SEMX Easter Eggstravaganza at Canada Heights
By Dick Law on 2nd Apr 24
Phoenix Tools Even Strokes Kawasaki new boy Charlie Cole, stormed to three race wins from three race starts at the Sidcup club's first motocross of the year at their famous Canada Heights circuit in Kent. However, Cole had to work hard for his wins.
Over 200 riders entered this first SEMX and Sidcup Club Championship round of the year. Despite the heavy rain all over the country, which caused many events to be cancelled, the weather gods blessed the club. With a steady breeze and sunshine, the track was in prime condition the day before racing.
It was the normal format for SEMX events, with all the riders completing a qualifying session, of which there were four. The fastest 40 went into Group A, the next 40 to B and so on. Most of the Expert riders qualified in A but scored their own points for the individual Expert and Junior centre championships.
To add more interest to the event, the first round of the prestigious NGR championship for the over-40s was added to the meeting.
Junior rider Tom Murphy (Yamaha) surprised everyone as he got the holeshot at the start of Group A’s first race with Cole outside of the top 20, leaving him with a lot of work to do. By lap three Shaun Southgate (Yamaha) took over the lead as Murphy slipped back into the pack, with Cole scything through to second.
At the halfway stage, Cole shot past Southgate for the lead of the race and never looked back. From 30th at the start, Raife Broadley (Fantic) charged into fourth with a lap to go. But he was not content with that position, as he passed both Ollie Colmer (KTM) and Southgate to snatch second place.
Murphy was the first Junior rider home in fifth place.
At the start of the second A race, Murphy did the same as he did in race one as he got his second holeshot of the day. But this time, Cole got a better start and was in second place at the end of the opening lap. It took Cole four laps to catch and pass the flying Murphy for the lead and race win.
Colmer and Southgate had good starts as they both past the fast starting Liam Bennett on the first lap to move into third and fourth places. Colmer’s spell in third place only lasted three laps as a mistake saw him drop down to seventh place as Bennett upped his pace and moved back into third place, which is where he stayed till the finish flag. From 19th at the start, Broadley came home fourth, with Colmer and Southgate swopping places on the last lap.
As Cole took the win, Murphy and Bennett, two Junior riders, finished second and third.
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Southgate got the holeshot at the start of the third and final A race of the day, with the fast-starting Murphy in second at the end of the first lap. But there was no stopping Cole, as he picked off the field runners and took the lead and the win with four laps to go.
Broadley took second place from Murphy on the laps before the last with Chester Hyde (KTM) from a great start, third as Southgate slipped down to eighth place.
Overall, Cole from Broadley, Colmer, and Southgate were the top Experts race while in the Juniors it was Murphy from Hyde, Arron Framingham and Bennett.
With a race win and two second places, Harry George (Husqvarna) won the B Group overall from race one winner Ashley Campbell (Yamaha), as the pair were separated by just two points after the three races. Jordan Andrews (KTM) was third, and Ben Reeves (Yamaha) just missed out on a podium position in fourth.
Max Hale (Yamaha) didn’t win a race in the C class but three strong finishes gave him the overall win. Matthew Head (KTM) looked favourite after winning the first two races, but a slip-up in the last race dropped him to the back of the pack. But he did enough to finish second overall. Scott Goodson (Yamaha) was third overall with Adam Hayward (Yamaha) fourth.
Darren Osborne (Yamaha) won the D Group from Joe Surry (KTM) and Steven Nicholls (KTM).
Bolddog FMX star Arran Powley (Yamaha) won the NGR class with two second places and a third, from race three winner John Hinz (Yamaha) and with Matt French (Honda) third.
