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© Bob Mullins   

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The day did not look promising travelling up to Borden from Bournemouth and driving into a full thunder storm but upon arrival it had passed and as true to form the Hampshire Police efficiency was evident as already started signing on at 0800. The loop done by the XHG Tigers was 4.5 miles and very much a flowing non technical one with lots of sand and a water along with the wooded areas and the conditions depicted that the skill needed to day was fitness first.

Expert Class
Karl Langford got a superb holeshot and led as they disappeared into the distance but come the next lap The Kirbinator Mark Kirby had the lead from Jeremy Callow but it was not long before Jeremy got past The Kirbinator and then found a rhythm and pace that even made me shake my head in disbelief and looked like a dune dancer as he lapped everyone except himself and has to be one of the most deserved victories i have witnessed, sadly The Kirbinator tried to pass slower rider and went into a Slab Common black hole and it a while to get bike out then his exhaust snapped, which let Slab expert REME Army rider Tony Cotty take runners up spot and unlike his usual style he was far more aggressive and chance taking and really tried to catch Jeremy and made runners up spot his own, not content with one Callow on the podium Jamie Callow took final podium and looked better and smoother as event wore on but a worthwhile journey for the Callow brothers.

Clubman A Class
Been a while coming but great victory for Tom Moore who seems to have his hunger and love back for the sport and has made great improvements this year and dare i say his recklessness has also gone, 2nd and 3rd went to Son and Father Niles and Graham Reid with Son Niles pipping his Dad and with such similar lap times it may have come down to an age and fitness thing or that's what Graham will tell Niles as i am sure Niles will not that dad forget.

Clubman B Class
Have watched Shane Babey for many years now but today he had his race head on and it was evident from his bad start he meant business and rode the best i have seen him to take a very impressive victory over Chris Welch who yet again looked solid and consistent and be interesting to see him in Clubman A next year, 3rd to big George Leyland who did his far bit of sand eating today and had to dig deep at times but the big man is not a quitter and kept going for that final podium place.

Veteran Class
When you're on a roll and confidence is high you can even conquer Slab Common in the wet and that is just what Manny Bernardez did and looked more like a teenager on steroids than a veteran on pain killers and to beat runner up Jack Twentyman to top spot is even more sweeter, 3rd went to Steve Taylor who is also riding well of late and seems to have a bit more snap and aggression to his riding and made 3rd spot his own.

Sportsman Class
Daniel Dicker who has dominated all Sportsman events this year and would have been runner up in Clubman B won again with Lee Blackburn taking 2nd with a very consistent pace, 3rd and with a lightning fastest lap of class was Craig Szczypek who was entertaining to watch as so out of control at times but kept picking it up again and deserved his podium.

Hants Police & XHG Tigers Hare n Hounds
Frosty The Sandman
Slab Common 30-06-13

A cracking 4 mile loop of woodland and deep deep sand at a very dry and hot Slab Common near Bordon in Hampshire is what the 100 riders had waiting for them and as usual Hants Police and the XHG Tigers went that bit extra in trying to find something a bit different at Slab and must mention the superb course markings which really do help.

Expert class rider Charlie Frost really showed what a sand master he is by dominating and taking Overall and Class win in what I can only describe as a master class lesson but it so nearly ended after he had just taken lead from Ash Williamson about 20 minutes into the race when Frosty who does like to showboat did a huge jump and added a whip but could not get bike in a straight line quick enough before he landed and it was a spectacular crash that most of us would have called it a day nursing injuries and a tad bit of embarrassment but not Frosty, quick dust down a nod to the crowd, quick bike straighten and goes off wheeling into the distance and in journalistic terms “Sheer Class” and was a moment i will remember for a long time.

Championship Class
Sadly only two riders in the Elite Class which was won by Ash Williamson who led the overall race for first couple of laps and was running second up until about 30 minutes left when he plummeted down the leader board but still managed the class win, Teamsnappers Daniel Price found the going tough and struggled from lap one with arm pump that hampered him enough for him to call it a day after 2 hours. (in short he was up shagging all night which is fine but the noise kept Mr and Mrs Price awake as well and that is total disrespect for your parents, Man Up Daniel Price )

Expert Class
As stated a dominating win for Charlie Frost, Teamsnapper’s Chris Stanger (7th)was the danger man with getting up to second spot and posting the fastest lap of the day and looking like the real deal it all ended with tree about 20 minutes from the end that not only snapped his fuel tap lever off but switched it off in the process so by the time he got going again he had been passed by 11 riders which left Teamsnapper’s Roger Frean to get 2nd and that was a great result considering he started last on the grid with the Sportsman Class as bike would not start and with nothing to lose he rode like he stole it, well he did have a lot to lose as god forbid Dave or Tom Downes beat him, 3rd went to Dave Coles on the Crescent Racing KTM who is Mr Consistent whatever the conditions but today he looked so much more animated and entertaining, 4th Sten Pringle who seemed strongest about the 90 minute mark but faded a bit towards the end which was not surprising in the extremely hot conditions, 5th Paul Armstrong on the Enduro Tyres KTM who thinks he is a 21 yr old superman as day before he came back from an excellent showing at the Welsh 2 Day and looked lively here until he hit that wall around 2 hours in and it was so evident as he spent the last hour either picking the bike up or bouncing from one tree to another, 6th Tom Moore, 8th was Teamsnapper’s Joe Beard who rode a lot a better than his result dictates as looked confident, committed and fast whenever i saw him so maybe had a problem, Jamie Moller 9th whom rode very well, in fact consistently well lap after lap, John parsons 10th. Not sure what happened to Si Pavey but was top 5 for a good few laps and looked very much in control and comfortable so i can only imagine Si had problems as only 10 laps posted, also Llewelyn Pavey on the Beta was looking good for a top result but posted a DNF, Dave Downes realised he could not beat Roger Frean even with a good 5 minutes head start so he pulled in sulking, Mitch Frost has a rollercoaster day with first his brake jamming just after the start so his Dad Tim got off his bike and lent him his and away Mitch went in what i can only describe as spectacular as he was that far behind he had no pressure or worries and made up some serious ground and places until he pulled in and posted a DNF, Teamsnapper’s Oliver Macrae was also flying but his bike started wining and screeching so he decided to pull out before he blew it to smithereens. Burt Crabbe posted DNF but completed 4 laps. Wayne Player was firing on all cylinders and looked on top form but yet again 30 minutes into race he loses all energy and concentration to such a degree he gets passes by all and so far all tests by Doctors have shown no problems health wise but Wayne is a class/event winner and that is clearly evident from watching him for first 30 minutes, he lives and eats healthily so if anyone has ever come across similar symptoms please contact me or Wayne as he is that close to packing in as it’s that frustrating,

