There were surprises and joy with unexpected winners in some of the six Classes in round four of the G H Motorcycles/Husqvarna/ACU Eastern Enduro Championship at Little Hadham organised by the Sudbury Motor Cycle Club. A few days before the event it was found that the rules allow 15 year olds to ride in short course Time Card Enduros where the Special Test is less than 20% of the course and this allowed Jake Roper (Sudbury) to compete in the Clubman Class. Well he took great advantage of this winning both Special Tests recording a time of 566.695 seconds against his senior Rob Aldridge (Diss) who recorded 574.369 seconds. Last weekend Roper was in Wales with fellow Team Dave Roper members at Ady Smith Enduro Experience and this training has paid off. Dan Hunt (Diss) was 3rd while George Wolfe 4
th, Will Jurgens 5
th and Charlie Baker 6
th (these three all Sudbury members). Unofficial positions after four rounds Aldridge 77 points, Hunt 52 and Roper 42.
It looked all set in the Championship Class for Jason Morland (Halstead) as Class leader Luke Parker was riding in the British MX Championship but an injury to Morland the previous week looked to stop him riding but after treatment he was fit and recorded a time of 585.840 seconds however there was a surprised maiden win for Will Hughes (Braintree) who had a better time of 567.906 seconds. Myles Saunders (Sudbury) was 3
rd, Ben Cole (Norwich) 4
th and Craig Roper (Sudbury) 5
th. Unofficially Morland now leads the Class on 64 points; Parker has 60 and Hughes 49.
James Barker (Sudbury) had back to back wins in the Expert Class with a time of 543.233 seconds over Rob Blackman (Castle Colchester) who recorded 547.993 seconds. Jack Berry (Sudbury) was once again pushed into 3
rd place with Tommy Clark (Norfolk & Suffolk Juniors) 4
th and George Eustace (Sudbury) 5
th. Barker’s win remarkable as he rode on a flat front tyre the last four session laps which isn’t very difficult for him as he seems to ride on his back wheel most of the time. Berry still leads the Class on 58 points with Barker 53 and Eustace 40.
Another day of joy for Contest Sponsor Gavin Hockey (Sudbury) who also had back to back wins in the Expert Veteran Class recording a time of 555.555 seconds over Phil Roper (Sudbury) (dad of Jake) who recorded 557.265 seconds. Michael Ridge (Stowmarket) for the first time was pushed into third place with Paul Belton 4
th. Both Ridge and Hockey have 72 points after four rounds and cannot be spilt while Roper has leapt into third on 47 points.
Kevin Webb (Sudbury) has come out of retirement this year and had a great win in the Clubman Class over Steve Youngs (Lowestoft) with Jason Carsboult (Sudbury) 3
rd and Jeff Turner (Sudbury) 4
th. Youngs lead the Class on 51 points with Carsboult 48 and Andy Peck 42.
Andy Mason (Sudbury) recorded his first win this year in the Clubman Super Veteran Class while Graham Mays 2
nd, Nigel Ross 3
rd, Gary Drage 4
th (all Sudbury) and Tim Norman (Whitley) 5
th. Mason now leads the Class on 65 points with Mays 58 points with Gene Womack (Diss) relegated to 3
rd on 53 points.