Maxxis British Motocross Championship - Round 1

Sunday 14th March 2004

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Press Report 17 - The Sporting Motorcyclist

By John Bramall (TSM)

From the April 2004 Edition

2004 MAXXIS BRITISH MOTO CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Changes this year to the MAXXIS format have been scrapping the MAXXIS Cup Race, for the best overall runners going head to head in an allcomers race, and renaming classes, the old 125 two stroke/250 four stroke class now being known as MX2 Class, and the old Open class now MX Open class. Last year's champions are both defending their titles, Gordon Crockard, again campaigning a CAS Honda and Stephen Sword, who has changed to a Jan DeGroot Factory 250cc Kawasaki contract.

Having read most of the Press reports put out in the immediate aftermath of the day, especially those produced by Team Managers, all refer to the weather (rain) in graphic terms: those whose riders enjoyed success generally described the challenge of overcoming difficult conditions, others referred to the need to get a good start and the difficulties obtaining for those further down the field, especially lack of vision and problems overtaking. Quite a number referred to the track becoming more 'technical' as the weather worsened and the ruts got deeper, which presumably meant that those with better machine control (those with trials experience perhaps?) were more likely to do well.

This year I volunteered to marshal, which makes for a completely different type of day out than simply going along to watch. The whole marshal operation was impressively organised under Chief Marshal Colin Bushell, with our own marquee for administration and the lunch break, lunch provided courtesy of Sidcup Club, we were well looked after and everyone was keen to play their part. So it was off to our various spots, marshals being in pairs, ready for practice at 9.30am.

What a boon transponders are, no messing about with manual lap charts and problems for lap scorers reading numbers covered in mud, as the weather closed in especially during the racing in the afternoon results were immediately available and presentations made straight after each race, which was a good move as everyone was keen and there were plenty of people around to make the presentations go with a swing. Fastest lap in qualifying was by Open Class Josh Coppins star on a 450 Honda, 2 mins 20.90 seconds, as an indicator of how conditions had changed the fastest lap in the last race was 2.mins 53.16 seconds, by Tyla Rattray.

One interesting insight from my vantage spot was being able to see the boards being put out by team Managers as riders came past: the hastily scrawled messages seemed to come under three main headings. First factual, e.g. '- 25 seconds Hucklebridge,' or 'fifth place.' Then were the tactical or strategic, e.g. '3rd place good'. And thirdly the plain emotive, more typically for those at the back of the field, which seemed to have more to do with the Team Managers feelings than objective advice to the rider. Some of these were more useful than others, some were ambiguous and some were certainly very little help at all, (go faster but don't fall off) even if Manager and rider had agreed a plan before the race. One rider at the tail of the field received a board saying 'retire' which he ignored as he went past gesticulating wildly, if not rudely.

I will not go into the racing in detail as that will have been reported elsewhere, although we do list the main results at the foot of this article. Last year the MX2 winner was Stephen Sword, this year he was just edged out into second place overall, and Open Class winner was Gordon Crockard, alas 2004 was not a happy day for Gordon as he sustained a knee injury in the second leg after a nightmare day in which he managed only fifth in the first Moto. Gordon at the time of writing is seeking urgent medical attention back home in Northern Ireland.

To sum up, the whole event was splendidly organised and ran to time despite the weather. The track stood up well in the conditions, and the racing was pretty competitive with not as many retirements as might be expected. As for marshalling it was fun as well as useful, although MAXXIS Rounds do not come along every day, if you are at a Regional Restricted Moto Cross with no job on the day, do not hesitate to volunteer, I think often at RR events marshals change over half way through, so it's not a long day, and it does not rain as often as you might think (the commonest day for rain is a Thursday, weather forecasting friends tell me).

Press Report 16 - Racer X Illustrated

By Stefan Paetow (MXFreak.com)

Full report and photos here on RacerXill.com

Maxxis British MX Championship Preview

Another season rolls around for the Maxxis British Motocross Championships, and what a season it promises to be. With the pre-season races at the legendary Hawkstone Park circuit, as well as the season opener of the KWS International Masters at Matchams Park the week before that having set the pace, the British motocross enthusiasts ought to have their appetites satisfied with what's on the menu.

This year sees some exciting changes in the series. The series classes have been renamed to be more in line with the GP classes. The 125 Class now is renamed to the MX2 Class, whereas the 250 (or Open) Class turns into the MX Open class. The racing has been reshuffled too. The Maxxis Cup race, which saw the top twenty overall of each class compete for points again, was scrapped in favor of podiums after each race and a more standardized points formula.