Veteran Class
It’s been on the cards for a while and i have mentioned many times of recent events what true resilient passionate rider and supporter of Enduro Teamsnapper’s Manny Bernardez is and to win the Veteran Class today will be Manny’s highlight of the year so far especially in such good company, Martin Turner got runners up spot and was on it from the off and as still a newbie who has crossed over from the Motocross scene he really is making a noise and having spoke to Martin he really is liking the new challenge and formats and will be a front runner that’s for sure and be interesting to see martin on an Enduro bike which he has just purchased, 3rd was Ady Matthews whom have seen very little of this season due to his commitments racing some Pre 74 stuff but was truly back at the races today, 4th Ian Pearce, 5th went to Adam Burt who will be pleased with that in such company, 6th PMCRC’s very own Shane Babey will be a tad disappointed with 6th as he rides well at Slab especially when dry but due to his commitments at PMCRC he does not ride as often as he really wants to and with the hot weather he did look a tad jaded towards the end, in other words he was riding ragged towards the end , 7th was Nick Littlecott, 8th Peter Moller who looked happy and i could see his confidence grow each lap, Tony Nother made me fully aware pre race that he has changed his way and seen the light and has stopped drinking............... for one night a week or the night pre race , well it’s a start Tony, however did it make any difference to his racing .... in a word..... yes .... as he was definitely perspiring less... well done Tony on your 9th place, Terry Carter 10th, 11th to Steve Cornell who helped a couple of riders out today when they were stuck and he lost lots of time and two riders themselves have asked me to thank you for your help and if you contact me there is a Teamsnapper Hoody waiting for you, Steve Taylor completed 6 laps and came home 12th, Edward Pink posted a DNF.

Clubman A Class
The top 4 in this class were all so very close and maybe a year not riding would have helped Teamsnapper’s Lee Bartram a bit more as he looked a tad weary in the last 30 minutes but never less a great 4th place although he let me down as he just missed Erika twice after losing control (albeit planned), how can you miss a target like her, 3rd spot went to Josh Kirby whose had a few bike problems towards the end but managed that final podium spot, 2nd and without doubt a star in the making and my first witnessing him on an adult bike was Jordan Ridgway who to me has it all and it won’t be long before he is a top Championship class rider, Teamsnapper’s Liam Thomas despite never getting the chance to ride due his World Trials commitment as top Minder he always digs deep and never gives up when given the opportunity and today he grabbed with both hands and was one of only a few riders today in the very hot and sandy conditions who looked better as the event wore on, Niles Reid came home 5th with 14 laps completed and can be quietly smug beating Dad Graham in same class who came home 9th with 13 laps, 6th Shaggy Mulliner on the Crescent Yamaha looked happy one minute and then not so happy the next minute but one thing he does do consistently is always be immaculately dressed and bike well prepped and pretty, 7th Simon Paul who was one of those riders who seemed to get better as the event wore on and looked far happier on the bike in the latter stages and to beat family is always a bonus with brother Andrew 10th but same amount of laps, 8th Tom Downes who simply hates enduro and today was simply a way of getting time on the motocross bike, well Tom i thought you started a bit apprehensively but reading your body language at the end you looked like you were enjoying and considering the lack of enduro time 8th is good my friend so hopefully we will see you again, Stewart (Pongo) Liming despite parading around the paddock half naked making Kaka go all silly and giggly rode damn well and was surprised by such a low finishing position so maybe a problem i do not know about, Jonathan Pearce who was his usual entertaining self today with more time spent in the air than on the ground posted 12 laps and 12th place, 13th Teamsnapper rider Dan Jarratt had a few scary moments out there today but showed he can run with the Clubman A riders, Paul Duffy posted a DNF after 6 laps with bike problem i believe.

Clubman B Class
Simon Amott won the class by a small amount over Mike Ridgway who looked like he was going to take the win but Simon upped his game, both posted 13 laps completed, 3rd was Chris Welch, 4th Gerald Holdway, 5th Paul Gentle who took a while to get used to the deep sand but once he found his groove he made up some good ground and hopefully we will see more of Paul this year (By the way Paul it’s Kaka you should aim for and not me lol), 6th Super show off Sheldon Seal who entertained me all day whether up in the air or on the ground and 12 laps completed and 6th place although i reckon you would have been top 3 if you had not spent so much time airborne ;-) , 7th to the Gentle Giant and good friend Ian Watt who will be very pleased with that result, 8th Pete Reynolds who will still be grinning beating his good mate Lee Whitcombe 9th who was riding his last event and will be missed by many that’s for sure, Nick Spooner 10th and Simon Gatehouse 11th, Oleg Savochkin AKA The Mad Russian was 12th, 13th Cole Nother who i could see was getting a bit frustrated on his tiny 125 in the really deep sand but never gave up and a great learning event for him, George Miles posted 6 laps but DNF, Tim Lunn posted 4 laps completed but DNF after twisting his knee.

