Demeester man
By TMX Archives on 6th Feb 08
ARNAUD Demeester on a 450cc Yamaha won for the seventh time the biggest race in the world, the 2008 Le Touquet beach enduro, last Sunday.
But it could have been a whole different story as on the last lap Honda's Timotei Potisek, who was that fastest man on the track at the time, caught and passed Demeester only to have Demeester re-pass him in what was a questionable passing manoeuvre that left Potisek face down in the sand.
THE strong, chilling wind from the Atlantic was blowing the sand into the reported 500,000 crowd of enthusiastic spectators from all over Europe as the 1,000-plus riders made their way through the narrow streets of the usually sleepy town for the 1pm start.
Two lots of ‘seeded' riders were let onto the beach first to have first choice of position on the very wide start, most choosing the seaward side where the sand is wetter and gives more grip down the long, long five-mile start straight to turn one.
With most of the riders on the beach the gate dropped on time and off went the riders for the three hour event.
One team had even converted 900cc road-going Honda just with the idea of getting to turn one first and getting their hands on the 1500 Euro holeshot prize. It was ridden by Frenchman Mickael Kavalauskas, and he did the job, walking away with the easiest prise money of the weekend.
It all went quiet at the start area as the crowd waited for the riders to come back into view along the series of massive jumps built alongside the promenade.
To the deafening cheer of the fans Kawasaki mounted Yves Doudon crested the first of the jumps with motocross star, Yves Demaria, some distant behind him.
Demeester was third, just behind Demaria, with Potisek in his wheel tracks. Third place man last year, Pierrick Paget was next with Damien Prevot on another Yamaha sixth.
It all went wrong for young Benjamin Schots as they crossed the finish for the first time. He lost control of his Yamaha and high-sided spectacularly, knocking himself out as he cart wheeled down the track and coming to a stop unmoving. He was given emergency trackside attention and was rushed by helicopter to a hospital in a very poorly condition.
As the first hour came to a close and four laps of the trecherous tack were completed by the leaders, Demaria had gone missing as Demeester was now in the lead by over 30 seconds from Paget and Deudon, with Potisek and Mousse almost three minutes behind, with the only close racing coming from Vincent Cambier, Cycrill Coulon, and Damien Prevot as the three Frenchmen fought over sixth place just seconds apart.
LE TOUQUET ENDURO
Le Touquet, FRANCE
13 laps: 1 Arnaud Demeester (F - 450 Yamaha), 2 Timotei Potisek (F - 450 Honda), 3 Pierrick Paget (F - 450 Yamaha), 4 Jean-Claud Mousse (F - 450 Honda), 5 Damien Prevot (F - 450 Yamaha), 6 Vincent Cambier (F - 450 Honda).
12 laps: 7 Cyrille Coulon (F - 450 Yamaha), 8 Matei Potisek (F - 450 Honda), 9 Gautier Leclabart (F - 450 Yamaha), 10 Elric Lambert (F - 450 Yamaha), 11 David Gibot (F - 450 Honda), 12 Cedric Sengotta (F - 450 Honda), 13 Alexandre Morel (F - 450 Yamaha).
11 laps: 14 Cornelis Rosendaal (NL - 450 Honda), 15 Christof Godrie (B - 450 Honda), 16 Sullivan Jore (F - 450 Yamaha), 17 Sebastien Dulot (F - 450 Honda), 18 Frederic Delhuille (F - 450 Honda), 19 John Lefebvre (F - 450 Honda), 20 Marcos Guiral (ARG- 450 Yamaha).
British finishers: 79 James Price (450 Honda), 127 Brice Ryan (450 Honda)
9 laps: Eddie Sloane (450 KTM), 198 Richard Walters (125 KTM), Craig Trew (450 Yamaha).
8 laps: 231 Paul Chiappa (250 Yamaha), 270 Justin Carter (525 KTM), 285 Craig Smith (250 Yamaha).
7 laps: 320 Adrian Salt (450 Kawasaki), 345 Bill Haddow (250 Honda), 367 Clive Town (525 KTM), 381 Adam Housley (200 KTM), 386 Gavin Johnston (250 KTM).
6 laps: 409 Phillip Robinson (250 Honda), 420 Darren Jones (250 Honda).
5 laps: 459 Barrie Richardson (450 Yamaha), Nick Life (450 Yamaha).
4 laps: 474 Geoff Hooper (250 Suzuki).
For full report and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, February 8, 2008