David Knight (Honda CRF450R) shook up the 2013 ACU British Enduro Championship with a
storming double win at the Abbey Enduro in Wales at the weekend (August 17-18). Knight led an all-Manx podium both days, with brothers Daniel McCanney (Gas Gas UK EC300 Racing) and Jamie McCanney (Midwest Husaberg TE250) – both enduro world champions in 2013 – sharing the runners-up positions. On the same weekend championship leader Tom Sagar (Colwyn Bay KTM UK 450EXC) struggled to gain lower leaderboard finishes as a hand injury hampered his progress.
The Abbey Enduro offered up a traditional tricky Welsh enduro through rain-soaked forestry with a healthy count of three special tests per lap. The weather shifted between rain and sunshine but the rain won out in determining the ground conditions, with the course shortened by a lap on day one.
“I enjoyed that,” said David Knight. “I do want to do BEC because I enjoy it so much, it’s proper enduro, but I can only do select events because of the costs and my other commitments. This was a great enduro, I was impressed the club managed to put on three tests – and each one different. That’s a good challenge for us riders. The only issues I had all weekend were of my own making, crashing on Saturday and then stalling on the last cross test on Sunday. So I won all the tests except that last one. I’m very happy with that.”
Tom Sagar (championship leader): “This was a tough weekend for me. I’ve suffered some ligament damage to my throttle (right) hand from a crash a week ago so I was in two minds as to whether to race. In the end I decided to go with it as I can’t predict what the championship standings will look like at the end of the year. It was a struggle to hold on, and it hurt doubly because I love this kind of terrain. But two eighth place finishes are still worth banking. I was helped this weekend by David Knight and Danny McCanney turning up as they stopped my main rival Jamie McCanney from bagging even more points. The championship is finely balanced!”
In the Experts Brad Freeman hit his best form of the season to take two storming wins to edge the slimmest of leads over the previous leader, Scotland’s Ryan McLean. In the Clubman ranks Lee Sealey stamped his authority on this championship with a double victory to extend his lead in the standings over double runner-up Jack Staines.
Dusty Martin, ACU: “Another tough weekend’s sport, the rain certainly tested the riders, making the going in the forest quite arduous. It was great to have David Knight back with us, with ten BEC outright titles he has nothing left to prove, but he certainly proved he’s still our number one enduro rider, by a fair distance!
“The Mid West Dirt Track MCC Club put together a fantastic event – to have three tests per lap meant no rider had any complaint. The club also responded well to the weather conditions, shortening the course on day one meant they still had a usable course for day two. And a good healthy entry again this weekend. We’re really looking forward to the Natterjack Enduro, especially with the championship now so close!”
2013 ACU BRITISH ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FOUR RESULTS
DAY ONE
Overall
1 David Knight Honda CRF450R
2 Jamie McCanney Husaberg TE250
3 Daniel McCanney Gas Gas EC300 Racing
E1/2 Championship
No entries
E1/4 Championship
1 Steve Holcombe KTM 250EXC-F
2 Jack Rowland Husqvarna TE250R
3 Gethin Humphries Sherco 250i
E2 Championship
1 David Knight Honda CRF450R
2 Jamie McCanney Husaberg TE250
3 Jamie Lewis HM Moto CRE-F450R
E3 Championship
1 Danny McCanney Gas Gas EC300 Racing
2 Jonny Walker KTM 300EXC
3 Frazer Norrie KTM 300EXC
DAY TWO
Overall
1 David Knight Honda CRF450R
2 Daniel McCanney Gas Gas EC300 Racing
3 Jamie McCanney Husaberg TE250
E1/2 Championship
No entries
E1/4 Championship
1 Jack Rowland Husqvarna TE250R
2 Steve Holcombe KTM 250EXC-F
3 Gethin Humphries Sherco 250i
E2 Championship
1 David Knight Honda CRF450R
2 Jamie McCanney Husaberg TE250
3 Jamie Lewis HM Moto CRE-F450R
E3 Championship
1 Daniel McCanney Gas Gas EC300 Racing
2 Jonny Walker KTM 300EXC
Championship standings after four rounds (subject to official ratification)
Championship overall
1 Tom Sagar (Colwyn Bay KTM UK 450EXC) 133
2 Jamie McCanney (Midwest Husaberg TE125/TE250) 121
3 Jamie Lewis (Edmondson Racing Proseal HM Moto CRE-F450R) 107
4 Jack Rowland (MPS Husqvarna TE250R) 81
5 Daryl Bolter (Crescent KTM 350EXC) 64
Championship E1/2
1 Jamie McCanney (Midwest Husaberg TE125) 80
Championship E1/4
1 Jack Rowland (MPS Husqvarna TE250) 146
2 Gethin Humphries (MRS Sherco 250i) 99
3 Steve Holcombe (Crescent KTM 250EXC-F) 77
Championship E2
1 Tom Sagar (Colwyn Bay KTM UK 450EXC) 144
2 Jamie Lewis ((Edmondson Racing Proseal HM Moto CRE-F450R) 122
3 Jamie McCanney (Midwest Husaberg TE250) 71
Championship E3
1 Frazer Norrie (KTM 300EXC) 121
2 Jonny Walker (Redbull KTM 300EXC) 14
3 Tim Forman (Voltom/Frontrow GB KTM 300EXC) 32
Expert overall
1 Brad Freeman (KTM Offroad Schools 125EXC) 118
2 Ryan McLean (KTM 250EXC) 117
3 Rob Johnson (SLOR Husqvarna TE250R) 101
Clubman overall
1 Lee Sealey (Midwest Husaberg TE125) 151
2 Jack Staines (Ashby Moto Park/Pirelli KTM 125EXC) 120
3 Andrew Bull (ET James / Spar KTM 250EXC) 104