Vets MX Of Nations 2016 Team N Ireland
It’s been a very varied month for the roaving reporters of Enduro.ie . Holidays and some away time interrupted our ability to catch the events live , however there was a gap in the Enduro programme with failure to agree terms to run in Galway . Loughrea has proved a difficult nut to crack .
TORC did run a Hare and Hound in White Mountain , by all accounts a very good lap and event . Well done to Collie who put it together at the last minute.
So what else happened this month:
Team NI at VETS MX OF NATIONS 2016
Well somewhat under the radar the Vintage MX of Nations was held outside Newtownards in down and quite an event it was . Beautiful weather , a big crowd and loads of oldies and old bikes .As well !
Lawrence Spence , Adrian Lappin ably assisted by Trevor Calderwood kept the crowd happy with a great victory for N Ireland in the main event , Lawrence showing some of his old class by winning both races coming through the pack to win by the smallest of margins , but win nonetheless . It’s a strange mix of bikes and riders …
BSA – Vets MX Of Nations 2016
Vintage Stuff at Vets MX Of Nations 2016
Vintage Stuff at Vets MX Of Nations 2016
Vintage Stuff at Vets MX Of Nations 2016
The bikes have to be Pre 72 with a 250 , a 500 class and a 500 4 t . The riders have to be over 50 for this class and over 60 or 70 for the other classes . Fast oldies we can tell you . Well done to the NI team . Mossie Drennan bust his leg again ! So we wish him well .
Now then , the Paddy Dakar :
Night route of Paddy Dakar 2011
You may have heard of this and if not you should have as its a story of success . Of course a play on the actual Paris Dakar event but held in Doon Co. Limerick as against Doon co. Offaly or Africa and is a fun weekend with a long navigational route thrown in for good measure . This year the organiser Jon Blackmore added a 24hr marathon stage starting on Friday night and covering 750 km from Thurles to west Clare . Many spent the whole night riding whilst some dropped anchor for a few hours kip at the Tarbert ferry crossing . Brian Mc Girr and Ciaran rocked home first at 4pm Saturday having collected all 25 telegraph numbers through the night . Jon had the brainwave to use the numbers on telephone poles as checkpoints . Each pole has a unique number so if you got it you were there or bribed your mate ! Good thinking Jon . Dave Crean also had a great run proving once again how good a navigator he is.
John Blackmore in Action ( Paddy Dakar 2016)
Africa Twin – Would you take this out in the rain ?
The rest of the crew spent 5 hours on Friday night covering a 75 km loop and collecting 5 pole numbers . The balance were in the bar .
Saturday was a 200 plus run in very inclement weather but good nonetheless followed by the obligatory piss up in the bar . A toss up which was best ….😳💦
The formula is simple … Make it enjoyable but a challenge . Put it in your to do list .
Well done to these guys today . They rode hard all day and gave it there all .#teamwork #motocross #ireland
We have also just heard that the MX Of Nations team of Martin Barr , Graeme Irwin and Stuart Edmonds have again qualified for the main event by winning the last chance race . It’s a strange situation as the boys have done it this way 6 times in the last 7 years . This year Graeme dislocated his shoulder in practice and was unable to take his place in qualifying so the team were out of direct go through from the off . The best two count in the last chance and a heroic ride from last to seventh by Stuart and an equally good 4 th place by Martin saw the Irish put out Germany and Portugal on the last lap…. Quite some scalps .
The problem of course is the last chance is before the main event on the sunday so Stuart and Martin had to ride back to back for 3 races . Not what you want but what a brilliant display . We trust Graeme will be fit again soon . For the record France won beating Holland and the USA again on the very last lap .
So next on the agenda is the 6 days .
Good luck to Paul MC Carthy ( we only hope his leg will hold up ) , John Lynch and Simon Kennedy. Watch the guys as they tackle the Spanish ISDE.
And then Tinahealy , the final Enduro of the season … Always a good one nestling in the foothills of Wicklow . Almost sure to be wet but that makes no odds as the base is hard or good old granite . Slip sliding away on a great event and a real challenge .
More next chapter .
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