Dutch winners in chair debacle
By TMX Archives on 1st Oct 10
THE European Sidecar-cross of Nations was held at Sverepec, Slovakia, at the weekend with 13 countries ready to do battle on a track completely new to sidecars.
Team GB acquitted itself well in Saturday's qualifying races with Brown/ Chamberlain finishing third in Group A, Wilkinson/ Keane sixth in Group B and the Millard brothers, who came from tenth at the start to finish second.
These results meant team GB would go to the line in fourth place in Sunday's races.
With heavy rain forecast overnight and throughout Sunday things did not look good and the organisers lack of forward planning resulted in the meeting being abandoned during race one with bikes stranded all round the circuit.
The UEM jury decided that the final results would be taken from Saturday's qualifying races – a totally unsatisfactory situation!
After this debacle, it can only be hoped that the UEM has learned from this experience and next year's organisers will be better prepared for inclement weather.
EUROPEAN SIDECAR-CROSS des NATIONS Sverepec, SLOVAKIA
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS: 1 Holland 3 Points, 2 Belgium 3, 3 Latvia 4, 4 BRITAIN 5, 5 Czech Republic 10, 6 France 10, 7 Germany 12, 8 Sweden 13, 9 Finland 16, 10 Italy 16, 11 Estonia 20, 12 Lithuania 22, 13 Denmark 22.
RACE ONE: 1 Willemsen/ Auvray (NL - Zabel WSP), 2 Hendrickx/ Liepins (B - KTM VMC), 3 BROWN/ CHAMBERLAIN (GB - Husaberg Mefo), 4 Cermak/ Cermak (CZ - Jawa Mefo), 5 Happich/ Betschart (D - Zabel Mefo), 6 Silis/ Silis (LV - Zabel VMC), 7 Pozzi/ Ceresa (I - VMC), 8 Saloniemi/ Saloniemi (SF - KTM VMC), 9 Folkesson/ Gustavsson (S - KTM Mefo), 10 Nielsen/ Hansen (DK - Jawa VMC), 11 Ziukas/ Davidonis (LIT - KTM AYR), 12 Sonn/ Mucenieks (EST - KTM AYR), 13 Martin/ Begaud (F - Zabel VMC).
RACE TWO: 1 Hendrickx/ Smeuninx (B - KTM VMC), 2 Bax/ van den Bogaart (NL - Zabel VMC), 3 Rupeiks/ Stupelis (LV - KTM WSP), 4 Gustavsson/ Apelgren (S - Husaberg Mefo), 5 Daniel/ Chereau (F - Husaberg VMC), 6 WILKINSON/ KEANE (GB - Zabel VMC), 7 Kriz/ Gazik (CZ - MTH WSP), 8 Tala/ Paabstel (SF - Zabel WSP), 9 Baron/ Cualatrucci (I - Jawa VMC), 10 Faustmann/ Riekert (D - Zabel WHT), 11 Mazulis/ Jankauskas (LIT - KTM AYR), 12 Andersen/ Husselbakh (DK - KTM AYR), 13 Varik/ Koiv (EST - KTM AYR).
RACE THREE: 1 Daiders/ Daiders (LV - KTM VMC), 2 MILLARD/ MILLARD (GB - Husaberg WHT), 3 Visscher/ Visscher (NL - Zabel VMC), 4 Adriaenssen/ Van Gaalen (B - KTM VMC), 5 Cerny/ Novotny (CZ - Jawa VMC), 6 Giraud/ Musset (F - Beta VMC), 7 Morch/ Bax (D/NL - Zabel WHT), 8 Gordejev/ Miil (EST - KTM AYR), 9 Lindgren/ Kiskonen (SF - ), 10 Tunikas/ Budrys (LIT - KTM AYR), 11 Campese/ Capuozzo (I - WSP), 12 Holm/ Rasmussen (DK - KTM AYR), 13 Soderqvist/ Sylwan (S - Husaberg Mefo).