Tom's top to take the title
By TMX Archives on 14th Aug 08
DESPITE the appalling weather making the Crychan Enduro the hardest round of the British Enduro Championship this season by far, Insight Renewables D3-Racing KTM rider, Tom Sagar, made light work of the conditions to claim not only the overall Championship class victory on both days but also wrapped up his second consecutive British Enduro Championship title in the process.
IF there's one thing Enduro riders and event organisers alike are getting sick of, it's the absent British summer. With rain having transformed the annual Welsh Two Day Enduro from an enjoyable trail ride into an extremely tough enduro, with poor weather having ensured that the GP of Wales was one of the most demanding WEC events this year, the WTRA organised Crychan Enduro was the latest Welsh event to be savaged by the weather.
With heavy rain leading up to the event, as well as during the opening day, the third round of the Metzeler British Enduro Championship proved too difficult for many. With well over half of the entry failing to finish the opening day and with all Championship class riders receiving time penalties, the Crychan ended with few riders having enjoyed their time in the saddle.
But while most were pleased to see the end of the gruelling opening day, of those that managed to finish both days, it was KTM rider Tom Sagar who had the biggest smile as, having topped the Championship class on both days, he netted himself a second con-secutive British Enduro Championship title.
"I certainly wasn't expecting to win the title this early in the season, but I'm made up that I've won my second British title,” commented Tom. "The first day was horrendous - like one long rut from start to finish. There were a lot of the hard parts of the forest, from old events, that were used. It was just a case of getting on with things as best you could. It was horrible for everyone.”
With Tom losing just one minute on the going, as well as comfortably recording the three fastest special tests times, he claimed a sizeable winning margin at the end of day one, finishing ahead of mud lover Ed Jones with Ed's brother Robert third.
With Tom at the head of the Enduro 1 and Overall Championship class re-sults and with Ed winning the Enduro 3 class ahead of TM mounted Scott Euan McConnell, Honda rider Chris Hockey em-erged as the Enduro 2 class winner following the retirement of Suzuki's Paul Edmondson with a blown shock.
BRITISH ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd 3 – Crychan, Llandovery, Wales (WTRA)
DAY ONE
Championship: 1 Tom Sagar (KTM), 2 Edward Jones (KTM), 3 Robert Jones (Yamaha), 4 Euan McConnell (TM), 5 Dylan Jones (Yamaha), 6 Chris Hockey (Honda), 7 Ashley Wood (Gas Gas), 8 Richard Hay (KTM), 9 Si Wakely (Husqvarna), 10 Andrew Edwards (KTM), 11 Lee Edmondson (Honda), 12 Ollie Moyce (Yamaha), 13 Kevin Murray (Yamaha), 14 Tim Foreman (Kawasaki), 15 Darren Wheeler (Husaberg), 16 Jon Hinam (KTM), 17 Darren Carter (Suzuki), 18 Steve Hunt (Yamaha).
Expert: 1 Philip McLaughlin (TM), 2 Tudur Davies (KTM), 3 David Myers (KTM), 4 David Brick (Kawasaki), 5 D Wood (Yamaha), 6 Carwyn John (KTM), 7 Derek Little (KTM), 8 Bradley King (Gas Gas), 9 Gareth Hopkins (KTM, 10 Stan Watt (KTM), 11 Ben Begbie (KTM), 12 Julian Harvey (KTM), 13 Chay Granby (Gas Gas), 14 Craig Bounds (Sherco), 15 Gavin Hazlett (KTM), 16 Daniel Hall (Honda), 17 Scott Faulkner (KTM), 18 Craig Reynolds (Yamaha), 19 James Yearley (KTM), 20 Neil Hawker (Yamaha).
Clubman: 1 David Lloyd-Jones (Husqvarna), 2 Tyson Maytom-Jones (Husaberg), 3 Daniel Hindhead (KTM), 4 Karl Greenall (Honda), 5 Ioan Jones (Yamaha), 6 Ryan Golding (KTM), 7 Myles Rosser (KTM), 8 Chris Larkin (KTM), 9 Neil Thomas (KTM), 10 Matt Taylor (Suzuki), 11 Jason McNee (KTM), 12 Richard Ely (Gas Gas), 13 Mark Woodfine (KTM), 14. Phil Cooper (Yamaha), 15 Dan Lowe (Yamaha), 16 Paul Wallis (KTM).