Sportsman Class
Superteen Adam Brady took to his first ever visit to Slab Common and Sand like a Duck to Water and in my eyes did not put a boot wrong all day and was a pleasure to watch, runner up Steve Curtis with a great display of talent in this class, 3rd and very much at the other end of the age spectrum from adam was Kenneth Ward whom i imagine was a top rider in his day as sure knew how to cope with the sand, 4th Scott Patrick whom started cautiously but once he found his Mojo he was in the groove, The ever improving Paul Chalwin 5th who is getting some good results lately but this event will be a great learning curve and a big step forward, 6th Lee Blackburn who does not lack balls and very much a hang on for the ride type of rider which does make me grin when he flies by, 7th hopefully a happier Nick Summers as this man gets no luck in this sport he so loves and i so wish him well at every event and let’s hope Nick that the bike gremlins have gone (Will keep the Matches and Firelighters in the van, just in case), A Teamsnapper rare appearance in the shape of Paul Burnett AKA Burnie who sadly does not get the chance to ride that often due to his work commitments or drinks parties which ironically nearly scuppered his one off appearance today, i mean .... who in their right mind would have a drinks party the night before an event and as Burnie said it all started off so calm and serene with just a glass or 2 of wine, which then turned into a bottle or 2, which then resulted in YES the real party animal and the giver of all Hangovers The Port.... enough said but the look on his face first thing was etched in pain as every heartbeat was emphasised 100 times in decibels inside his head and looked at one stage he was gonna go home but he dug deep, in fact that deep he rode superb and brought it home in 8th and best of all hangover gone ......... what a hangover cure eh, Kev Wells is definitely back at the races with a superb showing and good result in 9th , 10th for TM mounted Sam Baker, 11th Darren Newton completed 10 laps and was one of the most consistent in class, 12th Frederic Torres , 13th Keith Bicker, 14th Roy Grassie, 15th Paul Gedysk, 16th Ian Ballard, 17th Andy Silverston, 18th Ollie Durrant, 19th James Negus, 20th Teamsnapper rider Myles Walshe who does not have the natural talent to be a good enduro rider but what Myles has is a true passion for Motorcycles in all guises and has recently become a true lover of enduro and today was a great test for him both physically and mentally and at the end of the event he was physically numb and mentally drained but for one he posted a finish and secondly with his face had this huge grin which simply told me Myles is here for the long haul and very much a welcomed rider. Richard Drane 21st, Colin Sarling DNF, Glenn Woodland DNF, Elliot Kerr completed 4 laps and was going okay but sadly DNF, Aaron Pearse who was on his first event sadly got stuck in the bog of all bogs and ended up posting a DNF, Tich Marshfield completed 3 laps before getting a puncture which is so much more disappointing when you have travelled so far, Edward Charman DNF, and Piers Faulkner DNF.
What a cracking day with the basking sun, great entry, great lap that was well marked and a very social happy paddock.

Hants Police & XHG Tigers MCC 24-06-2012Slab Common Nr Borden Hampshire
Coles Royce Performance by Magic Malcolm
Report & Photos Rich Troth

Yes i know it's very unhealthy laying in bed thinking about two men but as i was drifting off to sleep on Saturday night the rain was hammering down outside and was thinking of Dave Ryall and Grant Beaden (Hants Police MCC) who were camping the night at Slab Common of which i did not envy and the rain just did not stop the whole night and was so expecting a phone call to say they were cancelling.... Upon arrival at Slab i was met by a very alert Grant who even at this time had his orderly hat on and directed me to my parking spot and for those who are interested Dave was still snoring.

Well the morning was bright and rain had stopped so time for a lap on the quad...... 3.5 mile lap ... when i came back i spoke to the guys who laid the track (XHG Tigers) and i raved enthusiastically about what a superb course they had laid and how much i enjoyed it (Bearing in mind i was on a 4x4 Quad) and i recommended that no changes needed to be done ... however when they all went out to check course they realised that many riders would struggle due to the amount of rain so changed the course quite a lot to try and accommodate all levels of riders.

Expert Class
Malcolm Coles most definitely had the magic touch today as to conquer and dominate Slab Common in such harsh wet conditions was simply Paul Daniels at his best (I hate Paul Daniels and thing he is married to) the Surrey Police MCC rider on the Teamsnapper/Finch Cycles Yamaha led from the off and pushed hard early on to get a good lead then controlled the race from there on, Runner up Roger Frean(Yamaha) had to play catch up all day after a bad start and thrilled the crowd with his entertaining aggressive style, final podium went to Tim Metcalf who again has a very reckless entertaining style, Steve Bird (Teamsnapper KTM) was Mr Consistent in this class and only just missed out on the podium but great ride Steve, Richard Gunner (Yamaha) made an awesome start and did well to finish 5th as lacking bike fitness as not been riding that regular and looked ragged towards the end, John Parsons (Gas Gas) 6th and Phil Richards (KTM)7th, Stephen Mulliner (Yamaha) had DNF and was riding with injury and not the best place in these conditions so early bath it was, Graham Maunder (Teamsnapper Yamaha) got stuck in (Up to top of engine) on lap one and in the course of trying to get out he blew the engine totally.....Mr Maunder must have been very bad in a previous life as no luck this year for the likeable Graham... who also is losing his hair, Chris Gunter(Honda) is a fast guy and does not ride that often in events we cover but when he does he just knows he will DNF as we are his bad omen and today was no different but a bit of Teamsnapper advice to you Chris.... If your gonna pick a fight choose something more your own size as a Tank is a little but above you, Jacque Stevens (Husaberg) i gave Jacque the kiss of death as told him i was expecting him to finish on the podium but Jacque could not get going or find a rhythm and probably wished he had stayed in bed, Team Psycho Tom Moore (Husaberg) must have been dehydrated as saw him head first in a big pond and then fellow Psycho Chris Welch crashed and needed to be taken to hospital so ended the nutters race prematurely which is a word his wife commonly uses.
Fastest lap of the day by some margin was Malcolm 11.55

Clubman A Class
If the experts weren't entertaining enough then Dave (The Clown) Downes (KTM) was in superb form and i forget how many times i saw him out of control but entertainment at its best, Tristan Robinson(Team Dibby KTM) who with his trials background looked as happy as a pig in shit through the bogs and deep sand on a borrowed KTM (Aaron Dibnah) and kept the ever chasing Joe Atkinson(KTM) (3rd Place) at bay for the runners up spot and a much deserved podium for Joe as not had the best of luck recently, God knows how James Pittaway got 4th as spent more times in the pits than on track and then does what ????? Yeah runs out of fuel ..... talk about throw all your toys out the pram (Hee Hee), 5th was John(JB)Brown whose body language today was in the middle.... not really enjoying yet riding ok and the little KTM worked hard for JB today, Aaron Dibnah (Team Dibby KTM) was riding well and having a great duel With Tristan and Richard Gunner and at one stage was in front of both showing that us that ability he sometimes hides but brake pad deterioration and trip over the bars ended his day, Tom Downes (Yamaha) was riding his own race and unlike brother Dave, Tom will be a bit more cautious the first one or two laps and looked to me he had found a rhythm and riding well but DNF which i think would be bike related,
Fastest lap of the day by some margin was Dave 12.57

