Ed Honcho - Derrick Edmondson on being in the hot seat at Hawkstone
By TMX Archives on 14th Sep 17
Short in stature but tall in experience Derrick Edmondsons broad shoulders now have the full weight on an Enduro GP event resting on them. Impressive, especially for someone who is looking to take things a little easier since handing over the reigns of Edmondson Racing to brother Paul. Known for not suffering fools, we approached with caution and caught Derrick in a good mood (relatively)...
TMX: You are the event manager for possibly the biggest enduro event in the UK for many years, how are you feeling about this sudden and unexpected promotion into the spotlight?
Derrick Edmondson: Full of trepidation at the moment. It's a massive task and not one that I anticipated taking on at any point up until a few weeks ago.
To be put in the hot-seat at such short notice is a challenge. I don't mind a challenge and never run away form challenges but the sheer logistics of putting on such an event as an Enduro GP, an event of great magnitude and high level of expectation, brings a lot of hidden headaches that don't normally come with smaller UK events.
TMX: You have a vast amount of experience from the events you have competed in, the Dakar for instance, and also the events you have visited over the years and the development of the sport of enduro. Does this have an influence on how your planning goes ahead?
DE: I think that is why I've been thrust into the hot-seat. Yes I do have plenty of enduro experience at all levels and I suppose I bring that with me into this challenge, knowing how things would work better done a certain way than another.
When you add on what I would term modern-day legislation, health and safety and ticking numerous boxes etc, that is the real magnitude of putting the event on. Laying the course out is the easiest thing we have to do. We have a fantastic facility in Hawkstone Park that really will test the world's best riders to a very high level and will be a fantastic spectacle for all the spectators, teams, crews and riders. The whole event will be an absolute cracker but it's ticking the boxes behind the scenes that enables the event to go ahead that is the really hard part.
TMX: Is it case of juggling legislation along with the demands of putting on a spectacular and exciting event that make for issues or does it go deeper than that? Is it FIM standards rather than ACU standards that make things difficult?
DE: You can't juggle legislation, it is what it is and you have to abide by it and I personally think it is just modern-day standards. It's what is expected by ruling bodies and by the public and riders alike. It's the same at a game fair or an athletics event.
Any event of this level comes with rules and regulations that must be met and to try and do that within the budgets that are available to try and make this event a success. It has to be a success for everyone, the riders, the teams, the spectators and for the Fast Eddy organisation so that when people go away from here after the event, everything is a thumbs-up and positive vibes rather than 'we couldn't see anything' or 'we couldn't do that etc'. To make all that come true and fulfil expectations, that is the headache.
Salop Motor Club have been absolutely first-class in their approach and assistance regarding this event. They are very experienced in putting on top-notch events and have offered every assisitance. The facility they have here is tremendous, I can't think of anything even close to matching it in the UK, and to have use of such a venue is a tremendous boost and asset to this event.
We have new areas within the boundary of the club that we can use. West Midlands Shooting Ground have offered use of their impressive facilities for the FIM to use in addition to a large chunk of land that can be incorporated into the course for the Sunday races.
That will certainly give an extra magnitude to the race that will raise the bar even higher and will be new even for the regular Fast Eddy Hawkstone visitors. I was involved in an event over 30 years ago that was a fundraiser for the ISDE and part of this particular area was used then but it has been out of bounds and a hidden secret ever since.
Sunday afternoon's race using this land will be a cracker, the first of its type in Enduro GP. These guys are used to racing the clock and they will be doing that on Saturday but on Sunday they will be racing each other.
It is the first time that this type of race has been allowed within the world championship, a race where the best of every class will be handlebar to handlebar, from a dead engine start and along the famous Hawkstone start straight. I'm looking forward to it, I can only imagine that it will be quite spectacular.
TMX: Paul has said that it is very much a 'back to grass roots' type racing, would you agree?
DE: Very much so. The top level of Enduro GP riders is a mixture of guys coming from XC racing, MX and time-card type events. You have the MX guys who have learned the speed element and now have to learn the technical 'enduro' skills and you have the traditional Enduro guys who have to learn the speed element. There are two different branches of sport that are meeting in the middle and this event will show the true skills of both sets of riders.
Even on Saturday the two Sprint tests will be challenging for all of them but the skills from the top riders has been demanded on both types of tracks.
They have to be extremely capable on both to ride at GP level. The enduro loop in the woods will be incredibly challenging and riders will have the very best of both natural ground and man-made MX style tracks which will test them to the highest level.
Saturday and Sunday September 23-24 are the dates and Hawkstone Park is the venue to witness the world's best in action without having to travel abroad. It is an opportunity not to be missed.
