Seth Stephens Memorial

The Mexe and Bovington military areas in Dorset was the setting for the Seth Stephens Memorial Race organised by RMPEC and administrated by SCEC.

After two weeks of preparation by the local hoods of Rob Sartin from Talon Engineering, Danny Hall from Rogershill Raceway, Stan Watt from Front Row GB and Dinger/Paul from RMPEC, the Seth Stephens Memorial Race was ready to get underway. Saturday saw a great turnout to carry out the final setup including Derrick Edmondson from Edmondson Racing.

The country is currently in the grip of a cold spell, but rather than being a hindrance, the cold weather massively improved the course to a point that the sand bowl changed from a potential of deep, wet cement to an area of superb grip with limited damage.

The temperatures sat at -2 degrees over the weekend and Sunday morning was similar. With a full entry of 150 riders; most starting to arrive around 7:30am, the food wagon was busy with breakfasts and primarily hot teas.

After a short brief, riders and spectators undertook a 1 minute silence in memory of Seth Stephens who passed away in July 2010. At 11:05am, the championship riders got underway after the flag was dropped by Seth's wife.

With the largest and most talented championship class for some time to be seen at a south coast hare and hounds event, the first 20 riders made the initial few corners with no incidents and Stan Watt from Front Row GB pushed into the front of the pack, moving into 4th by the 2nd corner.

Daryl Bolter and Nick Life hit the front and nothing would change this until Daryl was part of an incident 2 laps in, where he has sustained suspected damage to his tibia and ankle. Nick then pulled a good lead followed by Brad Smith on the GasGas and James Giddings on the KTM.

The next few riders were locked in a battle and after a slow start, Phil Studley started coming strong in the second half of the race, firstly getting past Stan after an altercation, which saw Stan lose his front wheel and go down, then moving into 4th ahead of Dan Beaven on the TM.

The course was the best this year in the south and held up fantastically well, with a mix of forestry, sand and technical sections. Nick Life, Brad Smith and James Giddings was the finishing line up with Stan from Front Row finishing 7th on the Edmondson Racing KTM300XC after closing in by 2minutes on the last lap to 6th place but just not enough to take the next slot.

The Seth Stephens Memorial Trophy was presented to Richard Lennard for the first Sportsman 40+.

A great event on a great location.

Thanks to everyone who cleared up after and spent the time helping.

Again thanks to;

-Edmondson Racing
-Talon Engineering
-Adventure Spec
-Arai
-Fox
-Voltcom Group
-Michelin

The Tough Ones Little Brother 2010

Nant Mawr Quarry in North Wales played host to the 2010 Tough Ones Little Brother extreme race, organised by Steve Ireland's WOR Events.

With plans already in place for the world extreme championship in 2011 with the primary event, by WOR Events, The Tough One, on March 13th in Manchester. Its alternative, The Tough Ones Little Brother, lived up to expectations and put itself on the map as a true class extreme event taking place in the vacated Nant Mawr Quarry, which housed the 2010 Tough One Extreme Race.

The course was laid out in similar capacity to that of the 2010 Tough One with less manmade obstacles but plenty of natural challenges to make up for it. Stan Watt from Front Row GB would be competing for the 2nd day in a row on an Edmondson Racing 250KTM XC after racing at the Fast Eddy event the day before on an Edmondson Racing 300KTM XC.

After a 2 minute silence in respect for Remembrance Sunday, the riders warmed their engines in preparation for the dead engine start, that would get the Pro Class underway on a damp and slippery course after a previously day's heavy rain.

The course itself was not going to take long before it met its first test for the riders. The flagged dropped and the first group was away into the initial water trough, dragging water up the first steep climb before a long drop-off onto a log crossing followed by a number of basic water obstacles.

As Stan left the line, the first bundle of riders were already causing havoc on the initial climb and drop-off. He was able to make headway crossing e logs and water obstacles before driving hard up the first flowing section that would eventually lead up the side of Nant Mawr quarry.
Along some rock and then out onto a rocky climb that would be completed by a 90degree uphill corner, littered with a few boulders for good measure before returning to the top of the quarry over what would be the usual rock covered paths. It was steep drops before a short MX section that would lead to a lengthy wet and slippery, off-camber route taking the riders out of the quarry onto a more flowing enduro style area that would still pose difficult for some with grassy slopes and rocky climbs before making it's way back towards the quarry and some rough tricky sections.

As the course closed back onto the quarry it would enter a short rocky bowl before what would be the most difficult descent down a steep, loose rocky slope lined with trees. There was a chicken route, which would extend the lap by 45 seconds. Stan stuck to the extreme routes throughout, making only one mistake on the most difficult descent losing little time.

After a further boulder path, riders were back into the centre of the quarry with a substantial tyre obstacle, which could be negotiated around for a penalty of 30 seconds. This was where Stan would pick up his only penalty as there were a number of bikes blocking the way and he chose for the chicken route in order to prevent waiting. This would prove to be a substantial influence on his final result.

Once the tyre obstacle was complete, all riders passed through the control and onto a short climb by the pits before negotiating a path of boulders and rocks, prior to the longest and steepest descent leading to a length of 80m covered by sizeable logs. Those deciding not to attempt this section would receive a 60 second penalty.

As the logs were completed a stoney path led up the side of the quarry, dropping over some boulders that would lead the riders eventually back to the start area and into another lap.