Allcomers A Experts
| 1 | Charlie Cole | Kawasaki | 25 + 25 + 25 = 75 |
| 2 | Raife Broadley | Fantic | 22 + 22 + 22 = 66 |
| 3 | Ollie Colmer | GASGAS | 18 + 20 + 18 = 56 |
| 4 | Shaun Southgate | Yamaha | 20 + 18 + 18 = 53 |
| 5 | Charlie Putnam | SC Sporthomes Husqvarna | 13 + 16 + 20 = 49 |
| 6 | Shaun Springer | GASGAS | 16 + 14 + 14 = 44 |
| 7 | Ollie Beamish | KTM | 12 + 5 + 16 = 33 |
| 8 | Kieran Clarke | GASGAS | 10 + 10 + 13 = 33 |
| 9 | Syd Putnam | SC Sporthomes Husqvarna | 9 + 11 + 12 = 32 |
| 10 | Jake Swann | Honda | 7 + 13 + 10 = 30 |
Allcomers A Juniors
| 1 | Tom Murphy | Yamaha | 25 + 25 + 25 = 75 |
| 2 | Chester Hyde | KTM | 18 + 20 + 22 = 60 |
| 3 | Aaron Framingham | Kawasaki | 20 + 15 = 18 = 53 |
| 4 | Liam Bennett | Honda | 22 + 22 + 8 = 52 |
| 5 | Tye Jones | GASGAS | 11 + 18 + 20 = 49 |
| 6 | Drew Lane | KTM | 16 + 16 + 16 = 48 |
| 7 | James Lee | Honda | 14 + 12 + 15 = 41 |
| 8 | Dan Lawler | Yamaha | 13 + 14 + 9 = 36 |
| 9 | Rueben Bailey | KTM | 12 + 7 + 14 = 33 |
| 10 | Sam Cornwell | KTM | 8 + 10 + 13 = 31 |
Allcomers B
| 1 | Harry George | Husqvarna | 22 + 25 + 22 = 69 |
| 2 | Ashley Campbell | Yamaha | 25 + 22 + 20 = 67 |
| 3 | Jordon Andrews | KTM | 18 + 20 + 25 = 63 |
| 4 | Ben Reeves | Yamaha | 18 + 15 + 16 = 47 |
| 5 | Jason Buffery | KTM | 20 + 16 + 3 = 39 |
| 6 | Brandon Love | Honda | 15 + 9 + 13 = 37 |
| 7 | Roger Frean | Husqvarna | 14 + 8 + 12 = 34 |
| 8 | Owen Wildish-Conway | KTM | 12 + 14 + 8 = 34 |
| 9 | Mason Miller | Yamaha | 0 + 18 + 15 = 33 |
| 10 | Tom Brown | KTM | 8 + 10 + 14 = 32 |
Allcomers C
| 1 | Max Hale | Yamaha | 20 + 20 + 22 = 62 |
| 2 | Matthew Head | KTM | 25 + 25 + 8 = 58 |
| 3 | Scott Goodson | Yamaha | 22 + 22 + 13 = 57 |
| 4 | Adam Hayward | Yamaha | 14 + 14 + 25 = 53 |
| 5 | Ryan Wooldridge | Honda | 16 + 15 + 18 = 49 |
| 6 | Grant Lambert | Husqvarna | 15 + 16 + 10 = 41 |
| 7 | Hayden Andress | KTM | 9 + 11 + 20 = 40 |
| 8 | Paul Austin | Stark | 13 + 7 + 15 = 35 |
| 9 | Oliver Wooldridge | Husqvarna | 11 + 12 + 12 = 35 |
| 10 | Jay Peperell | Honda | 0 + 18 + 16 = 34 |
Allcomers D
| 1 | Darren Osborne | Yamaha | 22 + 22 + 25 = 69 |
| 2 | Joe Surry | KTM | 20 + 25 + 20 = 65 |
| 3 | Steven Nicholls | KTM | 25 + 20 + 18 = 63 |
| 4 | Sybe Algar | Honda | 18 + 18 + 22 = 58 |
| 5 | Taylor Springer | Husqvarna | 13 + 16 + 14 = 43 |
| 6 | Charley Powell | Yamaha | 10 + 15 + 15 = 40 |
| 7 | David Castle | KTM | 12 + 13 + 13 = 38 |
| 8 | Joe Beard | Yamaha | 14 + 10 + 12 = 36 |
| 9 | Fraser Hopkin | Honda | 15 +11 + 8 = 34 |
| 10 | Bailey Coomber | KTM | 11 + 14 + 6 = 31 |
NGR championship
| 1 | Arran Powley | Yamaha | 22 + 20 + 22 = 64 |
| 2 | John Hinz | Yamaha | 15 + 22 + 25 = 62 |
| 3 | Matt French | Honda | 25 + 16 + 18 = 59 |
| 4 | Timmy Andrews | KTM | 16 + 18 + 20 = 54 |
| 5 | Grant Martin | Honda | 20 + 25 + 5 = 50 |
| 6 | Aaron Hopkins | Husqvarna | 11 + 15 + 16 = 42 |
| 7 | James Holt | KTM | 14 + 13 + 14 = 41 |
| 8 | Shane Brown | Honda | 18 + 10 + 10 = 38 |
| 9 | Mark Goodson | Husqvarna | 10 + 12 + 15 = 37 |
| 10 | Mark Gardner | Honda | 12 + 7 = 13 = 32 |