So who will be the top dogs then, you ask?

This year the MX2 class is stacked with talent; however, the most notable absence in the class is that of CAS Honda's Jussi Vehvilainen, who fractured a vertebra at Hawkstone and will miss most, if not all of the season.

In the face of that fact, former teammates Tom Church and Stephen Sword are obvious choices. Both are riding the new Kawasaki KXF250, although Stephen Sword has the backing of the famous Jan De Groot team, while Church literally stays closer to home, having re-signed with the Molson Kawasaki team effort, run by Church Sr. Both Sword and Church showed that they have what it takes this year by scoring a first and second overall at the Canada Heights season opener. In addition to that, Sword also showed his speed at the opening round of the World Grand Prix by ending third, with Church ending 18th.

The unsung Australian rider Andrew McFarlane, who over the last couple of years has quietly made his way up the standings in the World Grand Prix, will definitely have his day in the sun this year. While his year did not get off to the best of starts, with a miserable 16th at Hawkstone, he made up for it with a podium at Canada Heights and a very respectable fourth at Zolder for the Dixon Yamaha UK team.

RTT Honda's Carl Nunn, who returns to the MX2 Class in an attempt to regain that fire he lost when he moved to the MX Open class, is also in the title chase. At Canada Heights, an unfortunate wipeout a couple of laps before the finish in the second race canned his chances for the win, but he managed to place fourth, five spots ahead of 2002 World Champion James Dobb. Dobb is a veteran in the class and it shows, as he got his own back at Zolder with a solid sixth place for RWJ Honda.

Chambers KTM's Wayne Smith and Planet Motocross KTM's Brad Anderson are another two top contenders. Anderson's fire earned him a lot of applause at the KWS season opener at Matchams Park, and he followed that up with a fourth overall at Hawkstone and a tenth overall at Canada Heights. Smith will most likely continue to place himself in the upper ten and work his way up with solid point scores.

The lone Champs KTM rider who has committed himself to riding the Maxxis series is South African Tyla Rattray. The Dutch National Champion sets his sights solidly on the Maxxis championship as well as his primary job, the World Grand Prix. His third overall at Hawkstone shows that he certainly has the speed to challenge the pack for the trophy, even though the slop that was Canada Heights left him placed fifth for a start. The two-race format reintroduced to the World Grand Prix gave him a second chance to place himself just outside the top ten.

Notable domestic talent definitely include London Diamond Drilling Yamaha's Glen Philips, who also switched bikes to go back to the MX2 class, as well as BTC Hooper Suzuki's Lewis Gregory, whose smooth riding style earned him a sixteenth place last year, as well as the Future West International Supercross championship. Classic Glass KTM's Adam Lyons may have had a bad start, but he is definitely a top-ten contender, as well as Motovision Suzuki's Antoine Letellier and RHR Yamaha's Ben Saunders. The raw speed of ARW Suzuki's Richard Fitch could place him well inside the top twenty, and the same goes for Gregory's teammate John May, who, along with Gregory, switched to the Suzuki four-stroke only early this year.

The MX Open class sees a few new faces from the former 125 Class, but it is also stacked with world-class talent. Notable new additions to the class are former British Youth Motocross Champion and top Maxxis contender Billy MacKenzie, who will ride the Yamaha YZ450F for Dixon Yamaha UK, as well as London Diamond Drilling Yamaha's Jordan Rose, who moved himself (and his YZ450F) into eighth position at the season opener in Canada Heights.

Of the veterans in the class, CAS Honda has one of the strongest teams in the Maxxis championship this year. Josh Coppins, Gordon Crockard and Yoshitaka Atsuta make up the official Honda team for the series, and while Crockard dislocated his knee at the Maxxis season opener at Canada Heights and sat out the Zolder round of the World Grand Prix, he will do his damnedest to defend his Maxxis Open Class Championship against the likes of Team Multitek Honda's Paul Cooper and Chambers KTM's Mark Hucklebridge, as well as his own teammates.

Cooper, who switched to the Honda CRF450 for this year, and Hucklebridge, who convincingly won both races and so the overall at Canada Heights, placed second and third last year respectively. Cooper already has adapted well to his new ride, while Hucklebridge will continue to work hard on keeping it on two wheels.

