RISULTATI SABATO 30 MARZO 2013
RISULTATI DOMENICA 31 MARZO 2013
FONTE: ENDURONEWS.COMEvery effort was made by the Elgin Endurance Club, Permission were sought from the land owners, contact made with the Police and the local council, risk assessments etc and finally checked with the traffic Police to ensure the competitors were safe to travel from all four corners of the country. On Wednesday at 12.00 noon it was all systems go and clearance was given for the first round of the ACU British Enduro Championship at Lossiemouth, it was Easter weekend and everyone would have a holiday on Monday to recover. Beautiful sunny weather welcomed everyone although it was very cold but the sunshine made up for that. The British Enduro competitors were having a taste of the travelling Ricky Mair, Richard Hay, Derek Little and Frazer Norrie have to endure for every event.
After a cold night there was excitement in the air and there was a large log across the track to catch out the unwary. The first check was a short run down to the forest entrance before heading down the public road to the first special test, and that is where the trouble started. The traffic Police had set up a roadside check and pulled in all the Championship riders, they were checking tax discs, insurance and registration numbers. Some of the riders did not realise it was a roadside check and had assumed it was riders being stopped for speeding but they were chased by another Police car using the blues and two’s. At one stage the word back at the check was riders were being arrested and there bikes impounded but luckily that was just a rumour. Several riders were given tickets for riding with illegal number plates so the club had to stop the event and prevent any other bikes going onto the public highway.
The club confirmed that they had spoken to the Police and were furious that they had not been warned about the road check to allow them to make a decision about the route, there will be many meetings following this situation.
The Championship riders typically still managed to get back on time for the check back into the forest but it was decided that they should ride the first test and hold back at the start finish area.
The organisers decided after some consultation that the event would restart at 1.00pm and they issued new times and time cards that would keep the riders in Lossie forest for the day and the second test at Birkenhall would be scrapped. It was generally agreed that the club had done well to turn the situation around and continue with an event that was worth Championship status.
At 1.00pm the Enduro started again although the mornings test in Lossie forest would count. The sun shone and the rest of the day passed without any major incidents.
The special test was a long twisting whooped sandy trail through the trees and ultimately out to the sand dunes and the edge of the beach. The check times were slack as the focus would now be on the special tests for all the riders.
Tom Sagar won day one overall in convincing style, Jamie Lewis second and Daryl Bolter in third tried to match his speed but he was in a league of his own. Daryl later confirmed that he was struggling to get into a rhythm in the sand. Jamie McCanney was the sole E1 2 stroke but managed to slot himself into fourth place overall, an astonishing achievement narrowly missing a place on the podium by just one second. Jack Rowland was top E1 4 stroke just four seconds ahead of Lee Edmondson as they battled it out throughout the day with Paul Bolton a little further back in third place. Local hero Ricky Mair won the E2 2 stroke class as he was in a determined mood right from the start finishing seventh overall, Mark Roberts was second although his times improved throughout the day and this would stand him in good stead for Sunday, and Neil Chatham returning to the British Enduro scene finished third. Frazer Norrie was the sole E3 2 stroke to survive the day taking the class win and eighth overall.
In the Expert class Scottish Enduros new recruit Ryan McLean was taking part in only his second Enduro and took his second Expert Class win after his debut at the Diss in February. The win could not have come any closer as he was neck and neck all the way winning by just a second from E1 2 stroke class winner Brad Freeman who won the E1 2 stroke class. James Dent was third overall in the Expert class taking the win in the E1 4 stroke class in the process.
Lee Sealey won E1 2stroke class and the overall Clubman class by just 2 seconds ahead of Lee Green the E3 2 stroke class leader with Phillip Wiffen third. Mark turner won the E1 4 Stroke class in 5th Overall.
There was a battle royal in the Vet Class as Derek Little set the pace although the vast experience of Carl Tiley saw him close in to within three seconds at the end of the day. Derek took the win with Carl second and Andrew Reeves could only pick up the pieces to finish third, Scottish regulars Murray Thomson and Richard Hay finished in fourth and fifth respectively.
In the Ladies class Jane Daniels set the pace but a fall and a damaged knee saw her finish the weekend on crutches which was a shame as she was setting some fantastic times. Katie Walker took the win again with some good special test times, Rhian George finished second with Fionn Griffiths third.
In the Sportsman class Scottish Enduro regular Bill Bruce won with Russell
Thomson second and Richard Williams third.
The atmosphere was good at the end of the first day as three laps of the sandy Lossie track plus the earlier run before the problems meant the riders had a good day out and could feel it. The general consensus was that the club had done a good job and had re started the event within an hour and sorted out the track.
It was to be a very cold night with clear skies and for some frozen gas pipes in the caravans.
Day two started early despite the clock change and it was decided that three laps of the now very whooped out track would be enough for the Championship and Expert riders with two laps and two tests at the finish for everyone else.
In the Championship Class the top four finished in the same order but with tighter margins and Tom Sagar won again despite a trip over the handlebars at the start finish log, he earned a big cheer from the spectators and he assured them it was a mistake and he did not need the attention, apart from that he was on top form again. Jamie Lewis looked intimidating in second place but he could not match the pace of Tom at the front finishing second overall and E2 4 Stroke with Daryl Bolter also now looking much more confident in third. Jamie McCanney also finished fourth again pushing his 125 all the way. Fifth place overall for Mark Roberts as he upped his game on the second day now he knew his way around pushing Ricky Mair down to second in the E2 2 Stroke Class with Neil Chatham finishing in third again. Paul Bolton also raised his game moving up to sixth overall taking the E1 4 Stroke Class ahead of Lee Edmondson and Jack Rowlands. Frazer Norrie topped the E3 2 Stroke class although he was unhappy that he had too many falls that dropped him down the order a little although the local Scots had put on a good show for the Scottish spectators.
Expert rider Rob Johnson found his form on the second day taking the overall and the E1 4 Stroke class ahead of Scotlands new star Ryan McLean in second overall but E2 2 stroke winner. Brad Freeman set a blistering pace in his first test destroying an exhaust front pipe in the process but a poor second test saw him finish third overall but E1 2 stroke winner for the weekend. Fourth place finisher Owain Humphreys won the E2 4 Stroke class on the new Sherco
Jack Staines won the Clubman Class and the E1 2 Stroke class ahead of Lee Sealey and E3 2 stroke winner Lee Green in third. Garin Rosser again won the E2 2stroke class with Mark Turner winning the E1 4 Stroke class in seventh clubman overall.
Carl Tiley was in charge in the Vet Class now he knew his way around and had become accustomed to the sand, Derek Little had too many falls to mount a challenge on day two despite his local knowledge with Russ Millward third.
Rhian George won the second day in the Ladies Class despite damaging her foot with Fionn Griffiths second and Katie Walker finishing her weekend in third place.
The Sportsman Class was won again by Bill Bruce using all his experience to win the class overall for the weekend with Richard Williams in second and Bruce Cooper third.
The weekend was rescued by a determined team pulling things together despite loosing their second test on the other side of Elgin. The weather was very good but cold and the dry conditions meant the bikes were as clean as they started, almost and the pictures look as if they were taken in Spain not the north of Scotland! The track took a hammering but provided a very good start to the 2013 season, it was a shame that David Knight, Danny MaCanney and Johnny Walker were missing but there was plenty of action and Tom Sagar deserved his convincing win.
