David Knight, three-time World enduro champion, got off to the best possible start to what he hopes to be his tenth British enduro championship (outright) title at round one of the 2012 ACU British Enduro Championship at the Abbey Enduro in Powys over the weekend – with
a double victory.
Run in difficult wintry conditions, Knight (KTM) was followed home each day by Tom Sagar
(Honda) and Danny McCanney (Gas Gas). In fact the event was dominated by Manx riders, with Knight, McCanney, Alex Rockwell (Husaberg) and Jamie McCanney (Husaberg) four of the top
five in Day One were Manx, and four of the top six on Day Two. All four Manxmen will also be contending the Enduro World Championship this year.
The conditions tested the organisers as much as the riders and credit has to go to the
organising club Mid Wales Dirt Riders and to chief clerk of the course Paul Edmondson for producing a course that remained rideable even for the clubmen entry in the worst conditions,
and for taking prompt and decisive action in shortening the course when needed.
David Knight: “A good start for the championship for me, although I think like everyone I could have done without the Siberian conditions. It was a good ride though, not too long with plenty of time at the checks and the tests were real good. I thought in the conditions the course would have cut up more but it held up. Great start to the championship for me – I'm very pleased to get the double win.”
Tom Sagar: “I was part of the organising effort as well as part of the entry for this weekend so I saw the challenges the weather brought from every aspect. It was a challenge for everyone, right down to the riders' support crews. I'm very happy to get two seconds, these were not ideal for my Honda CRF450 – being based on a motocrosser – and David was on form, so for me a great way to start the season.”
Dusty Martin, ACU Steward of the Meeting: “The organising club were well and truly tested this weekend but they came through with flying colours. Credit has to go to the team of three clerks of the course led by Paul Edmondson as to make a course as rideable as this in such extreme conditions is a major achievement. I appreciated, too, that Paul pre-rode the lap each day and made alterations accordingly, cutting out sections that would have proven stoppers. Altogether the club was very efficient and decisive in their decision making and certainly snatched victory from some very savage jaws of defeat – in terms of the weather.”
Paul Edmondson, Clerk of the Course: “It was a battle with the weather but we came through
and I think we proved the easy-to-follow two special test enduro concept worked. The course
stayed rideable for all and for amateur riders it was possible to compete without a support crew.
It was still tough and there were DNFs but this is the British championship, the pinnacle of the sport in the UK, it's what it's all about.”
Provisional championship class results attached; for full results refer to www.enduronews.com
2011 ACU British Enduro Champions
Outright Champion: Greg Evans KTM 350EXC-F
E1 (two-stroke) Champion: Ashley Wood KTM 125EXC
E1 (four-stroke) Champion: Paul Edmondson KTM 250XC-F
E2 Champion: Tom Sagar KTM 450EXC
E3 Champion: Danny McCanney Gas Gas EC300
Expert Champion: Lewis Belfield KTM 250EXC
Clubman Champion: Rob Johnson Husqvarna TE250
Veterans Champion: Wyn Hughes Husqvarna TE449
About the ACU Doodson British Enduro Championship
The ACU British Enduro Championship (BEC) is the premiere off-road motorcycle championship in the UK. With an officially-sanctioned 36-year history the championship encompasses the UK’s most long-standing, toughest enduros. Past champions include world champions David Knight and Paul Edmondson and worldwide enduro legend Geraint Jones. BEC enduros see riders compete for up to eight hours per day following a cross country trail according to a strict and often demanding time schedule, along the way completing special tests timed to the second. The winner is the rider who typically stays penalty free on the trail and sets the best times in the tests (the riders‘ scores being a accumulation of trail and test times – the least time wins). The BEC is governed by the ACU – the internationally sanctioned national governing body for motorcycle sport in the British Isles (except Northern Ireland).
2012 ACU British Enduro Championship
Round 2: April 14-15 Helmsley, North Yorks
Round 3: July 14-15 Hafren, Mid Wales
Round 4: August 4-5 Dyfi, Mid Wales
Round 5: September 1-2 Natterjack, Hampshire
Round 6: October 13-14 SEEC, Surrey