Iron Will' Steve rules the forest
By TMX Archives on 12th Oct 06
RECORDING his second win in eight days, Steve Williams had two minutes and 45 seconds in hand over Trefor Davies after 13 ten mile laps of Ceri Forest on Sunday when he scooped the top Expert Ironman award at the ER Williams-sponsored Mid Wales TRA's four hour Ceri Hare and Hounds.
Williams was one full lap ahead of third placed Matt Bishop, all three rather pleased to see the back of Steve Ireland who set the fastest lap but caught a radiator connection on a branch and snapped it off on his fourth lap.
Best of a strong Clubman Ironman entry, Expert trials rider Barry Furber easily set fastest time of the day, beating Williams' time by ten minutes overall, and runner-up Clubman Tom Badham, who also beat Williams by seven minutes, both ahead of Nigel Walker and Craig Reynolds, all four recording 13 laps, and clear of Lee Lightwood and Ashley Banks who managed 12.
Two Sportsmen, Ian Spence and Andrew James, in that order, led their Ironman class with 11 circuits to their credit, ahead of Colin Newman and Rhys Evans who settled for ten each.
Riding as an Expert team, Rowland Morris and Lincoln Brewster shared 15 circuits, finishing six minutes ahead of David Cadwallader and Paul Herbert, but a lap down at the finish, Ian Barnett, who picked up a huge roll of wire in his rear wheel on his first lap and lost a lot of time removing it, helped team mate Paul Sagar to an, at one time, hopeless third place.
Top of the Clubmen teams, David Jones and Gary Wright, held off Roger Peat and John Preston, with 13 laps, ahead of Nigel Pugh and Robert Oakley, and the Glyn Pugh/ Simon Mackune partnership far ahead of five Sportsmen teams.
Pulled off after three hours, the Sidecar entry and Quads had their own private battle, the outfits led by Graham Jones and Simon Brown who held the lead at the end by just five seconds ahead of Andrew Seward and Simon Rogers, and Eddie Betton, Fraser Jones by six minutes to lead the Quads, both sharing nine laps with the top Sidecar crews.
Results
Expert Ironman: Steve Williams (400 Honda) 13 laps 4 hours 12 minutes 44 seconds, Trefor Davies (KTM) 13, 4.15.30, Matt Bishop (250 KTM) 12, 4.12.25.
Clubman Ironman: Barry Furber (450 Yamaha) 13, 4.02.32, Tom Badham (250 Kawasaki) 13, 4.09.52, Nigel Walker (250 Honda) 13, 4.16.41, Craig Reynolds (200 Gas Gas) 13, 4.18.02, Lee Lightwood (300 Gas Gas) 12, 4.01.01, Ashley Banks (250 Honda) 12, 4.11.06.
Sportsman Ironman: Ian Spence (200 KTM) 11, 4.09.10, Andrew James (250 Husqvarna) 11, 4.15.55, Colin Newman (300 Gas Gas) 10, 4.01.02, Rhys Evans (250 KTM) 10. 4.15.09.
Expert Teams: Rowland Morris/ Lincoln Brewster (250 Gas Gas) 15, 4.08.35, David Cadwallader/ Paul Herbert (250 KTM) 15, 4.14.24, Ian Barnett/ Paul Sagar (250 Honda) 14, 4.15.27, Craig Chadwick/ M Barton (250 Gas Gas) 13, 4.01.13.
Clubman Teams: David Jones/ Gary Wright (125 KTM) 13, 4.08.29, Roger Peat/ John Preston 13, 4.16.14, Nigel Pugh/ Robert Oakley (300 Gas Gas) 12, 4.01.37, Glyn Pugh/Simon Mackune (250 Gas Gas) 12, 4.07.32, Kevin/ Lewis Belfield (250 Gas Gas) 12, 4.16.18, Jonathan Hewitt/ Gerald Spiers (400 Beta) 12, 4.18.17.
Sportsman Teams: C Davies/ Hew Tagg (250 Yamaha) 11, 4.02.43, M Wray/ M Mundy (125 Honda) 11, 4.06.00, G Daniels/ M Bell 11, 4.22.51.
Quad Team: Gareth Bowen/Matthew Gayther (450 Honda) 11, 4.00.44.
Sidecar Ironman: Graham Jones/ Simon Brown (550 KTM) 9, 3.20.35, Andrew Seward/ Simon Rogers (500 Honda) 9, 3.20.40, David Williams/ Aled Jones (650 Husaberg) 8, 3.03.32, Gary Marshall/ Simon Evans (610 Husqvarna) 7, 3.03.37, Alistair/ Sharon Neville (500 Kawasaki) 6, 3.07.04.
Quad Ironman: Eddie Betton (450 Suzuki) 9, 3.07.54, Fraser Jones (450 Honda) 9, 3.13.08, Vinny Shanahan (450 Honda) 7, 3.04.51, Gareth Jones (450 Yamaha) 7, 3.08.48.