Clubman B Class
Iain Randall (KTM) was only Clubman B rider to complete 12 laps and as witnessed by myself spent a fair bit of time eating dirt but took much deserved win from runner up Keith Workman who was Mr Consistent lap after lap and one of the only riders who actually looked like he was enjoying himself, 3rd was Ian Andrews who also got fastest lap of class and so regular on the podium lately but just misses out on top spot but good season so far, Gas Gas rider Carl Smye who is another very consistent reliable rider who adapts well to most conditions rode well and much deserved top 5, Noel James (KTM) finished off the top 5, 6th was Rick "Special" Gardner (KTM) who gets better each time out but has the style and pace for podiums of which i am sure will be coming soon for "The Special One", also in top ten were Gary Ruddick (KTM), Paul Aylward (Honda), Matt Peacock (Kawasaki), Carl Mexter who turned up with the most immaculately turned out bike(Teamsnapper KTM) it seemed such a shame to get so messed up but that's what Carl did and to be honest i was expecting Carl to retire as the course got really rutted and cut up but Carl had to prove he was made of tougher stuff and posted a finish 10th, Terry Carter (Gas Gas) 11th and great ride as riding with injuries from recent incident, Lee Coates (Coates Honda) who looked uncomfortable on first lap but once got used the deep wet sand rode well and consistent and am sure gained valuable experience in the process, Sam Dimmock (KTM) i was expecting at the very least a top 10 for Sam but not sure whether he struggled with conditions or other as looked relatively comfortable, James Collette (KTM) made Top 15 as did Daniel Simpson(KTM) who rode consistently if a tad cautiously but has good bike control, Kevin Miller (Teamsnapper Gas Gas) might as well as stayed in bed as looked like shit when he turned up and his performance (as so often said by his good wife Martine) was so short with little or no go and to say Limp is an understatement.... Kevin you can do better and you know you can my friend (kiss kiss to make up), Giggsy (Teamsnapper KTM) well he posted a finish which could be a first in many many years of racing and in true Giggsy style will celebrate in style with his brothers Grumpy, Sneezy, Bashful, Happy, Doc, Dopey and Sleepy, Michael Stevens (Yamaha) posted a finish but was never comfortable in the conditions, Andy Marriner (Teamsnapper KTM) has learnt a very valuable lesson especially when your a heavy brake user as Andy is, but he will never buy a set of brake pads (Unknown Brand) from Flea Bay for 99p as Andy lasted under 2 laps when they self destructed ending his day and putting more misery on his lovely Zoe as not quite had his off road fix of adrenalin.
Fastest lap of the day by some margin was Ian 14.44

Veteran Class
Chris Stanger(Teamsnapper/Stainger Glass KTM) is a man having a purple patch which continued today with a romp of a win that showed whatever the conditions he wants to be counted and is becoming a target man for others, 2nd was Graham Reid (KTM) who was the consistent one in this class and rode a good race from start to finish, 3rd on a borrowed bike was Marc Morris(Giggsy Gas Gas) who used all is experience to post a great result, 4th for the Big Bad Boy Bruno Studley has become a good friend of mine surprised me again not only with his ability but fitness as well in these conditions is paramount and what he needs to work on is GETTING THAT FAT ARSE off the seat and stand more (Great ride Bad Boy), 5th on the Coates Honda was Kevin Coates who entertained me with some of his manoeuvres in a sort of out of control manner, Brian Pettit (KTM) 6th who rode steady and gained some great experience, Colin Fish 7th (KTM) must despise me as everytime i saw him and he saw me he went all to pot to my amusement but to his frustration but 9 laps completed so well done Colin, Tony Robbins (KTM) made Top 10 as did Lee Mather (KTM) whom for some unknown reason got hardly any photos of and that i apologise for but never less a value lesson in the wet sand for Lee, Steve Cook (Progrip Husqvarna) was running in top 3 but retired with mechanical but not before roosting me and camera (Revenge is sweet Mr Cook), Larry Hall (KTM) also had early bath after 4 laps as did Vince Flavell(KTM) and Nick Burr(KTM).
Fastest lap of the day by some margin was Chris 13.50

