 
DOUBLE FOR JACK. .
It was what you could call the usual suspects on the leader board in this,
the second round of Lincolnshire Enduro club's 2024 season. Last years overall
champion Dan Johnson came home second this time out as opposed to his fourth
place back in March at Ashby. This is without doubt a good start to retaining
any title. However, he will have to work
even harder this year. South Yorkshire lad Jack Rowland may have a say
in Dan's plan for the year; he has made a good start in trying to
wrestle this years spoils out of the reigning Champion's hands. Taking
place at Willingham Woods and over a mixed 4.6 mile course, Jack has now
won both races this year and obviously heads the years leader board, it
is though very early on in the season. After three hours racing at this
popular "arena" near Market Rasen, Jack's winning margin over Dan was
a
little under a minute when the finish flag dropped, both lads on
thirteen laps. Also on thirteen laps in this, the Experts class, was
Lucas Travers. This third place for Lucas was far better than his
seventh position last time out. He was some four minutes behind the
leaders when the race finished this time out.
The "Back Office Pro" sponsored club once again worked hard in the
previous weeks to attain the mixed route, and utilised several sections
of plantation/woodland, along with some very fast sections through the
local stubble fields. Given the questionable weather over the last few
months and taking into account that the land can be somewhat glutinous
even at the best of times, the course ran pretty perfectly for the 133
riders. Even the sun showed its face. Thats twice this year !!
 A very close race developed in the ever fast Over 40's class. Lee
Hattersley who topped the class back in March had to settle for the
runner up place this time out, with Andy Myers who "only" managed a
third place at Ashby going a lot better this time out to take the win.
Mark Lonsdale came home in third spot. All three lads were on twelve
laps at the end but that doesn't tell the full story. Just eleven
seconds separated the three riders with just one single second between
Andy and Lee ! The lap times put in by these guys were very close to
giving the Experts a run for their money too. Some of the lap times in
this group were, on occasion faster than the top lads! Staying with the
"Antique" classes, the Over 50's not only produced one of the bigger
groups of the day but one of the closest finishes too. Gareth lodge has
now done a "Jack Rowland" with his back to back wins taking this
victory
by just under half a minute, from Alan Vissian in second spot. Lee Smith
came across the line in third place, nigh on two minutes in arrears of
the first two. Only these in that class had twelve laps under their
belts when the three hours passed. In the Over 60's, its "Fun boy
three"
again. Paul Oates continues his run of third places whilst Kevin Bartle
Sr and Mark Peckitt swapped positions; Mark taking victory this time
out, with Kevin succumbing to runner up spot. In the Clubman class, Matt
Woolridge went a lot better this time out than last, by six places !
Matt's Victory by a shade over a minute was probably even more sweeter given that it was over the winner from last time out, Nicholas King.Bradley Thornton in third gave Nicholas a run for his entry fee though,
just missing out on a second place by under twenty seconds. Once again,
all these guys would be in the top fifteen if all the days classes were
added together and seen as one. The top four in the class were all on
lap twelve when the chequered flag descended. The biggest group of the
day came In the Sportsman 2T class. A lad not seen at round one took
the spoils this time out. Jodie Lambley took the win by just under a
minute from a lad who was in the Beginners group at Ashby, Archie
Barnett. Third place went to Christian Humphrey, albeit six minutes
adrift of the top pair. The top five lads in class had eleven laps under
their belts after the 180 minutes. Similarly, it was the same story in
the 4T division. None of the first three from March could get their way
onto the podium this time. Whilst the first trio of riders were on the
same amount of laps as each other at the end (ten), the winning margin
for Simon Owen was a big one; some thirteen minutes. Playing second
fiddle to Simon was Barrie Atherton. Third place rider Ross Pearson was
a lot closer to the runner up spot though; just nineteen seconds came
between himself and Barrie. The entries for newly formed "Slam" class
has trebled since round one. The six riders this time out were once
headed by Neil Tapper, who was a full lap ahead of second placed jockey
Kyle Ardito. Another lap adrift of that was Harry Hinkley. It is worth
noting that two of the riders in this class were ladies, both of whom
seem to enjoy their first outing with the club. Also, well done again to
the six guys in the Beginners class. Once again, the club hopes to see
you all on the start line on May 12th, at Dembleby Heath.
 Details of that and all other things LEC are found here for Members
Or here for Non
Members
Please note . . Plans have now been firmed up for the second running of
the now annual 6 hour Queen Elizabeth II Memorial race in late July
(28th). In addition to the normal classes being run on the day, the club
has introduced a class for Adventure and Trail bikes this year. The
course for these bigger bikes wont be too technical, but the size of the
machine must be at least 550CC. As per other classes, entries can be
solo, or a team of two riders.
Photos, all by Graeme Taylor are as follows ... Experts class Winner
Jack Rowland (No.87). Jason Teale, (No 101) on his way to a top six in
the Over 50's class and last but certainly not least, Carrie Dickinson
(No. 970) chasing down Phoenix Palmer in the newly formed Slam class.
Report by Martin Southwick
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