All content © Bob MuIIins

ACU EASTERN ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP

FINAL ROUND REPORT 18-11-2018

Report Roger Chaplin
Photos Anthony Ridge

On a cool and frosty day in Thetford Forest the final round of the G H Motorcycles/Husqvarna/ACU Eastern Enduro Championship took place last Sunday and again there were surprises, drama and disappointment. The organisers Diss Motor Cycle Club laid out a cracking 20-mile course for their Muntjac Event which attracted some of the Country's top riders and the ACU Eastern Moto Cross Champion Shaun Southgate.

Who was going to be ACU Eastern Enduro Champion Jason Morland had the lead over Luke Parker at the start of the day but Parker the young pretender was determined setting the best times in all six special tests while Morland struggled making some silly mistakes and was placed 11th. So Morland's hopes were on the last final fast lap to finish without any penalties with Parker securing penalties but both riders came in clean. Parker took the win with Lewis Tombs 2nd, Tom Grimshaw 3rd, Ben Clark 4th, Aaron Gordon 5th, Sam Nunn 6th, Shaun Southgate 7th, Charlie Evans 8th, with Morland pushed down to 11th. The provisional final Class positions are 1st Parker 115 points, 2nd Morland 102 points and Will Hughes 87 points.

Lewis Ranger and Craig Norrey battled away in the Expert Class with Ranger having the best special tests times by just under 5 seconds and took the win on the day. All eyes were on Class leaders James Barker and Jack Berry with one point separating them and it was Barker with some great rides in the tests who finished 3rd while Berry could only finish 7th with Jay Brooker, Harvey Thomas and James Jackman above him. Barker wins the Class Title for 2018 joining the ranks of Lewis Bond and Alex Rampton of winning the Clubman Title and Expert Title in successive years with Berry 2nd and George Eustace 3rd who created history today being the only rider to finish 3rd in the Clubman and Expert Classes in successive years.

Rob Warner won the Expert Veteran Class from John Shirt with Contest Sponsor Gavin Hockey 3rd, Michael Ridge 4th, Phil Roper 5th and Paul Spurgeon 6th. The battle for the 2018 Class Title was between Hockey and Ridge and although Hockey finished in front of Ridge, he could only reduce Ridge's from 5 points lead to 3 points so Ridge takes the Title.

Charlie Chater won the battle for first place in the Clubman Class over Jack Collins and Jack Flannigan with best Eastern Centre rider Rob Aldridge 4th followed by Jake Taylor 5th and Jack Austin 6th. However, Aldridge had already won the Class Title before the day.

Bo Anderson, Jonathan Lee and Trevor Buckley were first, second and third in the Clubman Veteran Class but the battle for the 2018 Class Title was between Steve Youngs, Dean Curry and Michael Wyatt. Youngs had the disappointment of having to retire with machine problems and Curry took advantage of this by taking 4th on the day to win the Title for the second time with Youngs 2nd while Wyatt 11th place on the day secured him third overall.

There was drama in the Clubman Super Veteran Class when Class leader fell on a log in the special tests and had to retire which left Graham Mays with the chance to take the Title and although he had some good test times, he was two minutes late on the last lap and finished 5th which gave the Title to Mason for the 4th time in a row. Keith Readman won on the day with Jez Moss 2nd, Gene Womack 3rd and Alan Ranger 4th.

MUNTJAC 2018 PROVISIONAL RESULTS
Championship Class

1st Luke Parker 1528.79 2nd Lewis Tombs 1542.76 3rd Tom Grimshaw 1548.89 4th Ben Clark 1574.36 5th Aaron Gordon 1580.00
Expert Class
1st Lewis Ranger 837.81 2nd Craig Norrey 842.43 3rd James Barker 851.51 4th Jay Brooker 855.94 5th Harvey Thomas 857.11
Expert Veteran Class
1st Rob Warner 862.02 2nd John Shirt 867.88 3rd Gavin Hockey 891.12 4th Michael Ridge 896.55 5th Phil Roper 904.56
Clubman Class
1st Charlie Chater 557.51 2nd J\ck Collins 588.71 3rd James Flannigan 598.98 4th Rob Aldridge 597.22 5th Jake Taylor 599.75
Clubman Veteran Class
1st Bo Anderson 639.50 2nd Jonathan Lee 749.58 3rd Trevor Buckley 768.05 4th Dean Curry 771.72 5th Carl Davies 772.59
Clubman Super Veteran Class
1st Keith Readman 631.26 2nd Jez Moss 639.39 3rd Gene Womack 696.41 4th Alan Ranger 704.44 5th Graham Mays 761.50

PROVISIONAL FINAL POSITIONS ACU EASTERN ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP
Championship Class

1st Luke Parker 115 points 2nd Jason Morland 102 points 3rd Will Hughes 87 points
Expert Class
1st James Barker 108 points 2nd Jack Berry 101 points 3rd George Eustace 76 points
Expert Veteran Class
1st Michael Ridge 122 points 2nd Gavin Hockey 119 points 3rd Paul Spurgeon 70 points.
Clubman Class
1st Rob Aldridge 130 points 2nd Dan Hunt 87 points 3rd George Wolfe 75 points
Clubman Veteran Class
1st Dean Curry 82 points 2nd Steve Youngs 71 points 3rd Michael Wyatt 69 points
Clubman Super Veteran Class
1st Andy Mason 102 points 2nd Graham Mays 94 points 3rd Jez Moss 85 points