Sportsman Class
Simon Amott is down as winner but cannot confirm as regular good Clubman rider and should not be in this class, Runner up was teenager Niles Reid(Yamaha) who rode a very mature race in such awful conditions and really the deserved winner, Seb Chilvers (Honda) who was out on his new steed of which i am glad is a Red Honda and did not go to the dark side of orange and even in these conditions dug deep, kept concentration to post not only his best ride but also on the final of which i congratulate, Pete Firth (Gas Gas) who yet again proves consistent lap times works and a well earned 4th, 5th went to the fastest man in this class Anthony Brown(Kawasaki) who was early leader but they say bad luck comes in 3's.... well he broke down on way to slab and got towed in by fellow rider, went from 1st to 5th and ..... mmmm (Expect something soon Anthony) ;-) Simon Turnbull (KTM) 6th well the ex Husaberg man is gelling well with the KTM and getting results and to be honest looks more comfortable on the orange bike,7th was Benn Coffin (KTM) although quick just never looked that happy out there but i would be interested to see him at a dry Slab Common, Ashley Harrison (Teamsnapper Yamaha) rides with a smile and despite eating sand for much of the day enjoys his bike time and a well earned top 10, Nick Summers (KTM) must be pleased to have posted a finish in such conditions, Nickolas Brooks (KTM) had more a ride out as does not ride that often as usually on the paddock side looking after his better half Stephanie Rowe (AJP) who did so well in the deep sand and posted a finish with 8 laps, Tim Moran (Yamaha) who was lightening quick but must have had problem with only 8 laps as easily on podium pace, David and Jack Coates (Coates KTM) both posted finishes and both ran at similar pace with David just getting the advantage (This time),Andrew White (Husqvarna) started very steady and left it all a bit too late as got quicker with each lap and could visibly see his confidence grow and posted a finish with 8 laps, Jeremy Leamy (KTM) posted a finish of 6 laps and is learning fast the different terrains with each outing and today was a valuable learning curve in wet horrible sand, James Fordham (Fordham Engineering Gas Gas) rides well has good bike control but needs more stamina as when he does achieve a good level of bike fitness he can say goodbye to this class, Glenn Stevens (KTM) wanted us to take notice of him as cannot think of another reason to wear pink or as someone pointed out faded red but never less enjoyed his time in the sand and posted that valuable finish, Rob Fairall (KTM) of TRF fame knows what to do and has bike skills but lacks bike fitness and with today's conditions fitness over rides talent or ability and due to shift working Rob cannot get out as often as possible, Fredderic Torres (Yamaha),Paul Townley(KTM), Gary White (KTM), Darren Newton (Husqvarna), Mike Johns (Suzuki ?), Phil Reynolds (KTM) all posted finishes which shows what a tough durable bunch of Sportsman riders we had, Barry John (KTM) posted DNF but not sure why but i did see him out of control so maybe conditions too much, Mark Jackson (Suzuki) posted a DNF and forgot he was at enduro as decided to do some acrobats in front of his wife ... to her amusement, Some other DNF's posted were Jason Hickman (Suzuki), Paul Skuse (Suzuki), Orrin Leech (Honda), Geoff Sermon (Husqvarna) who just knew from the moment of arriving it was all going to go pear shaped, Chris Welch (Team Psycho Husaberg) was riding the day before his family holiday abroad and that just proves why the man is unstable as came off and dislocated shoulder and tore shoulder ligaments as well as sore bollocks because if i was Mrs Welch that's what i would do for riding so close to holiday (Get Well Soon Mate). Nick Rumble (KTM) and John Jones(Yamaha) both deserve either medals or a clip round the ear with a "What on earth do you think you're doing" as it was both their very first off road event .... Slab Common, Torrential Rain, Deep Sand etc both posted finishes of 2 and 3 laps which i applaud and hope it has not put you off as you won't have a worse event for hard conditions....... or will they!!!!!
Fastest lap of the day by some margin was Anthony Brown (5th) 14.44
Had great time as always and massive shout to Hants Police MCC and XHG Tigers for another successful enjoyable event.
Snapsy www.teamsnapper.co.uk 

Sun Sand and Bolter
Slab Common 
Report and photo of Daryl,
www.teamsnapper.co.uk 

The sun peered over Bordon in Hampshire early Sunday morning making Slab Common look very tropical and with an entry of 170 riders the crew of Hants Police and XHG Tigers were up checking and making adjustments to the 4.5 mile track, and what a track they had made and very different from the usual Slab layouts with many directional changes and making as much use of the sand as possible, a lot of spectators evident with some travelling a long way simply due to the class of riders entered….. what I do know is that they went home fully entertained till the chequered flag.

Championship Class
With a line including Alan keet (Suzuki), Daryl Bolter (KTM), Tom Church (KTM), Arran Poolman (KTM), George Bayliss (Yamaha), Jamie Tempest (Yamaha), James Giddings (KTM), Max Varney (Yamaha) but every time Keet and Bolter meet it is MX Verses Enduro and always fireworks and this time was no different with the lead changing lap after lap between the two and was more like a MX race than a 3 hr event but today belonged to Daryl and in this sort of form no-one was going to deny him but Keet pursued and hounded but with about 20 minutes left Daryl finally broke away for the victory which was so well earned, along with Keet they managed 20 laps, one more than 3rd place Tom Church who did not adjust to Slab in the early laps but as the event wore on he got faster and faster and 2 more than 4th place down to 8th, Arran Poolman was 4th who had a very spectacular moment that I am still unclear on how he saved but definitely getting back to form,5th was George Bayliss who looked the most uncomfortable out there of the all the Championship riders but kept putting consistent lap, 6th was MX rider Jamie Tempest who rode well, 7th was Moto-Ward Teamsnapper Yamaha Max Varney who usually rides Expert class and proved today he can mix it with the big boys, 8th was James Giddings who did not seem to put a foot wrong and looked silky smooth but still trying to get back to race fitness after last years injury, 9th was Clive Gammage (The Entertainer)(KTM) who rode like a man possessed yet 9th place so not sure if he had problem, 10th Neil Caroll (KTM), Other Notables Dan Lawry (ET James Teamsnapper KTM) took his spade and bucket and made a few sand castles, Lawrence Catt (KTM) was his usual consistent self and finished with 16 laps, Rob Carey (KTM) went out after 12 laps but was inside the top 10 prior, young David Keet also retired early with problem, and Joe Dyke who was on his Dad's KTM was running well until a puncture halted his progress early.

Fastest lap by Keet which was one second faster than Bolter 08.44
( Championship Rider of the day has to go to Daryl Bolter who showed us what a REAL class act he can be, especially in this kind of company)

Expert Class
With 17 laps a piece the top 3 Experts battled from start to finish with Roger Frean(Yamaha) and Jake Lawes (KTM) taking an early advantage, sadly Jake DNF'd early, but once the big man Paul Keet (KTM) got into his rhythm he found his groove and must have had fingers crossed as the last few times he had ridden here he had DNF'd but today the sun was shining on him and a much deserved win, Frean 2nd with Dave Coles (KTM) 3rd, Kriega KTM Chris Salt was 4th and to me was the most stylish/comfortable riders out there who appears to hover over the sand and a pleasure to watch, 5th Teamsnapper rider Andy Claxton simply had a ball and once he settled and got into the Claxton groove he was as happy as a child in a play ground, 6th Tim Metcalf who evidently looks visually fast especially in the open areas and thought would have been higher up the board but lap times were consistent, 7th KTM mounted Dan Groom considering his lack of bike fitness seemed to get faster as event wore on but looked comfortable throughout, 8th Bernie Macari (KTM) was his usual calculated self and consistent as ever, 9th Clare Taylor who seemed to tire noticeably around the 10 lap mark, 10th was my good friend Stephen Mulliner (Yamaha) who seems to have one great lap and one not so great, 11th Rob Taylor who was on borrowed bike and completed 15 laps, other notables Paul Skinner who maybe wished he had not been number lucky 13 as not so lucky for him as running top 3 early on but still managed 12 laps, Teamsnapper rider Dave (DT) Taylor has spent 12 months getting not only his TM back to top spec but also getting himself fit but sadly the very talented Dave had serious bike probs and made use of the event as practice but showed what a capable rider he is, Jake Lawes another great talent who went out early, Would be pilot James Boyce I believe retired or if not is possibly still orbiting Borden (Yes he likes his air).

