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All content © Bob MuIIins | |||
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Winter Warmer Series It rained so hard at Bovington for the start of round 2 that wetsuits, jet skis and speedo's would have been more suited, this has to be one of the wettest events ever. The open tracks were awash with water yet the wooded sections drained quickly with their gravel base and the riders found near perfect ground conditions in places! For those not familiar with Bovington, it's where the army teach soldiers to drive Challenger tanks on huge undulating gravel tracks. However the gaps between the rolling tracks filled with water and it became a game of Russian roulette with every crest hiding a puddle or a lake! Enduro is meant to be a challenge for rider and machine and today's contrasting conditions tested both.
With over 150 riders entered they faced a flowing 5 mile course which mixed the open tracks with six wooded sections. The organiser Dorset Enduro run a slick operation and despite the weather the race started bang on time. Some riders couldn't wait to get drenched and decided to soak themselves in the first puddle they reached (Jon TARR). With all the classes safely away the long wait started to see who would return first, after 15 minutes the sound of a singing Sherco four-stroke filled the air as Ricky WIGGINS lead the field back, not only was Ricky in the lead he actually looked to be enjoying himself. He couldn't relax though as hot on his heals were Alan MORRISON and Brad KING and not far behind was Josh PLAYER. As the race developed Ricky WIGGINS revelled in the conditions, he was in perfect harmony with his Sherco and nobody could match his incredible tempo. Ricky was the only rider to complete 12 laps today. Josh PLAYER rode a strong and mature race and finished a deserved runner up with Alan Morrison bringing it home in third both on 11 laps.
Now everyone knows there's one class you show respect too, the Expert Veterans, however before they got to the first corner there was trouble, Jon TARR took an early bath, a very cold one. Jon quickly remounted and set off after his class, he pushed hard and caught and passed all but one of his class by the time they completed their first lap. Leading though was Jack TWENTYMAN, he kept Jon and Gary MCCOY behind him for half the race. However everything changed on lap five when Gary and Jon managed to pass Jack with Gary MCCOY going on to build a comfortable lead to take the class win with Jon holding on to finish second. Jack rounded off a good day for the TWENTYMAN clan by taking third.
In the Clubman A class Harry NEAL left everybody in his wake, he took off from the start not to be seen by class for the rest of the day. Ian FORTUNE and Matthew JOYCE were having a Titanic battle for second, Ian gradually built a gap but on lap 7 after a slow pit stop his gap was down to 2 seconds. Ian worked hard again and just built a small lead to finish 17 seconds ahead of Matthew at the end for second place. Things were just as close for 4th with Paul FELTHAM beating Morgan DEAKIN by only26 seconds. The biggest class were the Clubman VETERANS were ever young Si THOMAS surfed away from the start with only Steve TAYLOR giving chase, nobody troubled this pair and they both finished on ten laps. George LEYLAND came home in third on nine laps with DAVE SAWTELL behind heading a flotilla of veterans of EKE, YERBURY, SCOTT and HUBBARD. Clubman B class was headed by a number of riders who will be ready to move up to Clubman A class next year, George OLOF certainly excelled in the wet conditions and won the class by a lap. Ross MORRISON in second was unlucky to miss out on an extra lap but he had quite a margin over Daryl BILES in third. Again the Sportsman class attracted some very competitive riders with Simon ELLETT sailing away from everyone to a comfortable class win with James MOLLER and Paul JONES behind him. These guys would cope well in a higher class. A great days sport in appalling conditions where Bovington proved itself a
true winter venue, especially with its concrete car park! Race Report - Graham ROWE |
When the Expert class appeared it was led by Roger HOLLAND who can clearly
run at Championship pace, however like a few others that started well Roger
didn't get to the finish line. Lewis GIGG started steady and took the lead
after a couple of laps, he then maintained a fantastic pace and actually got
quicker as the race progressed. Never far behind was Paddy TWENTYMEN who rode
a great race to claim second spot with Harry LAWRENCE claiming third.