The GH Motorcycles and GB Finch sponsored Muntjac Enduro was run on Sunday, organised by Andy Waters and the enthusiastic Diss club team and delivering the final round of the Edmondson Racing ACU British Enduro Championship. With over 190 entries the day was packed with fast action - a fitting end to the 2014 BEC series.
The first of six tests for the championship class was under way within minutes of the 9:00am start. The test had a slippery veneer from rain earlier in the week and it immediately proved challenging. Several of the fancied runners had moments but not Steve Holcombe and Daryl Bolter, both Crescent KTM mounted , who both broke the 4:40 mark with Danny McCanney on the RR Beta some 5 seconds back in third.
By their second test the track was much more predictable and times tumbled. Holcombe again got the top spot with a 4:28 but this time McCanney was only a second back with Bolter continuing his form just 2 seconds slower.
By test 3 McCanney hit his form and jumped to the top of the pack with a test 8 seconds ahead of his nearest rivals. Holcombe's test was good enough for second but McCanney now had a 3 second lead and looked in great form. Bolter, Brad Freeman, Mark Roberts and Tom Sagar all finished within a second of each other ensuring the battle for the top five would run for the remainder of the day.
On the fourth lap the championship runners were back for 3 back to back tests. With only 3 seconds in hand McCanney knew he had to keep pushing and that's what he did winning all 3 tests and stretching out a 13 second lead. Holcombe kept in touch and ahead of the charging pack. On test 4 Roberts dropped it at the end of the test but Bolter, Freeman and Sagar remained in striking distance of third. Freeman bagged two third fastest tests on four and five and Sagar bagged third on the final test but Bolter kept his cool and consistency meant he left the sixth test in third some 4 seconds ahead of Freeman who just held off Sagar's charge.
The riders then needed to dig deep to keep their time cards clean - particularly the final lap with just 32 minutes set. The crowds waited in anticipation and first man back was Holcombe clean and with his minute in hand. Sagar was next in with 40 seconds to spare with Jack Rowland next on the MPS Husqvarna with more than half a minute to spare. Bolter kept his head and although last man in on the first minute still had 19 seconds in hand - all with clean time cards. So Holcombe and Bolter couldn't be beaten but McCanney was with Bolter so had secured his final lap with over a minute in hand and the top spot at this Year's Muntjac.
The Expert class had 3 tests and as anticipated Joe Wootton on the Freestyle Husqvarna was fastest on each test - posting times which would have slotted him into fourth in the championship class. However behind him the competition was fierce. Charlie Evans ET James KTM took the runner up position with Jack Edmonson on the Fast Eddy KTM taking third with the second fastest expert test time on his third lap, just pushing Lee Sealey, Midwest Husqvarna into fourth. That was the test action but how would the experts fare on their demanding 34 minute fifth and final lap. Just 3 riders maintained a clean time sheet with Wootton with a minute in hand, Evans still making his time despite a minor off and Edmondson delivering the only other clean time - his first taste of the Muntjac action. The second place securing Evans the runner up spot in the Expert BEC standings.
In the competitive clubman class Jordan Ridgway, Midwest Husqvarna headed the pack by one hundredth of a second from Adam James, ET James KTM with Tom Ellwood on his KTM a second and a half back in third. Tom turned the tables on the second test with the only sub five minute test taking the lead by over 5 seconds from James with Ridgway third. Again the fourth and final lap would prove a stiff test with only five riders, the top three plus William Hughes and Lee Green staying clean and rounding out the top five. Ellwood and James both came in with a minute spare confirming their first and second places in fine style.
Diss clubman David Stevens finished a fine sixth, fastest if the next gaggle of riders who dropped a minute on their final lap.
In the competitive Veterans class, fancied runner Andrew Reeves, 300 Beta, took victory with the fastest test times but he had a battle on his hands. Event sponsor Gav Hockey on the GH M/cs. Husqvarna was so close on the first test, just 0.6 seconds behind Reeves with the Dissclub's Mark Chapman, fastest of the Over 50's just 3 seconds back.
Reeves upped his game on the second test to hold onto the lead from Hockey and Chapman. This 3 managed to get to the finish with 2 minute penalties to retain their top three positions with Jack Twentyman taking fourth spot. Paul Sagar took the runner up position in the Over 50's with Gavin Johnston in third.
Katie Walker took a solid win the Women's class loosing four minutes from Rhian George with Megan Wilson taking third.
Despite the rain at the finish Clerk of the course, Waters looked happy with another successful Muntjac delivered and the 2015 season just round the corner...
Report Richard Snowden