NEEC News
NEEC Rounds 4 and 5, Kielder 2 Day Enduro
THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL!!
Work has continued over the last week , despite some major set backs. The worst of these came on Thursday 10th July when the farmer who gave permission to use the moor which was critical in linking the course told us that his landlord had withdrawn permission, this left event organizer dirtbike-traxs with a major problem which took 3 long days to come up with an alternative route , this has now been resolved and the length of the route remains at around 30 miles.
The event forms 2 championship rounds of the North of England Enduro Championship with points available for both days , entries are still available for this epic event phone 07914777534, riders have the option to ride both days or just the Sunday.
Saturdays course will be shorter that the route for Sunday but for all classes the lap times will be set fairly tight so there will not be much waiting around at time checks putting the emphasis on riding the course with the special as a decider.
The event starts at 1 pm on the Saturday with a more traditional 10 am start on the Sunday, camping from Friday with the special test close to the start area and Martyn Field providing commentary on the test action,
The weekend should provide something special to time card enduros.
New Gallery
CLICK HERE
Pics by Andy Smith, Yorkshire Enduro Club
Hacked Off!!!
The NEEC forum has been the victim of a hacker.Steve our website man wrestled with the problem all day Friday and came to the conclusion that the old forum was un-salvagable.
So the content from the old forum was copied to another compatible forum. Thanks for doing a good job Steve!
Unfortunately it was not possible to copy all the content, so we have lost the pictures and some postings. We apologise If we have lost your registration, please re-register.
A message to The Turkish hacker .....get a life you moronic slimeball!!
NEEC Round 3- The Stang Enduro, July 13th
“Stang-tastic”
North Riding Enduro Club
The “Husqvarna” North of England Enduro Championship
“Stang Enduro”
David Myers took maximum advantage of a late entry at the “STANG ENDURO” on Sunday 13th July to take outright victory the 3rd round of the “Husqvarna” sponsored North of England Enduro Championships. The event was run at Stang forest near Barnard Castle and the rain affected 17-mile course proved a stern challenge for the 130 strong field. The team at North Riding Enduro did a great job to find a last minute start area (following the regular start field being under water following the heavy rains of Thursday and Friday, and the team of more than 40 marshals worked tirelessly to ensure 83 riders made it to the finish.
The Championship Class completed 4 laps of the course, which included a “special” loop on the upper section of the forest reserved for riders of expert standard and above. And so it was only natural to include this in the “tight time check” where the event was eventually won and lost.
Dave Myers on his KTM300 incurred just 3 minutes of penalties, one better than both David Wood (250 Yamaha) in 2nd and Dan Field (TGOR KTM200) in 3rd who both lost 4 minutes and the advantage they had in the special tests. Dan looked to be having a hard time and tired in the slippery going.
Also with 4 laps of the course to complete, the Expert class was also won on times as well as tests. James Wood steered his 300 KTM to a minutes advantage from Tim Patterson who continues to improve on his 250 KTM at every event. A delighted David Nellis made a welcome return to the Stang and took a very creditable 3rd on his little 125 KTM showing he has lost non of his experience in time card enduros. The Expert Class is growing in depth with many new riders entering this class for 2008. This includes a young Simon Cartwright who put in a good performance spoiled only through his inexperience and he clocked in early, which dropped him down to 9th overall.
The Clubman class was treated to 3 laps of the course and they too had their own tight check. Although shorter in length than the “Expert” check, the best still dropped 5 minutes and it was faster test times that gave Jonathon Hughes (KTM250F) both E1 and overall Clubman honours. Paul Miller (125KTM) confirmed that a big bike is no advantage around the Stang and he took 2nd place in both the E1 and overall standings, from Steve Hunter (250 Yamaha) who was the best in the E2 category. Over 40 winner Ian Coburn (250ktm) was the only other rider on clubman pace to match 5 minutes of penalties helped by his smooth riding style.
In the Sportsman category, times were much more relaxed (and the majority cleaned them with ease). The 2 laps and just one timed special test was right for the tough conditions. There were three father and son combinations riding at the event this year and it was good to see Ian Cartwright on his CRF250 encouraging Simon. Ian Briggs failed to keep up with the pace of son Michael (despite loading his lads ruck sack with about 30 kilos of tools to slow him down. And finally father and som combination Dennis and Daniel Fath fully enjoyed their ride in the sportsman class. The Husqvarna NEEC championships moves on to Kielder forest. See you there
Picture is of David Myers Championship Class Winner.
Report: Tom Banks
For event photo gallery CLICK HERE
Photos & prints also available from chris 01423 562014
www.doubletake-eventphotography.co.uk
Ryedale Rally, July 5th and 6th
Home & Dry (?) – Ryedale Rally 2008
The Yorkshire Enduro Club members shifted many tons of gravel, built bridges and manoeuvred a landslip to provide a glorious course for the 2008 Ryedale Rally on 5th & 6th July . The two “course marking” days before the event were blessed with blue skies and perfect riding conditions. Good weather encouraged many of the competitors to bring their spectacular motorhomes, caravans and tents to the start/finish during Friday afternoon so by 7pm the weekend event was well underway as friends & fellow competitors were greeted, bottles opened and barbecues lit. A marquee was available for socialising and a convoy of army vehicles had made an encampment ready to provide radio contact and medical support throughout the event.
