2005 Championship ENDURO
Round 2/3 - Melville MC Pathhead Enduro
Day 1 and Day2
30th April / 1st May
Results for Day1 - click here
Results for Day2 - click here
Photos at the bottom of page -
taken by Mrs Rachel Little & Scott Thomson (Evil Snapper shots ) Day 1- April Marr Day
2
With the original date postponed due to low cloud and snow cover making
First Aid cover difficult it was a welcome surprise to arrive at Pathhead and find bright
sunshine and a warm day ahead. As usual the Melville club had done an excellent job of
preparing a testing track across wet moors, mossy forest and fast fields. Thanks to Kenny
Donaldson and the team for a lot of hard work.
Although the day was dry the ground was not and riders soon found
themselves well covered in mud from the numerous small ditches and bogs. A couple of
riders - Paul Scott and Malky Bissett managed to bury their bikes - and it took a lot of
effort from helpful riders to get them back out. The point to note here - the only
flat ground in an Enduro is water. Helpful spectators through the trees soon built a
bridge of logs across the worst ditch - ta lads.
Arriving at the test the riders could see electronics. What - a proper
timed test in Scotland !! With the Melville having invested a lot of money in equiment
over the past few years it was good to see it operational. There was only one test this
year - the open field and MX type test which had plenty of small mud patches and holes to
trap the unwary. Smoothness was they key this year to a rapid time.
The riders soon found the day quite warm with camelbacks soon empty - no
hint of rain here. The lap back to the start was the faster second half through thr trees
and included two road crossings - well manned to ensure all riders pushed their machines
across on a dead engine. Essential for Police permission to cross the road . Then "Kennys
Sting in the tail" - down the bank and you can see the pits - but NO! - he
takes you back up the hill for another couple of miles through the forest before finishing
along the old railway line.
A lot of wildlife was spotted with several riders spooting deer on the
course. One rabbit decided to use the track as a short cut and would not get out of the
way - but he was going to fast to catch anyway !
One lap was cut off the day as times were proving tight and 5 hours was
enough.
Sunday arrived damp - but
the sky was clearing and no snow. Riders set off in race shirts for a fast blast over the
same course as Saturday -in reverse. A lot of the course was changed and cut to make the
reverse track easier and effective marshalling kept the course open all day.
But then the heavens opened and heavy rain blasted the track making easy
climbs slippy and the special test a rutted test track rather than a smooth flowing line.
The decision was made to cut the number of laps to prevent excessive ground damage
and get the riders in before they all got stuck.
A tough two days riding but good practice for those riding down south. Two
days is harder than one - but well worth the effort.
Crawford Carrick- Anderson won day one from Derek
Liitle and Grant Smith with some very fast test times. Murray Thomson followed up in
4th. Comments about his power valve spring ( see Photo) were repaid ! Where can I buy a
girlie spring ........
Andrew Flockhart continued his title defence in the over 40's with Sean
Wooley splitting first place to push Ian Paterson down to 3rd place bu only 4 seconds -
nothing in it this year. Dougal Walker putting in a fine race for 4th with Kenny Donaldson
finishing 5th.
In the Clubman Craig Jagla put in some very fast tests to win over Allyn
Scotland with Douglas Page in 3rd by only 3 seconds.
Ian Clark won the Sportsman from Gordon Maclean and Michael Rathbone.
Day Two produced a different
set of winners as the track was different and the test a lot muddier
Experts were again dominated by Crawford Carrick Anderson this time
fending off rider No 2 Murray Thomson with Mark Godfrey finishing in 3rd ahead of Derek
Little. Test times went up as the rain poured down and turned the track into a ski slope
in places
Ian Paterson posted an impressive win in the Over 40's class with Sean
Wooley in second and Andrew Flockhart in 3rd.
Craig Jagla finished 1-1 for the weekend to get some good Championship
points ahead of Alan Lauder and Allyn Scotland in the Clubman Class.
Alastair Crocket pushed hard in the Clubman to finish 25 seconds clear of
Allan Poynton in the Spotsman class.Mark Ewing finishing 3rd.