Fastest Lap Keet 10.28
(Expert Rider of the day goes to Chris Salt for simply being magical to watch and pretty much a text book rider)

Clubman A Class
A great battle between Karl Langford(KTM) and Heiko Stranghone with Heiko making the early running but always hot on his heels was Langford, Mark Goddard(KTM) and Dave Downes(KTM) and but Heiko either tired or had problem (Finished 7th) as Langford pulled a lead and kept consistent lap after lap and crossed the line the victor with 16 laps followed by Downes and Goddard, 4th was James Smith (KTM) whom found a groove and rhythm and stuck to it and rode his own race and never got embroiled with anyone else and was good to see as James excels in these conditions that require more than a quick right hand and as ever his Dad Colin and Grandad the legendary Ted Smith were at hand in the paddock, 5th was KTM mounted Liam Thomas who had a few moments out there and am sure he held his breath a few times but a positive ride and finish, Well well Team Dibby Racing rider Aaron Dibnah is either competitive or away with the fairies and am glad to report that today he was not at Fairyland and rode the best I have seen this season and looked very comfortable to such a degree I felt he could have gone quicker but nether less a great ride for 6th, 8th Lee Barthram (KTM) was running in 4th for a while but dropped down and unsure the reason why but seemed to enjoy and looked happy throughout, 9th was the big man Donovan Pearce who had a ball and looked super quick through the sandy wooded section, Top 10 was rounded off by Gas Gas rider Tristan Robinson who did not seem to settle as he usually did and at times made hard work for himself as it looked from my angle that he was forever changing lines trying to find that magical one, Other notables, 11th Paul White 15 laps, the very likeable Jamie Moller 12th (Gas Gas) who seems to have taken a liking for air these days, Oliver Macrae (Yamaha) who is very quick and could be top 3 but just needs that bit of consistency, a great personal battle was going on between Shane Babey (Babey racing KTM) and John Brown (Whiteways Café) and I know how deep down John wants victory but also on the other hand I know Shane wants to keep the upper hand, John made the early running but once Shane got into his groove it was going to be close, I saw John have an off close to the starting area which did not help matters but when you see Shane standing on his pegs instead of sitting you knew it was serious, Shane wins this time but if I was a betting man …. Who knows eh !!, Dan Sopp (KTM) was shadowing James Smith for a few laps which definitely looked like it was helping Dan early on but Dan being Mr polite got stuck behind some slower riders and waited far too long to pass and I witnessed this 3 times which equalled a lot of time but still manged a finish with 14 laps, Bruce Moynihan and Matthew Hubbard also completed 14 laps and a finish, Axel Foerster completed 13 laps and Tom Downes who must have had problem finished with 11 laps, Tony Primmer (Yamaha) was having a great ride and looked happy but sadly an off left his arm trapped under his front exhaust pipe and had nasty burn that caused a DNF, Jack Hooper started well but retired after 4 laps.

Fastest Lap Langford 10.34.
(Clubman A Rider of the day goes to James Smith for setting out his stall and sticking to it)

Clubman B Class
A convincing win for Honda mounted Robin Scarry who never seemed to put a foot wrong all day and made easy work of the deep sand and a very healthy 15 laps and fastest lap of 11.17, 2nd was the very entertaining and stylish rider in the guise of Lennie Tidd (KTM) and 3rd went to Ian Mace, 4th Ian Andrews, 5Th Kai Martin and 6th Nicholas Lanigan whom all completed 14 laps,Tom Martin, Fent Eastlake, Russ johns and Pete Reynolds all completed 13 laps and was especially good day for Pete Reynolds to get one up manship on his best buddy Lee Whitcombe, Other notables Ashley Harrison with 12 laps and a finish, Stewart Churchyard, Terry Carter and Ian Watt all completed 11 laps, Paul Toth and Darren Giggs completed 10 laps, Martin Biles who was so near to finishing and riding well had a big off and required first aid which ended his day with 12 laps, Karl Dyderski on the Danger Mouse KTM left after an argument with Penfold apparently, Rick Gardner DNF'd after 7 laps but riding well until then, Steve Adams and Teamsnapper rider Richard Morgan both out after 5 laps, Richard had such a good season last year yet this year he seems plagued with DNF's.

(Clubman B rider of the day goes to Lennie Tidd for being such an entertaining yet capable rider who enthralled the spectators as well as myself)

Veteran Class
Psycho Racing Husaberg mounted Tom Moore has always liked Slab but many a time Slab has not liked Tom but today Tom tamed the sand and won in what can only be described as focused and committed and with 16 laps under his belt and the fastest lap by some 30 seconds, how different things may have been if Wayne Player (Pro-Clean KTM) had not crashed and crashed in style he did and very lucky to have come away without serious injury, 2nd down to 5th was very different with Husky mounted Steve Cook looking like a podium spot was his but lost time somewhere and finished 5th, Psycho Racing KTM rider Tim Newman was also heading for podium but tired towards the end and came in 4th, with left Chris Boyce who was one of the most consistent riders out there today 3rd spot and runner up was Graham Reid, 6th and 7th Stephen Woodrow and Gavin Cole both completed 14 laps, 8th was Dorset Police MCC Rider Mark Barter (KTM) who looked Comfortable throughout although sporting illegal sized numbers which I will be reporting ( It's a joke ha ha…. Police …. Number plates…. )9th Glenn Hall, 10th Gareth Allen completed 12 laps, another Dorset Police MCC Rider Adrian Needham also completed 12 laps and is currently seeking legal advice against a rider who over took him at speed during the event ( Ha Ha … its another police joke…. Come on folks wake up), Wayne Barnett after bribing his way through scrutineering finished with 11 laps along with Brian Torr, Bruno Studley, and Tony Robbins, Ian Ballard (Husqvarna) completed 9 laps along with Colin Fish, Gary Goble (Husaberg) completed 8 laps but needs to work on his fitness as good lap times, so pack in then ciggies my friend, Peter Moller (Husaberg) had a short day due to a small mechanical error but spent the rest of the day in the sunshine supporting his son Jamie, an even shorter day for Dorset Police MCC rider Craig Redmond who went missing and presumed lost after 1 lap anyone with any information on his disappearance or whereabouts please contact the Clerk of the Course ( Another Police joke …. And the last one lol )
(Veteran rider of the day Tom Moore who just proves that being mentally unstable is not a disability)

