Glendalough, round two of the Irish Enduro Championship held on Sunday was hosted by the Torc club under the stewardship of Allan Lekie and his merry band of helpers. Storm force rain on Friday was replaced by a fine sunny day for set up on Saturday with rain late Saturday night followed by relatively fine weather for Sundays race day.
The Glendalough event, as pointed out by the COC is one of the oldest events on the calendar, but is no longer held from Glendalough but in Aughavanna some 25 km south of the “lough”. The original event was always held at the end of the season , a two day with different loops for each day followed by a presentation and dinner in the Glendalough hotel which also served as the PARC ferme. What events and nights they were ! Roger and Aileen Tiernan, Martin Mangan and Allan were the drivers behind those fantastic events, attracting many world class riders as well as Ireland’s best at the time. American Jeff Fredette ( the leading ISDE rider of all time and still riding ), Roman Mitchelic (world 125 champion) , Mika Ahola ( 6 times world champion) , Rob Sartin ( British champion), John Deacon ( British 4 t champion , sadly deceased following a freak accident at the masters Rallye in 2001) , Jonty Edmonds ( 125 European champion U23) and Geraint Jones ( 10 times British champion’) were some of the riders to join our own at the top level. Robert Davidson, Adrian Lappin, Tan Callaghan , Paul Maguire , Paul Mc Minn to name but a few.
The competition was intense with little to choose between any of those riders and the standard was high. Great names great events.
It was disappointing when a decision was taken to move the event from Glendalough first to Glenmalure and then to Aughavanny where it is today. Decisions taken in light of the growing Eco environment, the interpretative centre building in Glendalough itself and the walking fraternity who took up a new base from Glenmalure. It changed the entire event but better to have a good route today, broadly untroubled than to run the risk of no event by upsetting the Eco warriors. Motorcycling features way down on their radar where in fact we do little damage to the forests and it is to the credit of all who are or were involved in our sport that we have maintained the confidence and positivity from our national forestry resource Coillte. Noise continues to be the biggest negative position and it is imperative that everyone understands the damage that incorrectly silenced bikes bring and why the organisers worldwide must enforce the noise regulations.
So to Sunday where it was good to see a well supported event if a little shy in the aforementioned experts class. Great to welcome Harold Crawford back, not the youngest chicken in the coop but a top class trials rider who can turn to any form of motorcycle sport. Never seen Harold with his feet off the pegs !Lesson there for all.
With the brown mountain end of the forest off limits due to a fungal tree infection a 22 mile loop was laid out in the valley forests incorporating fire roads, forest tracks an the odd harvester tracks. Nothing of a stopper nature and definitely one for the clubmen to enjoy. A nice flowing, open test. Well done to Allan and co.
Glendalough Irish Enduro Championship RD2 2015
More later.
Enduro.ie