The 2013 ACU British Enduro Championship will be decided in a last round showdown at the Muntjac Enduro this weekend (November 24). Just two points separate championship leader Tom Sagar (Colwyn Bay KTM 450EXC) and his championship rival Jamie McCanney (Midwest Husqvarna TE250). That’s before the two lowest-score discard rule is applied, with discards counted that gap widens, but it remains too tight for Sagar to be able to cruise to a finish.
McCanney has to win and Sagar has to drop lower than sixth for McCanney to steal the title. That’s a nervy situation for both riders and the championship outcome isn’t going to be in their hands alone – the performances of the rest of the championship class riders is going to have a significant effect. And that entry is filling up with top national – and international – riders.
Former E3 British champion (and reigning Superenduro Junior world champion) Danny McCanney makes his return to the BEC for this round and is sure to support his brother’s title aspirations. Then we can count in the likes of on-form riders like Jonny Walker, Daryl Bolter and Steve Holcombe. There’s also a wild card entry from 2013 factory EWC Husaberg rider Mario Roman (team-mate to Jamie McCanney) who could also be a spanner in the works for Sagar.
Without doubt we’ll witness the toughest finish to the championship seen for years.
MUNTJAC ENDURO
Run by the Diss Motorcycle Club, a 20-mile course – all off-road – has been readied in the Thetford Forest. The terrain is a mix of sand and loam, soft – energy sapping – going. With five laps set for the championship class and with an ever-tightening time schedule it can be touch and go even for the top riders to make the finish clean on time. Then there’s the pressure of the special test repeated twice which will be a tight and technical sprint through the trees. The finishing order determined by split-seconds...
Dusty Martin, ACU BEC coordinator / ISDE team manager: “This is the tightest end to a championship we could have imagined. Jamie McCanney has matured all-season long and gained so much speed – and consistency. His EWC Youth Cup title and win last weekend at the first round of the World Superenduro Championship are testament to his capability – he will be in full attack mode. I think we’ll see Tom Sagar attack as well – after all the best form of defence is attack! Tom is so strong this year too – he is the 2013 European E2 champion – and he has all the skills and all the speed to make this a tough fight. Much is going to depend on the speed the rest of the riders. No question the fight is going to go all the way to the very last check. It’s sure to be an electrifying day’s competition...”