaZulu-Natal competitors with CJ Blackman (KTM) and Mantle's team-mate, Paul Carrick, in 14th and 15th places respectively. Timothy Young (Mitas Racing Honda) and Tom Moolenschot (Team Rockstar Thor Honda) carried the flag for the Eastern Cape riders and were 16th and 17th while James Hodson (Liquorland Alfie Cox Racing KTM); Wynand Badenhorst (Leo Racing Yamaha) who drowned his bike and Stefan Oosthuizen (Nomadik Tents Husaberg) also finished in the top 20. There was some bad luck for Brother Broadlink KTM riders, Riaan van Niekerk (he crashed and injured his wrist); Gray Dick (he lost time with spark plug problems after he drowned his bike) and young Tyron Miller who could not complete the race. The racing conditions also suited William Gillitt (Comsol Alfie Cox Racing KTM) who won the Senior Class comfortably. Calvin Wright (cc Gallery KTM) and Otto Horlacher (Yamaha) scored their first podium positions for the season when they finished second and third respectively. Wright's team-mate, Mike Morris, who was sharing the championship lead with Gillitt, drowned his bike during the sighting lap and had to settle for sixth place. Senior Class competitors had to complete the timed racing section twice - Bruce Gargan (FeverX Criterion Yamaha) finished 95 points ahead of Peter Jung (WildCoast KTM Umso Construction Rib-co KTM) who was fifth. After a sighting lap, the Master Class riders had to face the same draining racing section as well as the rest of the route that was described by most as "enjoyable, but tough". They had to complete the timed section once and it was Mark du Plessis (Habitat KTM Cape Town) who had to chase the defending champion, Denzil Torlage (Mr Price Yamaha). Torlage also scored a hat trick and beat Du Plessis by 137 points with Gary Sox Smith (Comsol Alfie Cox Racing KTM) third. Barries Barnard (Honda) and Graydon Ilderton (Nomadik Tents KTM) rounded off the top five. Only four Silver Challenge Class entrants managed to complete both the racing stages with Morné Pienaar beating Aiden Sansom and Dricky Morkel (Leo Racing Yamaha) who finished third. The fourth round of the 2011 season, the Liquorland Kei Enduro, takes place
on July 2nd in the East London area in the Eastern Cape. For more information, visit www.mqoecommission.co.za / www.rovermcc.co.za |
Brian
Capper (Full Throttle Racing Red Bull KTM) fell twice, but still finished
seventh with youngster, Scott Bouverie (Mr Price Yamaha) claiming another top
ten position in his first national enduro season with an eighth place (third in
E2). Mark Fox (WildCoast KTM Umso Construction Rib-co KTM) was ninth and Scott
Scheepers tenth and the third Brother Broadlink KTM rider in the top ten.