Stan from Front Row GB exceeded his expectations at such a specialised event with after the first two laps causing delays, he got into a rhythm that would take him from 18th position into 15th by lap 5 and Stan steadily progressed, getting stronger as the race went on, pulling a number of places with 3 laps to go as riders began to struggle with the physical effort pulling into 11th place with one lap left, bearing down on Kieran Jones from the Isle of Man on the Gas Gas 300.

On the outer edge of the lap, Stan passed Kieran after a mistake which lost him his clutch lever and Stan would finish the race in 10th. The next 5 riders were very close with only 15 seconds separating them and if Stan didn't take the penalty on the first lap then could, have promoted himself up to 5th. Maybe another time, another place.

A fantastic course and event by WOR Events and massive respect for Graham Jarvis and Paul Bolton for their efforts throughout finishing 1st and 2nd although 9minutes apart.

FRGB

Fast Eddy Moto-Dur-Ed

Ashby-de-la-Zuc was the scene for the Moto-Dur-Ed Race on November 13th. Recent heavy rain was intent on making the event a wash-out, but with some sensible thinking and a good location the days racing would get underway with no worries.

The morning was blessed with sunshine, which would hold throughout the day and the first race was set to be on time at 9.30 with the youth race.

The first Pro race would get underway at 10.00am for the first of two 60 minute races, including Stan Watt from Front Row GB and the likes of Tom Sagar, Lewis Belfield and Matt Ridgeway.

Initial conditions were slippery and difficult for the first few corners from the start and as the course crossed into a 2nd large stubble field the ground had a lot more substance. With the full course consisting of primarily stubble field, with a sort section through some woodland it would be surprisingly physical with relentless cornering but well set up to challenge those who were in the mood.

Stan got race one off to a bad start as he was still putting his goggles on when the flag dropped. With a strong group of riders ahead of him, Stan hung onto the back of the pack for the first 20 minutes before a few small mistakes dropped him off and eventually finished 6th out of the 10 Pro starters.

The conditions for race two had dramatically improved with full grip and less wet/mud to cause an problems. Lap times would drop as well with Tom Sagar taking the win with a lap time of 3.17mins and although much faster in race two with less mistakes, Stan ended up in a 3 way battle with the two riders immediately in front of him after catching them with 3 laps to go. The last lap saw the 3 riders battle at every corner but coming from the back Stan couldn't find the passing move and ended race two in 7th.

Good effort to the Fast Eddy crew for a well thought out and differing event.

As always thanks to:

Ivan
Derrick @ Edmondson Racing
Rob @ Talon
Adventure Spec
Voltcom Group

Last but not least Abigail for all the support on every corner

FRGB

Seth Stephen's Memorial Race

With 3 weeks left until the Seth Stephen's Memorial Race, the main personalities helping to get the course together met at the Mexi in Dorset to start the process of laying out the main area not controlled by the military at Bovington.

Racing has not taken place on the area for some 5-6 years with the last winner being Stan Watt of Front Row GB on a Honda CRF450.

With a brief look around the substantial area, the group split into pairs to set up their particular areas. Area 1 is a large sand bowl adjacent to the Mexi and will be laid out by Rob Sartin from Talon Engineering, Area 2 is the largest and longest area, consists of well worn tracks, which lead from Area 1 to open heathland that contains one of the man bog locations. From there it slips into a wooded section of flowing but undulating tracks before setting out onto the perimeter track where the riders will have there first taste of deep sand which holds two further bog sections before making it's way back and into Area 3.

Area 3 is by far the most technical where riders will climb one of the more difficult sections into a wooded area that will challenge all abilities consisting of a number of extreme sections for those that want to attempt them and alternatives for those not so technically minded. Area 3 naturally drifts into Area 4 which flows through some excellent woodland and includes a wonderful open gravel shicane section before heading back into the woods and back to the sandbowl and the start area.

The course will be a proper hare and hounds enduro, and built to accommodate all abilities but all riders will know they have been riding this area for 3 hours. It will remian flowing and ultimately enjoyable

Let's look forward to 28th for a great day in memory of Seth Stephens

FRGB

FAST EDDY & the TOLB

The weekend of 13th and 14th November sets the scene for a variety of racing from Paul Edmondson's Fast Eddy sprint enduro at Ashby De La Zuc on Saturday 13th followed by the start of the extreme season at Nant Mawr Quarry with the Tough Ones Little Brother organized by WOR's Steve Ireland on Sunday 14th.

Front Row GB's Stan Watt is set to race both days with both primary motorcycles of the KTM XC range. The 300XC KTM 2 stroke will be the machine for the all out hare and hounds race on the Saturday whilst the 250XC KTM 2 stroke will be the preferred mount for the extreme element in North Wales for the Sunday.

This weekend allows Stan to finalise some extreme and enduro training at Rogershill Raceway on the KTM 250 before final setup and preparation.

The end of the month sees the DISS MCC organise a one day time card enduro, well-known for is physical requirement and the last weekend of November see RMPEC and SCEC come together for a memorial race in memory of Seth Stephens, who sadly lost his life on active duty in Afghanistan.

It will be a superb event incorporating the best very parts of the Mexe training area as well as the surrounding Bovington ranges in Dorset, which is sure to trigger memories of some of the awesome races held there in the 80s. The course will be around 6 miles long and mostly made up of sandy tracks and woodland paths and is intended to be a challenging but enjoyable for riders of all abilities including enthusiastic beginners.

Hopefully see you at the races and by all means come over for a chat

FRGB