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enduro
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ISDE 1979 |
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In 1979, the 54th International Six Day Enduro was held in Siegen, West Germany. The Trophy Team consisted of John May, John Knight, Dai Jeremiah, Gordon Phillip, Arthur Browning & newcomer Geriant Jones. The Vase (Junior) Team was made up of Mick "Bonky" Bowers, Len Thwaites, Neil Buttery & Ernie Page. All 10 riders rode KTMs. The first 2 days were over the same 88 mile route. The weather was fine & the going was "not too tough". John Knight dropped 60pts on the first day when he had trouble with the carburettor of his 350 KTM but he carried on & won a gold. Arthur Browning's clutch failed twice but - not to let the team down - he removed the plates & buckled them with a rock before stuffing them back into the basket. An practical & strangely satisfying solution which got him home. Derrick Edmondson broke his sub-frame. He also had a disastrous Acceleration Test when he fouled his plug on the line & he had to set the best time for running 300 yards whilst pushing a bike. Derrick should have tried out for the 22nd Olympiad in Moscow the following year because his time was only just outside gold & he won the best British silver. One stream crossing proved to be challenge when a local factory opened a sluice during the race & the water level rose a couple of feet. Dai Jeremiah was one of many riders who took an early bath. Geoff Hastings lost 30 minutes when his 125 Fantic got jammed in a hole. No sooner had his extracted his bike than Gordon Phillip dropped into the same hole. Luckily Geoff was on hand to lend a helping hand. The Vase team were running in 8th until Len Thwaite's 175 KTM piston seized & they dropped to the bottom of the table. On Day 3 the course got tougher & so did the British teams luck. "Bonky" Bowers caught his foot under his own rear wheel & he broke his ankle. Alan Brick - who had set the 2nd fastest acceleration test time of the day - lost his drain plug & seized his gearbox at 60mph. His Maico became airborne & Alan broke his arm & bruised his ribs. Army rider Ronnie Kirkland - on a 175 Suzuki - crashed heavily during the day but he carried on to the finish where he collapsed in the paddock & he was helicoptered to hospital for 2 nights with concussion. Geriant Jones dislocated his thumb. Geoff Porter broke his hand in a quarry. Dai Smith had to change 2 tubes & a tyre when his chain tensioner went into his wheel. Dai was hampered by a shoulder that he had dislocated 3 weeks before. On Thursday Ernie Page lost his brake pedal & ran out of plugs & petrol before his rear sprocket bolts sheered. He dogged up his tensioner & rode the 175 KTM 30 miles on "friction drive". Gordon Phillip was waved into a check early by a helper & lost his chance of a gold. The KTM's were eating plugs. Derrick Edmondson was averaging 4 a day. Despite his broken ankle, Bonky Bowers continued to ride. He had one tube & 2 punctures so he rode the last 40 miles on a flat. Andre Zembrzuski snapped 2 brake rods before he made his own out of 2 coat hangers which worked better. Day 5 was on the fast schedule. Gordon Phillip broke a footrest. Neil Buttery fitted a second set of wheel bearings. He would be the only army rider to finish after Gwyn Barraclough's wheel collapsed John Thomas's KTM expired on the final check of the final day. Dia Jeremiah was docked 60 points when his bike refused to start within one minute on the last day. He still finished with the best British performance & collected his 7th ISDT Gold. Gordon Phillip's plug fouled on the final test & he stripped the thread changing it. He pushed the bike home & he was classified as a finisher. Italy won the Trophy ahead of West Germany & Czechoslovakia was 3rd. The Czech juniors won the Vase & East Germany were runners up. The best individual performance was by Frank Schubert of West Germany. British Medals The MCC of Wales team of Smith, Zembrzuski & Williams were 18th This article is a precise of Norrie Whyte's report for MCN from the 19th September 1979. Thanks to Mick Seward for reminding us all of a great event & some great riders. Bob
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