RAF Enduro Championships- Round One 27 Jan 2013
Notwithstanding the team sent to compete at the Tough One earlier in the month, the first
official round of the RAF Enduro Championship took place at Area K at Bordon in
Hampshire. After numerous attempts to secure a training area the Comp Sec was unable
to get anything from official Land channels. After some discussion with the Team REME
enduro team, the first round would be held alongside one of their Winter Series rounds.
The lack of a pre-race training area was overcome by exploiting a nearby enduro course,
Elite Enduro. The RAF Team also provided help to Team REME preparing the course on
the Saturday before the race.
Despite some relentless weather leading up the event, including nationwide blizzards and
severe rain, the event went ahead as planned...
The first round saw a large field of RAF riders, both full and associate members across the
different classes; a grand total of 32, plus a number of support riders. There were close to
50 riders taking part in the Team REME event.
It was a beautiful clear blue day as the riders lined their bikes up for the start. A quick prerace brief took place announcing that the course was 3 to 4 miles of 'open' and 'flowing'
track through sand and wooded areas; oh how wrong they were...
The riders set off in class order, with the Expert/ Clubman followed by the Sportsman
riders. It was clear in the first hundred yards that the heavy rain and melting snow meant
that the course would quickly 'cut up' into some very deep ruts.
The course consisted of some short but steep climbs and descents, often over exposed
slippery roots; and when one rider got stuck, a queue quickly formed behind. The small
greasy tree trunks intersecting the path became mammoth obstacles as the ruts preceding
them got deeper. There were also a number of boggy areas, with thick gloopy mud to
catch the unwary, and ruts became so deep they swallowed tyres and bikes up to the footrests. Conditions were so challenging for some riders, they didn't finish the first lap or gave
up on returning to the pits. Fortunately this did not include any of the RAF Team, the few
retirements were mainly due to mechanical issues.
As the race wore on, parts of the course became impassable, and the Marshals were
constantly on hand helping stranded riders and pointing out the best lines. At numerous
stages changes were made to the course, often confusing riders as markers pointed one
way but the crowd of riders went another; In the end the organisers had to cut the race
short by an hour.
There were several spectacular crashes, a couple of which were caught by photographers
from Team Snapper, resulting in damaged pride and some very wet, muddy clothes!
Someone's chain snapped at the first corner and other RAF riders were seen wandering
round with an exhaust system but no bike...
Overall a hugely successful first round, and hopefully future rounds will be equally well
supported. Big thank you to Jonny White (Rnd Sec) and Sean Delaney (Rider Marshal).