KNIGHT DOMINATES ROUND ONE
ABBEY ENDURO February 18-19
David Knight, three-time World enduro champion, got off to the best possible start to what he hopes to be his tenth British enduro championship (outright) title at round one of the 2012 ACU Doodson British Enduro Championship at the Abbey Enduro in Powys over the weekend – with a double victory.
Run in difficult wintry conditions, Knight (KTM) was followed home each day by Tom Sagar (Honda) and Danny McCanney (Gas Gas). In fact the event was dominated by Manx riders, with Knight, McCanney, Alex Rockwell (Husaberg) and Jamie McCanney (Husaberg) four of the top five in Day One were Manx, and four of the top six on Day Two. All four Manxmen will also be contending the Enduro World Championship this year.
The conditions tested the organisers as much as the riders and credit has to go to the organising club Mid Wales Dirt Riders and to chief clerk of the course Paul Edmondson for producing a course that remained rideable even for the clubmen entry in the worst conditions, and for taking prompt and decisive action in shortening the course when needed.
David Knight: “A good start for the championship for me, although I think like everyone I could have done without the Siberian conditions. It was a good ride though, not too long with plenty of time at the checks and the tests were real good. I thought in the conditions the course would have cut up more but it held up. Great start to the championship for me – Iʼm very pleased to get the double win.”
Tom Sagar: “I was part of the organising effort as well as part of the entry for this weekend so I saw the challenges the weather brought from every aspect. It was a challenge for everyone, right down to the ridersʼ support crews. Iʼm very happy to get two seconds, these were not ideal for my Honda CRF450 – being based on a motocrosser – and David was on form, so for me a great way to start the season.”
Danny McCanney: “That was a tough weekendʼs racing. It was a good event, well run and the course was good, but the weather was very harsh. Iʼm pleased with my two rides, everything went well, and the only thing I’d change was the stupid crash in the last test of the weekend.
Dusty Martin, ACU Steward of the Meeting: “The organising club were well and truly tested this weekend but they came through with flying colours. Credit has to go to the team of three clerks of the course led by Paul Edmondson as to make a course as rideable as this in such extreme conditions is a major achievement. I appreciated, too, that Paul pre-rode the lap each day and made alterations accordingly, cutting out sections that would have proven stoppers. Altogether the club was very efficient and decisive in their decision making and certainly snatched victory from some very savage jaws of defeat – in terms of the weather.”
Paul Edmondson, Clerk of the Course: “It was a battle with the weather but we came through and I think we proved the easy-to-follow two special test enduro concept worked. The course stayed rideable for all and for amateur riders it was possible to compete without a support crew. It was still tough and there were DNFs but this is the British championship, the pinnacle of the sport in the UK, itʼs what itʼs all about.”
2012 ACU DOODSON BRITISH ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND ONE PROVISIONAL RESULTS
DAY ONE
Overall 1 David Knight KTM 500EXC 2 Tom Sagar Honda CRF450 3 Danny McCanney Gas Gas EC300
E1/2 Championship 1 Jamie McCanney Husaberg TE125 2 Matt Ridgeway Husaberg TE125 3 Neil Chatham KTM 125EXC
E1/4 Championship 1 Rheinallt Davies KTM 250EXCF 2 Jack Rowland Husqvarna TE250
E2 Championship 1 Tom Sagar Honda CRF450 2 Alex Rockwell Husaberg TE250 3 Lee Edmondson KTM 250EXC
E3 Championship 1 David Knight KTM 500EXC 2 Danny McCanney Gas Gas EC300 3 Gethin Price
DAY TWO
Overall 1 David Knight KTM 500EXC 2 Tom Sagar Honda CRF450 3 Danny McCanney Gas Gas EC300
E1/2 Championship 1 Jamie McCanney Husaberg TE125 2 Matt Ridgeway Husaberg TE125 3 Neil Chatham KTM 125EXC
E1/4 Championship 1 Rheinallt Davies KTM 250EXCF 2 Jack Rowland Husqvarna TE250
E2 Championship 1 Tom Sagar Honda CRF450 2 Alex Rockwell Husaberg TE250 3 Lee Edmondson KTM 250EXC
E3 Championship 1 David Knight KTM 500EXC 2 Danny McCanney Gas Gas EC300 3 Si Wakely Husaberg TE300
Irish Results:
Day 1:
Clubman E2: 8th Seamus Muldoon, 15th John Lynch
Clubman E3: 7th Niall Stapleton
Vets: 16th Phil Caldwell, 22nd Simon Kennedy
Day 2:
Clubman E2: 8th Seamus Muldoon, 16th John Lynch
Vets: 15th Simon Kennedy