Blazusiak's a Tad too good!
By TMX Archives on 18th Jun 09
TADDY Blazusiak, on the factory 250cc KTM two-stroke, absolutely ran away with the prestigious Red Bull Hare Scramble on Sunday, the climax of the incredible four-day Erzberg Rodeo staged in Austria. But while the popular Pole won the event for the third year running it was the Brits who actually dominated the event with no fewer than six riders out of the 21 (from the 500 qualifiers) who actually made the finish. They were led by Graham Jarvis who took a fantastic second place on a 250cc four-stroke Sherco. Graham battled through to take the runner-up berth from a third row start and had to overtake scores of riders in this epic event.Graham is a relatively experienced extreme rider now but fellow trials riders Ben and Dan Hemingway were tackling Erzberg for the first time having only recently bought KTMs from Mark Jackson's Eurotek emporium. Ben finished an incredible fourth with Dan seventh, beating Erzberg regular Jacko' down to 11th but he was just chuffed that the Hemmos had such fantastic results. Irish-based Lancastrian Andrew Reeves bagged 18th place overall while FatCat Motoparc boss, Martin Craven, battled his way round to a hugely satisfying 20th.The event, staged as ever in the HUGE mountainside iron-ore quarry is surely the ultimate extreme test with never ending precipitous climbs and descents over huge rocks and dangerous loose scree.Pictures: WOODY HOLE and CHRIS GAME
From the start Blazusiak and Lampkin, Doug tackling Erzberg for the first time on the beefy four-stroke Beta, both made poor starts and gave themselves a lot of work to do.
Early leader was actually New Zealander Chris Birch who quickly built himself a lead of several minutes. Doug then took a big crash while following hot on Blazusiak's heels and he severely damaged his left hand, ripping off several nails and crushing his thumb. Meanwhile, having only qualified 116th, as the 250 four-stroke Sherco isn't the ideal tool for the 13k qualifying run up the super-quick Erzberg quarry road, Jarvis was going about his task of picking-off the 115 riders in front of him.
The event was played-out in intense heat and this, coupled with the fact that the organisers had beefed-up what was already a severe course, had a considerable effect on the outcome, especially as during the second half of the event – when outside assistance is banned – and riders have to manhandle their machines up and down the almost vertical gradients over the unforgiving rock and shale terrain.
Lampkin and fellow Brit Paul Bolton found themselves hammering around together and while not exactly assisting one another, the pair found that the company helped keep up the pace. Too much pace as it turned out as both riders were to retire with sheer exhaustion. Doug's retiral was by far the most dramatic as, while holding second place – although a long way behind the amazing Blazusiak – with just one check to go to the finish, he collapsed with exhaustion and while he sat recovering BMW rider Andreas Letten-bichler blasted past and a rock from his spinning rear wheel smashed into Doug's head which left him with concussion and which led to an air-ambulance being called. The race was stopped while the rescue was carried out with the competing riders getting the benefit of a 40 minute rest.
Ben Hemingway was the hardest done by because at the time of the incident he was hot on the case of Lettenbichler and had the incentive of a podium finish but the stoppage allowed the BMW rider to escape.
Doug was so far round the course when he was forced to retire that he is still credited with 23rd place just ahead of another Lancashire contender Andy Cripps on his Kawasaki. Cumbrian David Myers is now an Erzberg regular and he took his 300 KTM to a fine 25th. David's brother Sam finished just inside the top 100 in 99th while pal David Wood split the brothers with a 52nd place ride. Paul Bolton was credited with 33rd but was hugely disappointed as Bolts was desperate to be top Brit – and hopefully on the podium!
It's estimated that there are around 7,000 riders and assistants at Erzberg contributing to the 20,000-plus crowd and the Brits more than held their own with a host of riders in the final results including Adam Smith (30th) and the big man himself, Justin ‘The Daddy' Wilson (37th). Harry Hillas was 62nd while Neil Flockhart, Grant Hacking, Damian Butler and Nick Royle were amongst those classified on the final results sheet.
It's impossible to describe this event and do it justice but all credit to Blazusiak for running away to another stunning win but hats off too to Graham Jarvis for coming through to take a more than deserved second place.
ERZBERG RED BULL HARE SCRAMBLE
1 Taddy Blazusiak (PL - KTM) 1-hr, 41-mins, 46-secs
2 Graham JARVIS (GB - Sherco) 2:22:05
3 Andreas Lettenbichler (D - BMW) 2:25:17
4 Ben HEMINGWAY (GB - Gas Gas) 3:27:48
5 Cory Graffunder (CAN - KTM) 3:37:50
6 Rory Mead (NZ - Yamaha) 3:38:02
7 Dan HEMINGWAY (GB - KTM) 3:54:24
8 Chris Birch (NZ - KTM) 3:55:01
9 Gerhard Forster (D - BMW) 3:58:21
10 Kyle Redmond (US - Yamaha) 4:08:16
11 Mark JACKSON (GB - KTM) 4:08:49
12 Melchior Faja Beltran (E - Gas Gas) 4:12:43
13 Erich Brandauer (A - Husaberg) 4:14:45
14 Piero Sembenini (I - Gas Gas) 4:17:26
15 Jade Gutzeit (ZA - BMW) 4:19:05
16 Darryl Curtis (ZA - KTM) 4:21:21
17 Ralf Scheidhauer (D - KTM) 4:28:00
18 Andrew REEVES (IRL - KTM) 4:30:39
19 Armin Falk (A - KTM) 4:32:32
20 Martin CRAVEN (GB - KTM) 4:39:33
21 Louwrens Mahoney (ZA - KTM) 4:47:25
Other British: 23 Dougie Lampkin (Beta), 24 Andy Cripps (Kawasaki), 25 David Myers (KTM), 30 Adam Smith (Honda), 33 Paul Bolton (KTM), 37 Justin Wilson (KTM), 52 David Wood (Yamaha), 62 Harry Hillas (KTM), 99 Sam Myers (KTM), 102 Neil Flockhart (Honda), 125 Grant Hacking (Kawasaki), 127 Damian Butler (KTM), 128 Nick Royle (KTM).
Graham Jarvis finished second