![path02.jpg (190963 bytes)](images%202005/path02_small.jpg) This
is who we are |
![pathhead05003.jpg (13393 bytes)](images%202005/pathhead05003_small.jpg) In case you forgot why we postponed |
![pathhead05005.jpg (18472 bytes)](images%202005/pathhead05005_small.jpg) The weatherman says ..... |
![path04.jpg (274224 bytes)](images%202005/path04_small.jpg) The outlook for today ... |
![path05.jpg (171868 bytes)](images%202005/path05_small.jpg) Sun
|
![path1.jpg (196036 bytes)](images%202005/path1_small.jpg) Smiles
.. |
![path03.jpg (197511 bytes)](images%202005/path03_small.jpg) And
they are off |
![path06.jpg (310738 bytes)](images%202005/path06_small.jpg) Star of the future - on a 2020 bike |
![path07.jpg (184717 bytes)](images%202005/path07_small.jpg) Crawfords
secret weapon |
![path08.jpg (157721 bytes)](images%202005/path08_small.jpg) Who's
laughing now ! |
![path09.jpg (273646 bytes)](images%202005/path09_small.jpg) All
smiles at the start |
![path10.jpg (239940 bytes)](images%202005/path10_small.jpg) Bissett
and Lauder |
![path11.jpg (191040 bytes)](images%202005/path11_small.jpg) Dougal
Walker gets going |
![path12.jpg (181407 bytes)](images%202005/path12_small.jpg) Geoff
Pennycook |
![path13.jpg (202551 bytes)](images%202005/path13_small.jpg) Sean
Wooley on film at last |
![path14.jpg (237944 bytes)](images%202005/path14_small.jpg) The
right way to cross a ditch |
![path15.jpg (212205 bytes)](images%202005/path15_small.jpg) Or
- Going ...... |
![path16.jpg (224575 bytes)](images%202005/path16_small.jpg) Gone
! |
![path17.jpg (203454 bytes)](images%202005/path17_small.jpg) Walk
that bike - safe. |
![path18.jpg (226534 bytes)](images%202005/path18_small.jpg) Paddle
- if you have long legs. |
![path19.jpg (192891 bytes)](images%202005/path19_small.jpg) 2nd
lap - and muddy |
![path20.jpg (202643 bytes)](images%202005/path20_small.jpg) Graham
Barron |
![path21.jpg (221223 bytes)](images%202005/path21_small.jpg) Sunday
- muddy and steep |
![path22.jpg (285849 bytes)](images%202005/path22_small.jpg) Crawford
- wet but in front |
![path23.jpg (273724 bytes)](images%202005/path23_small.jpg) Murray
- wet and 2nd |
![path25.jpg (171406 bytes)](images%202005/path25_small.jpg) After
you sir ! |
![path24.jpg (155664 bytes)](images%202005/path24_small.jpg) It's
not just the riders who get wet - thanks ladies |
![path26.jpg (298529 bytes)](images%202005/path26_small.jpg) Gavin
Douglas - long trek from the North of England ( Twice) |
![path227.jpg (206239 bytes)](images%202005/path227_small.jpg) Stu
Young - OK now after his Lossie crash |
![path28.jpg (173821 bytes)](images%202005/path28_small.jpg) Nearly
home |
![path30.jpg (176282 bytes)](images%202005/path30_small.jpg) Ian
McMullen turns for the last time |
![path29.jpg (171864 bytes)](images%202005/path29_small.jpg) Gordon
McDonald pushes in |
![path31.jpg (190726 bytes)](images%202005/path31_small.jpg) Reuben
Welsh loses the last corner - and April snaps him ! |
![path33.jpg (218645 bytes)](images%202005/path33_small.jpg) Over
40 Winner Ian Paterson gets going |
![path36.jpg (237533 bytes)](images%202005/path36_small.jpg) Thanks
ladies for standing all day |
![path34.jpg (281281 bytes)](images%202005/path34_small.jpg) And
the Roadies too . |
![path35.jpg (313705 bytes)](images%202005/path35_small.jpg) Richard
McVicker shows the correct way to cross the road |
|
![path32.jpg (204968 bytes)](images%202005/path32_small.jpg) Nuff
said ! |