Sportsman Class
Not the fastest rider out there by his own admission but what Chris Welch (Husaberg) does have is the will to finish and bang out consistent laps and stay out of trouble and today everything slotted into place with a great victory, Paul Gentle was 2nd but has the consolation of getting the fastest lap of 12.16 and not running over any snappers, and 3rd went to Stuart Bowers,4th to Charlie Woodage whom looked very happy and comfortable in the sand, REME rider and all round nice guy Craig Hunter (REME Yamaha) 5th but was running top 3 for a while, 6th Stuart August, 7th and probably still smiling Keith Fielder (KTM) who had a great day and some good moments but very consistent, 8th Andy Playne who started a bit tentatively but had a great middle section and then tired a bit towards the end so a game of three halves for Mr Playne , Michael Bosak had a great ride and completed 12 laps, Gary Taylor, Rob Fry, Dean Llewhellyn, Mark Jackson, Mick Scarry, all completed 11 laps, Seb Chilvers (Gas Gas) was expected to finish higher but had bad nights sleep the previous night due to his wife's flatulence problem, Duncan Pate, James Plowright, Andrew White aall completed 10 laps, Lloyd Gore loves to be on his bike playing in the sand and had a great day with 9 completed laps, Kevin Miller takes my crash award not only for doing a triple somersault but for then to continue to fall off each and every lap somewhere on the circuit (Only Kidding Kev), Another rider who must ignore the camera is BMW mounted Andrew Saines who promptly posed and then promptly crashed but got back on to complete 9 laps, After a long lay off Chris Davey had a great ride with 8 completed laps along with Andrew Smith and Matt Powell, Geoff Sermon always looks like he never enjoys by the faces he pulls but I know how much fun Geoff has and finished with 6 laps along with Dylan Giles and Gary Stevenson.
(Sportsman rider of the day Chris Welch for proving consistency and the will to finish gets you results)

That concludes what I can only describe as an event that met all the build up hype and more and everyone seemed to enjoy the course and organisation, which leaves me to thank Dave Ryall, Hants Police MCC and XHG Tigers and Portsmouth Motorcycle Racing Club (PMCRC) for not only supplying the timing equipment and the lovely Sue to run but for all the admin work prior to the event.

Photos

Slab win for James Jackman
Hampshire Police MCC Slab Common 23-10-11

A fair bit of rain the day before was good news as it keeps that sand dust down but on the day it was a glorious T Shirt day...The course itself was very flowing and very fast, sweeping between large deep sand areas and wooded areas that really flowed and allowed the riders to get into a rhythm with some experts doing under 9 minute laps and Sportsman doing under 13 minute laps, i spoke to the majority of riders at some stage and all made same comment that it was one of the best layouts of Slab albeit a tad too short which of course did not worry the MX guys that like to come to Slab simply to play in the sand and today was no exception with some very good riders from the MX present.

Dave Ryall and his team are always set up early, signing on and scrutineering is so organised there is hardly ever a queue and Shane Babey (PMCRC) was here to organise and supervise the timing system.

Some 120 riders signed on with over 20 experts it was looking like it was going to be a good one...... and it was.. ........

On Your Marks..Get Set..Ready ..GO GO GO

Experts
James Jackman (Midwest Husaberg) who had been out for a while with injury and was so eager to ride and genuinely loves Slab got off the line like a scolded cat and ebbed out 15 seconds within the first 3 minutes and full credit to James as when he is this fired up he is very hard to beat and his pin point accuracy through the deep sand and berms was very text book and great to watch and he never looked back and led from start to finish and we never saw him make an error and due to the quick laps he was lapping some guys on his second lap and James is one of the nice guys out there and all passes i saw were very clean and polite.....mmmm maybe some other riders should take note (Am so tempted lol), Aaron Smith (Midwest Husaberg) was having a great battle with Jack Turner (KTM) with Jamie Tempest hunting them down after a not so good start, Dan Beaven shocked me as he was riding a Yamaha and did not look that comfortable early on but as the time and laps moved on he was looking faster and faster, Slab masters Tony Cotty and Jason Corden usually (REME KTM) but both on alien machinery as Tony was on Dan Beavens KTM and Jason on a 2 stroke...Suzuki ... (well guys i know you both DNF'd but equally you both rode awesome and looked best i have seen you this season..... new bikes all round then), Roger Frean (Yamaha) was his usual menacing self lurking in that top 5, James Graham who i have not seen all season was making some great moves through the field was being his usual entertaining self, sadly Slab cursed a few and as mentioned Cotty and Corden were out and so was Aaron Smith who had fuel problem but got going again but too late to place, also Wayne Player (KTM) who was riding within the top 10 went out which is rare for Wayne and Tim Newman (KTM) who does not seem to have much lady luck this year, Jack Turner held on to 2nd place quite comfortably and was matching James Jackmans times lap after lap, 3rd went to Jamie Tempest who seemed happy with his days work, Dan Beaven 4th whom if had better start and on his KTM things may have been different but a great ride neverless, the top 5 was finished off by Roger Frean(Yamaha) who really is a great entertainer on 2 wheels and deserved that top 5, Would also like to mention Dan Warner (TM) who rode his socks off and really is proving to be a menace in the experts. Fastest lap was james Jackman (08.56).
Clubman A
Dan Lewis(KTM) has been knocking on doors all season showing his potential but event after event he has some sort of woe, but today was Dan's day and fingers crossed he can make headway now for next season with 16 laps completed and the fastest lap (11.07) but the top 3 in this class were tight and i mean tight as the lead changed many times and had to feel for Malcolm Coles(Yamaha) who fell at the start and then played catch up but rode with anger which not only showed but in my humble opinion he upped his game and wanted to fight really earned that 3rd place, Donavan Pearce made it clear that he was here to win on his KTM, i don't know a lot about Donavan but for a big guy he sure can ride and he had a few small off's which may of hindered him but entertaining especially in the deep berms, a really superb top 3 in which the victor could have been anyone of them.... but today we applaud Dan Lewis.
4th went to Croydon MCC legend Joe Beard (KTM).
Clubman B
Well Tom and Dave Downes had a plan i reckon but what they hadn't planned for was the young upstart Liam Thomas to spoil there party in yet again a battle of 3 which could have gone to anyone of them, although Liam (KTM) managed one more lap (Just managed to pass beam to get one more in) and took victory it was so very close with Tom (Yamaha) getting fastest lap and getting 2nd place and Dave (KTM) with his very aggresive style that made him hit the sand once or twice looked so visibly quick but came came home in 3rd so victory went to Liam and a sweet one it was with his whole family here supporting and to be honest Liam has only ridden a handful of enduros albeit a very good trials rider but rode like a Clubman A rider and listened to advice during stops....Remember the name Liam Thomas, Gavin Cole (Honda) who shares same barber as me snatched 4th place and i must apologise to Gavin as i was leaning too far into the track to get a good shot off him coming off the sand berm but he went wider than i anticipated ..... but got great shot of his front wheel, 5th went to Normandy rider and Teamsnapper friend Keith Workman (KTM) who rode very well and looked comfortable at that pace.
I have to mention Peter Moller (Husaberg) whom broke his leg early in the year (Not motorcycle related) and has been a godsend this season for many people not only mentoring his son Jamie who has come on leaps and bounds but also various clubs where Peter is always helping out or volunteering for this and that and is one of the genuine Mr nice guys of this sport and today was his first event back in the saddle, i think Jamie was more nervous for his Dad than he was about himself....... 8th in class what a result for someone who was going to ride round gently (Gently at Slab lol) Welcome back Peter and a big thank you from the various SEEC clubs, PMCRC and of course your son Jamie.
Sportsman
Well this class had a very distinct winner in Kai Martin (KTM) who would have finished 4th in Clubman B and fastest lap time of 12.10 and did one more lap than anyone else he really was in a league of his own, The brightly kitted up Kenneth Ward was riding very well and very fast and was a comfortable 2nd place but ended up 3rd so not sure whether he came a cropper or had mechanical woes or did Slab do its job and wore him down lol which resulted in Mark Miller (KTM) getting 2nd, i do not know a lot about Mark but consistent lap after lap, never really looked out of shape and nice relaxed style of riding, 4th went to Chris Welch(KTM) who is becoming a regular top 5 man these days, well done Chris much deserved, Brian Torr (KTM) finished off the top 5.
A few people were shocked to see a Tiger roaming Slab Common but i was more shocked when i saw it riding a KTM in Clubman B class, this turned out to be the very likeable Timothy Tubb who was doing all for Cystic Fibrosis Charity and to have worn that outfit for 3 hours in that heat he deserves some donations http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/jamestubb 

