2007 Championship ENDURO
Round 5 Grampian MCC Iain McKenzie Enduro
5th August 2007
With a couple of events cancelled this year due to the extreme weather it was good to get back out into a forest enduro. Kevin Gaunt and his team had added new bits on to the familiar Elgin course - enough to make the ride interesting - before they started hacking time off the laps.
With the top riders in each class staying clean on time it showed the times were againspot on - even if quite a few of us out there struggled to stay on time. The experts raced round for 5 and 1/2 laps , clubman and over 40 4 1/2 and sportsmen on 3 laps.
The course started to cut up a bit towards the end with a few small swamps and an interesting excursion through head high bracken to make life interesting. The "slide of death" at the start proved tricky to stay feet up on in the first few laps then very slippy in late laps with riders adopting a feet down approach. But it was followed by a great uphill path taken at full speed.
The test was changed to avoid the deepening tractor tracks and cut through into some new forest before joining the old track and the bumpy end section. Then back into dark forest again.
Will little chance to get your breath back except at the checks riders were kept busy all day. The ladies on the check making sure that riders who were going to "call it a day" - were remotivated and sent back out again. Thanks ! at least I finished ( 45 minutes late ...)
In the Experts Murray Thomson continued his recent form and put in the fastest test of the day to take the win from Derek Little who was just behind him. No matter how fast he pushed Murray was just a wee bit faster. Withe the Championship still up for grabs they look like battling all the way to the end. Allyn Scotland continues to improve and finished in 3rd.
Neil Chatham resumed his winning ways and finished ahead of Colin Bryan ( 1st E3) and Adam Wark in the Clubman. Duncan McCormick finished in 4th and 2nd E3 to keep up the race for class honours. Murray Whitaker finished well up in 5th as he put his trials experience to good use.
Sean Wooley continues to dominate the over 40's with some very fast times - Ian Paterson took 2nd with some consistent times but one mistake . Cambell Chatham make a welcome return to the top with 3rd again - always a threat.
In the Sportsmen Liam Beatty pushed hard for the win over Roger Summer and Andy Gauld. Hamish Patrick really getting the hang of this now with a great 4th place.
Moray Niven battled his way round to take the Trials award - feet up all the way.
Thanks to the Grampian club for another great event . They now have a wee rest before starting to prepare ( hopefully) for the return of BEC competition to Scotland in 2008.
Thanks also to the Scottish Forestry Commission for the use of the land.
| Thanks to Stewart Campbell for the pics . You have a new career there ! |
 Alex Austin on his Mickey Oates Kawasaki Nice bike ! |
 John Little gives some advice on bike starting to Robbie Moir |
 Just to prove the webmaster does ride .... (slowly) |
 New Over 40 rider and former MXer Davy Hill gets up to speed |
 Graeme Paxton enjoys the scenery
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 Grampian congestion |
 Cameron Davidson leads the way |
 Don't fall off in front of the camera !! |
 Bit of speed and over the ditch |
 Ian Paterson keeps it tidy |
 Andrew McConnel - does he ever get stressed ? |
 Paul Chatham pushing hard |
 Scott Maxwell on the pegs |
 Mike Robertson tries out the "Slide of Death"
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 Followed by Paul White |
 Alan Stirling - "it's steeper than it looks !!" |
 Cameron Davidson keeps the feet up
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 This is when it was dry ! |
 Rik Parke - smiling all the way ... |
 Gordon McGregor - kept going all day |
 Stuart Clachan - steps up to Clubman - well done . |
 Robbie Moir - on the going |
 Ian Hedley 2nd E3
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 Colin Bryan - winner E3 |
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Duncan McCormick 2nd E3 |
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