A Truly hard fought and exciting Race

It was Irwin’s first attempt at the infamously punishing three hour beach race and if that were not impressive enough, Graeme had only decided to enter the race on Thursday!

Earlier in the day, the impressively large crowd had watched the gritted determination of the Youth riders as they competed on a shortened version of the course. First out were the quads, and it was Bailey Edwards that took the honours ahead of Joshua Crane and Ryan Spratt-Wyatt. The result might have been much different if front runner Harry Walker had not drowned out his Honda after the fourth lap when in the lead. Walker eventually got the machine dried out and managed to fight back to an impressive sixth, but by that time Edwards had taken the win with eighteen laps completed.

Next up were the 85cc Big wheel and Small wheel riders, and the racing was every bit as competitive as the adult classes. George Grigg-Pettitt had taken an early lead on the first lap and looked to have things sewn up, but with so many behind him keen to get past and with a couple of problems out on the track, the KTM rider had his work cut out. By the end of the race, Troy Willerton had done enough to put his KTM ahead of George, with Jed Etchells taking the third position and thus the win in the small wheel class from Callum Green. Third steps on the podium went to Tom Grimshaw and Mitchell Warhurst in the SW and BW classes respectively.

With a break before the solo race, the Somerset skies went ominously dark and the forecast rain began to head over the Bristol channel towards Weston’s historic sands. At twenty five past one, RHL’s Gareth Hockey led the elite riders from the Parc Ferme towards the start gate. With the competitors in place, the flag dropped and the 31^st Weston Beach Race was on.

Scott Elderfield was the guy that got the holeshot, rocketing out of the gate and swiftly powering his KXF450 away from the chasing pack as they blasted down the beach and the incoming tide. By the time Elderfield came round at the end of his first lap, he was so far ahead that it was hard to imagine he hadn’t set off ten minutes before! When the others eventually appeared, it was the expected mix of top motocross and enduro riders making the going on the tough and rutted track.  Front runners included  Nathan Watson, Stephen Clarke, Danny and Jamie McKanney, Matt Moffatt, Matt Burrows, Tom Church,  Aaron Poolman and Stephen Sword.

As the laps clocked up, it was clear that the motocross boys had this one in the bag, with Scott Elderfield maintaining his lead ahead of Watson, Clarke and Irwin with the enduro boys seemingly struggling to keep within the top ten. But for all the success and speed some were having, the challenges of the tough track and the endless salt water and rain saw many being towed back to the pits or pushing their machines off the track. The rate of attrition was immense, proving just how tough this race can be.

Then after two hours fifteen minutes, the unthinkable happened and the beach took one more victim. In an agonising reversal of fortunes Elderfield's chain snapped right in front of the commentary position, taking him from almost definite winner to DNF in the blink of an eye. With Scott stranded and destined for the long push back to the pits, Irwin inherited the top slot and proceeded to put on a show of sand riding that would have impressed Herlings himself.

Following him closely was Nathan Watson was riding at a similarly impressive pace. In fact the two riders were so fast that they managed to lap up to third place, a feat not dissimilar to the same Mr Herlings at Lierop in 2012.

Heading into the final moments of the race, the drama showed no sign of stopping with Irwin almost throwing it all away as he crashed heavily on of the thirty or so dunes, his Suzuki landing on top of him and possibly snapping his collarbone in the process. Irwin was able to limp the bike home ahead of Watson for the win, but was clearly in some considerable pain as he crossed the line.

Mark Moffat came home in third after putting a sterling performance putting in solid and consistent laps times over the 3 hours of the race.

Graeme Irwin: "With just over a lap to go, I came over a jump and just bogged a bit and landed front wheel heavy, went over and the bike landed on my back. Apart from that it just shows how good the stock Suzuki is – I only decided on Thursday to ride the race, came down here, had a few beers out on the town on Saturday. In the race I didn’t really know I was in the lead or anywhere near that, I saw Watson a few times, but I’m just here with a friend, no big pit crew to tell me what to do or get a race strategy! We just rocked up here and I’m meant to go to Japan tomorrow to compete in the last round of the Japanese championship, so fingers crossed I haven’t done too much damage. I pumped that I won though, really pumped."

Nathan Watson: "I’m just so happy to finally get over the finish line, it was such a tough race. With it raining all the time it just destroyed your goggles and vision was atrocious. My eyes are just full of sand – it was so hard. I just plugged away and didn’t tire – I pushed really hard in the last lap to catch up to Graeme but with the brakes starting to fade and the conditions quite so tough out there wasn’t anything more I could do to catch him, but I’m really pleased with the result."

Gareth Hockey RHL Activities: "I would like to thank all of the riders for taking part in such a fantastic RHL Beach Race, all the officials and assistants for helping out, all the sponsors and of course North Somerset Council. It has been a fantastic weekends racing, shame about the weather this afternoon but it didn't put people off, people came in their droves to see the spectacle that is 'Weston' - Roll on next year.