Big thanks again to HPMCC, Shane Babey and Landmarc.

What a superb day that we enjoyed immensely and with so many smiling faces at the end with the sun still shining what more can a man want (No answers please).

Richard Troth - Photos online www.teamsnapper.co.uk 

Aaron Poolman won Hants Police & XHG
Hare and Hounds
at Slab Common near Bordon - 3rd April
Photo & Report www.teamsnapper.co.uk

You either love Slab Common or Hate it ......it really is the Marmite of tracks but whichever way you look at it you will always get to see the real difference in skill levels and Dave Ryall and his combined team from Hants Police and XHG put a short but extremely demanding circuit that was 50/50 forest and deep deep sand which Slab is famous for and with an expert entry list that consisted of James Jackman, James Giddings, Aaron poolman, Clive Gammage, Jack Turner, Laurence Catt and REME rider Tony Cotty plus others of which are all capable of a victory on their given day.

The track was dry albeit some damp patches, the sand was damp so no dust and the days weather could not have been better as dry with sunshine breaking through at times.

The experts went off at 1100hrs with Aaron Poolman(KTM) coming in 1st after lap one with James Jackman(Husaberg)following closely behind who had James Giddings(KTM) for company and thats the way it stayed till the end and everytime James Jackman made an inroad Aaron always responded and increased his lead , james Giddings tried to reign in James Jackman and at one time he was making some good time back but then an incident dropped him back again, the day belonged to Aaron who rode well but still had more in reserve if needed and completed 20 laps which was a lap more than 2nd and 3rd, also on 19 laps was Jack Turner (KTM) who rode well for 4th, the ever young Jack Twentyman (Yamaha) came home in 5th with 18laps followed by Clive Gammage (KTM) 18 laps, Laurence Catt (KTM) 18 laps, and Tony Cotty (KTM) 18laps.

Clubman A also had an outright winner in Donovan Pearce (KTM) with 17 laps to his credit and looked very comfortable in the sandy conditions, 2nd was Gas Gas mounted Philip Gilder who rode his socks off as i saw him many a time getting out of shape in the deep sand and his aggressive riding style paid off dividends, 3rd with a terrific ride was my good friend Craig Redmond (KTM) whose experience paid off and looked comfortable and smooth, both Craig and Philip completed 16 laps.

Clubman B was more closer affair with the top 3 all completing 15 laps but the honours went to Suzuki mounted Lennie Tidd whom at times looked like he was struggling and then in the next breath he was flying and was exceptionally quick through the forest sections, 2nd went to Teamsnapper favourite Keith Workman (KTM) who will win his class before the end of the season i promise and as always was Mr Consistent, 3rd was KTM mounted Colin Smith who again rode well in both the sand and forest and like Keith he was very consistent.

The Sportsman class had the top 3 with all on 14 laps and the lead between the three changed throughout the day depending on fuelling etc, my money was on Oliver Macrae (Yamaha) who was so entertaining with his balls out style but started to tire in the latter stages and had to settle for 3rd, 2nd went to Mike Smallshaw (Gas Gas) who rode superbly in the sand and really made it look easy on his Gas Gas, but the Sportsman honours went to Kevin Merron(Yamaha) who to be honest deserved the win as the most consistent of the top three and had the fastest lap out of the top 3.

Overall it was a great well run and supported event, Hants Police and XHG will be holding more events at Slab Common later in the year so please look out for regs , Hants Police and XHG would also like to thank PMCRC for the loan of timing equipment and the help of Sue Babey.

All photos can be viewed at www.teamsnapper.co.uk 

NB Report based on provisional results