Welsh 2 Day 2006 Ben's Report

While Jim and Roy were banging handlebars, a bit further back through the field, 446 Ben F (me) and 447 Anthony Moore enjoyed being paired on the same minute too.

Pitting 200 2T against 450 4T promised an interesting battle. And it was, for a day at least.

After watching a 200 EC fail to start at the Lakeside, I was a little apprehensive but it started first kick, and Anthony's Sherco started on the button too.

With the ground in to the Llanyre test gone, it was straight in to the test cold and me and Anthony were clapped by the end. Letting him go first, the plan was to chase, which went well until entering the wood for the first time, when the throttle stuck and I realised my contact lenses were probably out of date - everything was blurred and out of focus.

Nevermind, over Llanwrthl Rhos to Beulah, where I switched to specs and found the bar riser bolt was loose. I won't blame the mechanic, or the MOT man though.

From then on, I pretty much led Anthony round, both riding at the same pace - until the final tight check of the day, where he really got in to his stride and cleared off. Occasionally I'd glimpse him glancing over his shoulder but he had the better of me, no doubt.

But instead of backing off, I charged on, then had a whopper of a crash. No idea what happened, how it happened, or where but thanks to rider 431 who stopped and wouldn't go until he made sure I was alright (NB - Steve Venn did the same for a fallen rider on Tommy's Farm and despite asking for help from passing riders, was largely ignored).

I felt a bit ropey, the bars were out of kilter and the back mudguard was bent down but I still made it in by 5 minutes to the check before test 2 at Abbeycwmhir. Anthony made it in by 13, which showed just how well he was riding.

I can't remember much about the test, which proved significant. Next morning, I was suffering classic concussion symptoms - sick, dizzy, and forgetful. And I hadn't stayed at the Severn Arms. (We can help you remember that second test Ben, if you've got broadband that is!)

Standing up was hard, so going out of day 2 was not on. It's an old adage, but to finish anywhere at all, first you have to finish. The flipside though was witnessing two greats like Roy and Jim on the A-C-H test on Friday morning, where Jim led until the top bog and Roy spotted his chance and pounced. Great stuff - Jim enjoyed the second day so much that he even overtook a sidecar as its passenger wheel flipped up.

Fuel duties with Dad (Tony F) saw everyone safely through, including Andrew Weddle, (1974 CZ 250), who managed to stay on time despite cracking the tank (changed before day 2) and losing a footpeg 20 miles from the end. And to top it all, he not only found a farmer to weld up his brake arm but one who got a wiggle on and finished it in time for Andrew to stay on time on check 2, day 2! Then he and Chris Harvey (late 70s PE175) stripped the carb near the end and both stayed on time. Total heroes, both. Deservedly, Andrew got a rousing round of applause at the evening presentation.

Other highlights for me were leading Anthony through the Irfon Forest, until we reached Gavin Bailey, stuck behind a slower rider. I took Gavin, then stalled it on a hill. Anthony closed up behind and by the time I got going, we were bar to bar, a la Capirossi and Gibernau (well kind of). Then knowing time was tight, I took Gavin and the slower rider in one go and got in with 30 seconds to spare. Anthony too made it in very close behind. Gavin was spitting though - the slower rider was quick on the straights but cornered like a HGV, which made Gavin understandably mad!

On the tight and twisty going the EC came in to its own and Anthony clocked 93mph on a fire road trying to haul in my Gas Gas. Running tubes, Anthony understandably was a tad more cautious over the big rocks of Strata Florida and with good reason - 22 minutes is ample time. That didn't stop me hitting a big rock near the end at about 40 or 50mph, which sent my feet up as high as the saddle and straight back down on the pegs. Perhaps that should have warned me of what was to come. Sadly I didn't realise that but safe to say, I shall be retiring my crash helmet for a new one.

One more thing - big shout to the fuellers. Drew Moore and Tony F did both days, Angela Neale, Mike Wells' Matt (sorry I don't know your surname), and Mike Allen with Drew on day 2 were absolute stars.

And of course, thanks to Mid Wales centre and a hard working committee for putting on this special event once again.