Snowrun Enduro 3rd February 2008
Bob Mullins said of this year's event - 'Aimed at the Clubman rider, this year the aim connected squarely with his groin and left him a bit winded'. Bob's report on EnduroNews.com.
We had loads of club members entered. From a quick squint at the provisional results, Mike Allen did best in his class with an 11th in the Sportsman, Steve Biddle was 19th in the Clubmen and Vess came 24th in the Vets. To put things into perspective Vess was the last finisher in his class and nearly out of his hour but as 90 riders retired or were out of time then that puts him way up the entry.
Steve Biddle said at club night on Monday 'that was the hardest Snowrun ever.' No wonder Jim Delahay was struggling on his diminutive trail bike. It is fair to say that Perring has lost none of his sadism... or is it just bad luck with the weather!
Commiserations to the rest of our members who suffered for their sport.
The Vess Report
The weather forecast wasn't too good, heavy rain expected, and it was bloody cold.
Arrived at the start near Tirabad in good time after an easy drive down the A40 and across the Eppynt Ranges. Met Mike Allen, scrutineered, signed on, ate a bacon butty, did my time card, had a chat with Julian, Jim, Ben, Steve and a few others then sat in the van in the warm.
The first ones were away at 10 and I wasn't far behind at 10:15. The first half of the lap was typical Snowrun, tight, snotty, slotty and full of roots so it didn't take long to warm up.
The 50 foot shale bank drop was a bit unnerving, especially as the first time down I managed to select neutral instead of second and hit the bottom a bit quicker than anticipated. By the time I reached the first check I'd already lost a few minutes so I was starting to wonder if I was going to make the four laps. The second check was significantly smoother and easier (all things are relative - it was still tough!) but I'd still managed to drop 18 minutes by the end of the first lap.
The rain hadn't arrived yet so I thought I'd do another lap anyway to get my money's worth. Some of the real hard going had been cut, so this lap was marginally easier, but I still managed to drop another 15 minutes which meant that I was likely to hour out. At the start of the third lap, the marshal told us that the last lap had been cut, so I realised that I now had a chance of finishing. This didn't actually help me go any faster! By this time, some of the real snotty stuff was getting a bit cut up just to make things a bit harder, and the 50 foot drop hadn't got any flatter! Just before the out-check, I came across a fallen rider on one of the fast forestry tracks, who'd lost it on a tight bend. That cost a few minutes checking he was alright. Then in the special test, which was only timed this lap, I dropped the bike, and the nasty vindictive little blighter refused to start for a good five minutes, by which time I was almost completely knackered. But I kept going! Just the thought of getting one of those lovely little plastic finishers awards was enough to inspire me, and eventually I reached the end - with 2 minutes to spare - 58 minutes late!
From the results it looks like nearly half the entry DNF'd, so even though I was the last Veteran finisher, and very nearly houred out, and will get yet another bronze to add to my collection of bronze awards, for me this was one finish that I think I rode bloody hard for and earned, and will certainly remember for a very long time.
The Falconer Report
There were more than a few riders grateful for a minor mechanical malady to bring their Snowrun to a premature end but I suffered a fairly major one only half an hour from the start.
After slogging through the ruts in the woods and getting the EC200 nice and warm, it cooled down too quickly on the fire road and suffered a suspected cold seizure. Within sight of the first check, the second set of Welsh travelling marshals who happened on me commandeered a rope with about half a dozen knots in it, which must have been all of five feet long.
Undeterred, they cut the knots out with a saw, tied it all back up and towed me the 500 yards through the check, with the rope from footpeg to footpeg, a method that really works well. The rope did break twice, the second time on the steep hill on to the check.
Again undeterred, the remaining marshal (the other had gone to a false alarm on a fallen rider) lashed it all back up, rounded up some spectators and heaved the bike up the hill. Magnificent effort, followed by well-placed jibes about the English only doing half a job like their rugby team, and something about a box of matches and a Gas Gas firelighter.
I spent about 3 hours at check one, passing messages on to my pit crew (that'll be my Dad) via WG and CHG heroes who were getting on with the job in hand, in the main. I mean, what was the problem with the terrain if a certain CHG rider can breeze round on a twinshock XR200?!
Also James Wilden arrived to pick up his bike, sans chain, which had disappeared in to the woods never to be seen again. Jules was sweeping up the many lost souls and markers too and with that, we headed home. And we'll be back next year.
So, to the EXC450 pair of marshals with a can-do attitude, thanks again. You can take the P out of our rugby team any time you like!