Clubman Veteran: 1 Derrick Edmondson (KTM), 2 Murray Thompson (KTM), 3 Neil Williams (Gas Gas), 4 Leo Cordingley (Husqvarna), 5 Mark Houson (Husqvarna), 6 Michael Turner (KTM), 7 Russell Millward (KTM), 8 Tony Gush (KTM), 9 Adrian Lappin (TM), 10 David Salkel (KTM), 11 Chris Roberts (KTM), 12 Michael Alty (KTM), 13 Allan Price (KTM), 14 Craig Beattie (Yamaha), 15 Phil Smithson (Aprilia), 16 Mick Seward (Husqvarna), 17 Douglas Bregazzi (KTM), 18 Nick Craigie (TM).
DAY TWO
Championship: 1 Tom Sagar (KTM), 2 Paul Edmondson (Suzuki), 3 Edward Jones (KTM), 4 Si Wakely (Husqvarna), 5 Chris Hockey (Honda), 6 Carl Tiley (TM), 7 Kevin Murray (Yamaha), 8 Ashley Wood (Gas Gas), 9 Ollie Moyce (Yamaha), 10 Dylan Jones (Yamaha), 11 Andrew Edwards (KTM), 12 Richard Hay (KTM), 13 Robert Jones (Yamaha), 14 Darren Wheeler (Husaberg), 15 Darren Carter (Suzuki), 16 Lee Edmondson (Honda), 17 Steve Hunt (Yamaha), 18 Jon Hinam (KTM), 19 Rich Warner (KTM).
Expert: 1 Philip McGlaughlin (TM), 2 Rheinallt Davies (Husqvarna), 3 Bradley King (Gas Gas), 4 Gareth Hopkins (KTM), 5 David Brick (Kawasaki), 6 Tudur Davies (KTM), 7 Keith Horsnell (KTM), 8 Derry Milling (KTM), 9 Derek Little (KTM), 10 David Myers (KTM), 11 Julian Harvey (KTM), 12 Craig Bounds (Sherco), 13 Scott Faulkner (KTM), 14 Daz Hughes (Yamaha), 15 Jack Twentyman (Honda), 16 Craig Reynolds (Yamaha), 17 Chay Granby (Gas Gas), 18 Mark Roberts (Kawasaki), 19 Neil Hawker (Yamaha), 20 Roger Baker (Yamaha).
Clubman: 1 David Llyod-Jones (Husqvarna), 2 Ioan Jones (Yamaha), 3 Paul Wallis (KTM), 4 Tyson Maytom-Jones (Husaberg), 5 Daniel Beaven (KTM), 6 Richard Ely (Gas Gas), 7 Ryan King (KTM), 8 Jon Cox (KTM), 9 Neil Thomas (KTM), 10 Dan Lawry (KTM), 11 Chris Larkin (KTM), 12 Karl Greenall (Honda), 13 Dan Lowe (Yamaha), 14 Myles Rosser (KTM), 15 Tony Cotty (Yamaha), 16 Carl Walker (KTM), 17 Paul Knibb (KTM), 18 Phil Cooper (Yamaha), 19 Mark Woodfine (KTM), 20 Paul Whiteford (Husqvarna).
Clubman Veteran: 1 Murray Thompson (KTM), 2 Mark Houson (Husqvarna), 3 Neil Williams (Gas Gas), 4 Adrian Lappin (TM), 5 Tony Gush (KTM), 6 Mick Seward (Husqvarna), 7 Leo Cordingly (Husqvarna), 8 Russell Millward (KTM), 9 Chris Roberts (KTM), 10 Michael Turner (KTM), 11 Phil Smithson (Aprilia), 12 Derrick Edmondson (KTM), 13 Craig Beattie (Yamaha), 14 Allan Price (KTM), 15 Michael Alty (KTM).
FOR FULL REPORT, SEE T+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2008
CAPTION: After finishing in fourth place in the Championship class on day one, a disappointed Euan McConnell failed to finish day two.