BEC title goes to McCanney

n By Sean Lawless

n Picture: Future7 Media

After five days of deliberation the ACU's Trials and Enduro Committee has confirmed that Jamie McCanney is this year's British Enduro Champion.

The 21-year-old Manxman ended the year tied on points with Steve Holcombe. He thought he'd won the title by virtue of his victory in the final round of the series – the Muntjac – but a grey area in the ACU's Enduro Standing Regulations resulted in confusion that took almost a week to resolve.

With the riders tied after dropping their two worst scores, the rulebook called for a count-back of their season's finishes.

Both riders shared the same number of wins and seconds but Holcombe appeared to edge it with two thirds to McCanney's one. The problem was that the regulations don't state whether or not dropped scores should be included in this count-back and Holcombe's ‘extra' third was from a result he discounted.

Last Friday the ACU clarified the situation with the following brief statement.

Happy

‘Following a tie situation in the overall results of the Edmondson Racing British Time Card Enduro Championship, the Trials & Enduro Committee, after careful consideration, sought a legal opinion and now confirm that in order to resolve the tie situation the place counts are taken from all rounds less two of the riders scores (ie nine rounds and not 11).'

Winning the title caps an outstanding season for McCanney.

"As far as I was aware whoever won the Muntjac won the championship,” he said, "but as soon as I took the win this other way of deciding who was champion was mentioned which I found very frustrating. 

"But I'm really happy now I know I've won the title. It's been an unbelievable season – winning the world Junior championship, the E1 class at the six days and finishing with the British title.”

Midwest Racing's Simon Molter, who ran McCanney's Husqvarna UK team this year, was relieved by the ACU's decision.

"I'm always happy to win the championship,” he said. "It was really close all year – Steve and Jamie have really upped their game this season.

"The rules were a little bit open to interpretation and there were several different opinions but to be quite honest you couldn't separate those two guys and either one deserves it because they both rode fantastic.”

McCanney will not be defending his title next year after signing to race the E1 class with Team Yamaha Miglio. Instead he will race the Italian championship but hopes to ride selected BEC rounds.n By Sean Lawless

The 21-year-old Manxman ended the year tied on points with Steve Holcombe. He thought he'd won the title by virtue of his victory in the final round of the series – the Muntjac – but a grey area in the ACU's Enduro Standing Regulations resulted in confusion that took almost a week to resolve.

With the riders tied after dropping their two worst scores, the rulebook called for a count-back of their season's finishes.

Both riders shared the same number of wins and seconds but Holcombe appeared to edge it with two thirds to McCanney's one. The problem was that the regulations don't state whether or not dropped scores should be included in this count-back and Holcombe's ‘extra' third was from a result he discounted.

Last Friday the ACU clarified the situation with the following brief statement.

‘Following a tie situation in the overall results of the Edmondson Racing British Time Card Enduro Championship, the Trials & Enduro Committee, after careful consideration, sought a legal opinion and now confirm that in order to resolve the tie situation the place counts are taken from all rounds less two of the riders scores (ie nine rounds and not 11).'

Winning the title caps an outstanding season for McCanney.

"As far as I was aware whoever won the Muntjac won the championship,” he said, "but as soon as I took the win this other way of deciding who was champion was mentioned which I found very frustrating. 

"But I'm really happy now I know I've won the title. It's been an unbelievable season – winning the world Junior championship, the E1 class at the six days and finishing with the British title.”

Midwest Racing's Simon Molter, who ran McCanney's Husqvarna UK team this year, was relieved by the ACU's decision.

"I'm always happy to win the championship,” he said. "It was really close all year – Steve and Jamie have really upped their game this season.

"The rules were a little bit open to interpretation and there were several different opinions but to be quite honest you couldn't separate those two guys and either one deserves it because they both rode fantastic.”

McCanney will not be defending his title next year after signing to race the E1 class with Team Yamaha Miglio. Instead he will race the Italian championship but hopes to ride selected BEC rounds.