Uniting the elements
By TMX Archives on 22nd Dec 06
AFTER a month of solid rain it was wet underfoot at Oror Estate, Gwyddelwyn, for the fifth and final round of the 2006 Gas Gas UK Winter Hare and Hounds Series cancelling was not an issue though, as the WOR Events team took on the elements and won.
The weather on race day was actually blue skies but on the ground it was a different matter and possibly in places a Jet Ski would have been more appropriate.
The organisers did a superb job with two tractors laid on to ensure that riders got in and out of the parking fields and a circuit that had a little of everything.
The main feature with the track was the eight separate pieces of forestry that were linked by fast stretches of wet fields and moorland.
These wooded sections became the main battlefield as, slowly but surely, with the passage of machines the ground became more and more waterlogged and rutted. Those riders who finished the event had a real sense of achievement as shattered bodies and machines crossed the finish line.
As is the norm at WOR Events, the morning race for 90-minutes catered for Youth, Ladies, Beginners and Novices. Riding on a slightly shorter but equally challenging course as the main afternoon race, the morning racers did not quite have the same level of difficulty to contend with because the ruts and roots in the forests had not yet unveiled themselves.
Dewi Williams took the win in the Beginner's class ahead of Steven Hughes and Paul Hughes.
The ever-improving Wayne Collins topped the Novice podium, with Steven Ellis in second and Mike Evans third. Wayne will be moving up into the Sportsman ranks from now on.
Travelling all the way from Devon and out on a new machine did nothing to stop a class winning performance of the current Motul GBHS Ladies Champ, Sophie Thomas. She established a five-minute lead over Jane Daniels who, in turn, had a three-minute advantage over Kate Lloyd. Jane did just enough to earn the overall Winter Ladies title on her trusty TTR125.
There was another well supported line-up of Youth who did well with their small-wheeled machines in the wet conditions.
Scott Hughes was leading for a quite a while until he buried himself in a puddle out on the track and lost some vital minutes. Taking his first win with WOR was Josh Taylor with a five-minute advantage over Hughes at the flag. Third place on the podium went to the determined Owain Humphreys who was three-minutes down on second placed Scott. All of the top three finished on four-laps.
Series title sponsor Gas Gas UK boss man John Shirt Jnr – the current Motul GBHS Champion – was in attendance to present the trophies and also give a general hand in the running of the event. John was spotted knee-deep in mud helping pull some bikes from a quagmire!
Gas Gas UK Winter Hare and Hounds Series Rd 5 (Final) Oror Estate, Gwyddelwyn . Main Event (2-hours)
Open: 1 Paul Bolton 8 laps - 3:06 time penalties, 2 Rowland Morris 7 - 2:18, 3 John Pearson 7 - 2:54, 4 Lincoln Brewster 7 - 3:07, 5 Luke Meredith 7 - 9:10, 6 Pete Lightfoot 7 - 10:41.
Clubman S1: 1 Gary Benniman 7 - 14:48, 2 Craig Reynolds 7 - 16:55, 3 Ashley Fox 6 - 2:10, 4 Damien Butler 6 - 6:43, 5 Daniel Atherton 6 - 15:05, 6 Dafydd Jones 6 - 22:20.
Clubman S2: 1 Dave Cooper 6 - 2:34, 2 Simon Douglas 6 - 12:32, 3 Alun Jones 5 - 3:35, 4 Hywel Edwards 5 - 4:16, 5 Robert Mcleod 5 - 12:07, 6 Carl Critchlow 5 - 14:43.
Over 35: 1 Dave Carthy 6 - 10:00, 2 Jack Twentyman 6 - 11:45, 3 Ian Barnett 6 - 12:21, 4 Dennis Harrison 6 - 21:53, 5 David Lewis 5 - 16:12, 6 Nick Evans 4 - 8:17.
Over 45: 1 Gareth Lloyd 6 - 21:02, 2 Colin Jones 5 - 2:49, 3 David Smith 5 - 20:52, 4 Adrian Kent 5 - 26:35, 5 Peter Reese 4 - 3:23, 6 Rob Edwards 4 - 6:22.
Sportsman: 1 Neil Hawksey 6 - 17:51, 2 Harry Hillas 6 - 25:28, 3 Jamie Robinson 5 - 14:30, 4 Eifion Davies 5 - 18:33, 5 Chris Berry 5 - 27:25, 6 Pete Middleton 4 - 5:39.
Beginners (90-minute)
Youth: 1 Josh Taylor 4 - 1:34, 2 Scott Hughes 4 - 6:28, 3 Owain Humphreys 4 - 9:55, 4 Joe Deakin 4 - 18:51, 5 Huw Jones 4 - 19:26, 6 James Allinson 3 - 5:36.
Ladies: 1 Sophie Thomas 2 - 0:42, 2 Jane Daniels 2 - 5:03, 3 Kate Lloyd 2 - 8:30, 4 Emily Wicks 2 - 22:26, 5 Margaret Lloyd 1 - 20:33.
Beg: 1 Dewi Williams 5 - 4:25, 2 Steven Hughes 4 - 0:48, 3 Paul Hughes 4 - 11:49, 4 William Charnock 3 - 10:52, 5 Rhodri Jones 3 - 12:55, 6 Mike White 3 - 13:46.
Novice: 1 Wayne Collins 5 - 4:51, 2 Steven Ellis 5 - 5:10, 3 Mike Evans 5 - 13:03, 4 Matt Gill 4 - 12:41, 5 Colin Newman 4 - 15:51, 6 Gareth Jones 4 - 18:33.
For full report, results and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, December 22, 2006