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Disastrous start to British Enduro Championship for Knighter.

KTM UK rider David Knight endured a terrible start to his British Enduro Championship campaign with two DNFs in Lossiemouth Scotland at the weekend. Knighter went into the weekend’s event, still suffering from a virus called CMV or Epstein Barr, knowing that he would struggle as the Scottish event is known to be a tough one. A finish was the main objective, but as it turned out, the event was one of the most physically demanding to ever have been on the BEC in recent years.

A very physical sand special test and very long, tight check times made the race feel like a seven hour cross country race! David paced himself as best he could, riding as fast and safely as possible but after completing two of the four laps, he had no option but to withdraw, suffering with bad pains and blurred vision.

Feeling fine again on Sunday morning and with the day shortened from four laps to three, David again decided to have a go. He tried his very best, and after what he described as feeling great on the first check of the day, serious fatigue soon took over and on lap two, David had no option to stop again, feeling dizzy and weak.

David Knight: 
“Gutted is a huge understatement! I knew I was going to struggle but I had no idea that it was going to be impossible for me to even make it to finish. The course was what I love, rough sandy going and rough woods with tight time checks; I would have been very happy with a finish. Day one was very tough and it was a big shock for me not to finish. There is always that question mark, if I had done this or done that and just tried to continue, but I really couldn't have done anymore. I wasn't even thinking about trying to ride Sunday but I felt good again on Sunday morning, and with the reduced distance I thought I'd nothing to lose by trying. I felt great on the first check, just like day one, but quickly deteriorated. On lap two at the start of the special test I set off and after just three corners felt really light headed and dizzy, I pulled over and that was the end of my day.

I gave 110% trying to finish, but it was an impossible task and I could not have done anymore. I feel absolutely gutted as the course was great but definitely not ideal for me in my position at the moment. I'm seeing more specialists in the next week to see if anything else can be done to help me other than rest. I feel that on a less physical event and test, like a normal type of Welsh enduro, I could cope.

Hopefully over the next month I'll recover a little and feel a bit more like myself for round two but only time will tell. Thanks to my sponsors and friends at this tough time, hopefully we will be smiling again soon.”

Cheers, David.

Photo: Full Throttle Photography

Knight struggles to 5th in Mexico
Photo: Future7Media

In Race 1 David held second but soon dropped back to 4th at the finish.

In the second race, David fought to the front from the second row reversed start but again dropped back to 5th after a couple of small mistakes.

In Race 3 David again got to the front but suffered a crash in the difficult rock section and slipped back to 6th at the finish.

Finishing 5th overall at the end of the night is obviously a disappointing result for Knighter whose aim is to go for the win. Despite the lower placed result in Mexico, David still holds second in the overall championship standings.

David Knight:

I'm very disappointed with my results here in Mexico, especially after winning last year. I had great starts all night but I had absolutely no energy or fight in me. It's the worst I've ever felt at a race. I thought maybe it was jet lag or altitude as we were at over 2000 metres high, which does effect you a lot and also effects the bike, but I've since got some antibiotics and have felt better already in a couple of days.

The one thing I did was do my best which was not great, but I pushed myself as hard as I could and the positive is, I'm still second on points. I will do everything possible this week to make sure I'm back on the podium in Brazil. Hopefully I'll feel much better but really I won't know until I get on the bike Saturday.

The tough thing with SuperEnduro is if you are slightly off colour or have a small injury, it makes a big big difference as it's so intense but my bike worked well and Steve again did a cracking job getting it as good as possible in the high altitude which can take around 8hp from the power.

Hopefully I'll be back on song this coming weekend. Thanks everyone. Knighter.