A full riding list created a buzzing atmosphere by 7.30am on a somewhat dull Saturday morning as bacon butties from the burger van were eaten and machines examined then put into the parc ferme ready for the “off” through the bright red NEEC gazebo.
Around about 8am a weather report spotted on somebody’s B&B TV broke the news that the Met Office has issued a severe weather warning! Sure enough, as the laden trailer trundled off to the fuel stop with its valuable cargo of very expensively filled petrol cans, a fine rain signalled that waterproof riding gear and spare gloves might be a sensible option.
Saturday’s course took riders out through Cropton Forest across purple heathered moorland then down through farmland and into 3 laps of spectacular Langdale forest finishing with a tour of beautiful Wykeham forest then back across the moors – 150 km of the very best of Yorkshire countryside with stunning views of forest, moor and coast. Sadly however global warming in reverse seemed to be happening as the temperature dropped, the wind rose and rain worthy of a January cloudburst beat down onto forest rides which the organisers had yesterday feared may be too dusty!!!! Indeed, an abandoned jetski (!) spotted near a forest gate seemed a far better option that a Sunbeam, a BSA Goldstar or a BMW (especially the one with road tyres which danced merrily across the wet grass of the start field!).
Despite ruts filling to a level of 2 feet or more with muddy water, riders, check minders and marshals continued to battle the elements with great cheer and enthusiasm making particularly good use of the portaloos in the forest – to procure toilet paper and handtowels for goggle cleaning rather than their intended purpose. On a largely injury free day (thank heavens), Big Evan, the Quad riding Medic patrolled the route constantly at high speed, bouncing his towed stretcher along the tracks behind him to the amasement of all who saw his spectacular ridng skill (while worrying a bit about whether any future casualty might drown as the stretcher filled with rainwater en route).
As the riding day began to draw to a close, the clouds dispersed and within 10 minutes, the temperature must have risen 10 degrees. Layers were peeled off, steam now obscured the view, last riders rode home and the marshals prepared for day 2. But this was the calm before the real storm as, just as quickly, day turned black as night, thunder rolled, hail bounced down and lightning terrified or thrilled shocked riders and organisers as it put on a once in a lifetime pyrotechnic display around the panorama of the North Yorkshire Moors. One Marshal was struck temporarily deaf by a bolt which fizzed as it landed in the moor beside him (an hour’s peace and quiet from that particular Marshal may have been appreciated by the Chief Marshal but it was deaf he was struck, not dumb!!!).
It began to look as though the jolly campsite was a relic from Glastonbury and worries about how the big camping rigs would leave the field started to be voiced but when the storm abated, spirits rose and barbecues again tainted the air as tales of the day’s exploits were shared in many gazebos and awnings. Astonishingly, late in the evening, an unidentified rider took his place in the middle of the field, lit 3 flaming torches and proceeded to juggle with fire, eat fire and blow flames worthy of a Welsh dragon – what a cabaret to round off the day!
The fuel van was unfotunately delayed in getting back to the start due to recovery of 4 broken bikes and 3 riders.
Sunday dawned wet and cold but most of the entry turned up in good spirits to begin the second day’s riding which would take the course round three 90 minute laps of Cropton forest. Course designer and Chief Marshal Jeremy Wilson had to make a few last minute changes as potentially enjoyable cuts through trees had changed to slop with overnight and continuing rain. Nevertheless, competitors still showed great enthusiasm as they called in to refuel bikes and well over half the entry persevered through 3 laps to a planned early finish in the afternoon - at which point the heavy rain turned to utter monsoon and provided the last great entertainment of the event: getting out of the field!!!
Having recovered the most serious casualty of the event out of the forest (Geoff Smithers with a broken ankle and now safely home in London) on his Quad – (fortunately the stretcher was not required), the trusty Medic Evan, Marshal Nigel (also with Quad) & our longsuffering farmer landlord Trevor (with tractor) set about hauling everyone safely out onto the forest road where a handful of tired competitors chose to camp for another night to enjoy the forest ambience (midges?) and recover from a testing but hopefully very enjoyable event.
Those who completed the course were elated (if exhausted) – none more so than Fiona Moran who was noted pushing her bike through a long bog while laughing hysterically, Brian Eland and Pat Keenan who repeatedly tried to push each other off their bikes, Bob Room & Noel Fletcher who the YEC believe rode in our 1st event some 32 years ago, John Guard (with his L plate) who had to ride alone after his Pa Steve broke his Triumph on Day 1 and, for the first time in this event, a handful of 2 stroke riders. Rider 66, Richard Hirst was overjoyed to finish as it meant he had earned over £1000 in sponsorship for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance which will be added to the donations collected by Andy Cole our kind neighbour at High Muffles who provided powerwash facilities for the riders each day.
The YEC would like to thank everyone for supporting the event, for their great enthusiasm and cheerfulness in the face of ghastly weather conditions and most of all, for clearing up the site and taking all the rubbish home!
We hope to see you again next year and maybe we will get 3rd time lucky good weather……
If you enjoyed this event why not enter The Yorkshire Enduro in September, this is an enduro version of The Ryedale Rally Day 2.
For gallery 1 The Start CLICK HERE
For gallery 2 CLICK HERE
For gallery 3 CLICK HERE
What did you think of the rally how can it be improved?
Why not register on the forum and have your say, post under Ryedale Rally.
For the forum CLICK HERE
Report by SUE LYNES