CAS Honda's Josh Coppins has regained the speed he lost after his unfortunate accident at the Phoenix supercross last year. His fifth overall at Hawkstone and at Canada Heights and his third overall at Zolder definitely show that Coppins is back, and it will most likely be a fight to the wire between himself and Crockard for the crown of top dog in the red rig.

Motovision Suzuki signed Estonian Tanel Leok, who made his mark with a solid second at Canada Heights behind Hucklebridge, and followed it up with an eighth overall at Zolder. RWJ Honda's James Noble, who managed a fifth place in the Maxxis Championship last year, intends to improve on this. He is well on his way there by placing himself on the podium behind Leok at Canada Heights, as well as a tenth at Zolder.

Phoneparts KTM's Mark Jones has made a good impression so far, but bad luck ruined his day at Hawkstone. He improved his luck in the mud at Canada Heights and intends to improve it further still. Watch this man.

Belgium-based Brit Christian Burnham signed with Chambers KTM this year, and made good almost immediately. A solid ninth at Hawkstone set the pace, but a mechanical failure killed his chances for a top-ten finish at Canada Heights. However, his 17th placing in the World Grand Prix makes up for that loss. Burnham is definitely a force to be reckoned with this year.

Stuart Flockhart, who delivered an absolutely blinding ride for RWJ Honda last year, is running in his own team and will attempt to improve on last year's performance. Wildmere Honda's David Campbell, who was eleventh at Canada Heights, and Ed Bradley, who rides for Cusworth KTM, ought to make life difficult enough for the incumbents. Add to that Chambers KTM's third rider, Chris Lillywhite, and TM UK's Jonathan Pettitt, and the top twenty is very, very crowded.

The British season also sees a return of not only the British Grand Prix on the picturesque Isle of Wight, but also an Irish round at the famous Ballykelly track in Northern Ireland. The interest in both rounds has been phenomenal, partially due to the incredible drumming-up of support by the promoters themselves, and a promise of racing that will exceed that seen traditionally at Hawkstone Park.

The motocross industry also sees a revival this year with the continued success of incumbent magazine Dirt Bike Rider and the first anniversary of Moto-X, and it also will welcome a third magazine, MOTO, to the fold. The continued growth in the publishing market is hopefully a barometer of the success of the sport in the country as a whole, and this surely looks like it will be one of the best years yet.

Press Report 15 - Dirtybiking.co.uk

Full report and photos avaliable here on Dirtybiking.co.uk.

By Nicola Warrington

Hello again! For those of you that read my first article on Hawkstone and managed to stay awake, you’ll know that we weren’t able to see the Grand Final, due to bad weather. That was the most understated understatement, in the history of understatements ever known, compared to today’s weather! If I had found a willing female, the scene would have been perfect for mud-wrestling! It was an absolute mud bath! (Ed. Now that I would have liked to see!!!)

The weather forecast wasn’t good; heavy rain and winds for most of England. What does a loving mother with two small children do on a day when the weather is really bad? Stay in the warm and play Twister or subject them to standing in driving rain and freezing winds? I chose the latter, I bundled them up in warm clothes and waterproofs, then we set off. "Sod it" my husband and I said. There could be a possibility the weather report was hopefully wrong. Canada Heights in Swanley, Kent is about an hour and a half drive from where we live and with an opportunity of seeing the first round of the Maxxis British Championship; we agreed the weather wouldn’t get the better of us.

The weather got worse and worse and worse. Umbrellas were as useful as chocolate teapots and children everywhere were being taken by their parents back to their cars. Many people started to leave after the two main races and we had to do the same. We parked in the nearby, this meant my husband and I managed to take it in turns to sit with Sam and Ethan in the car. This at least meant that we could see some of the action that we drove to see and I could get some pictures for you all.

We managed to watch the start and stayed for the MX2 Championship Race and MX Open Championship race, but with battered and broken umbrellas ditched and mud lapping around our ankles, we had to go. My husband and I would have stood in the thrashing rain and wind all day long to watch the event, but small children don’t like it.

Sorry about this crap report, but hopefully you will enjoy the pictures. I was going to send another picture of myself, but being soaked to the skin in a dripping wet t-shirt, I decided not to! :o)

Roll on the warmer weather when I can get my shorts and vest on!

Biker's Comment - Well done Nicola, it was very dedicated of you to go through all that. You really are one determined MX lady.

Press Report 14 - Trials and Motocross News

Full report, results and photos avaliable in the Friday 19th March 2004 edition

Preview article here on TMXnews.co.uk

Canada calamities

by GRAHAM MILNE

The lines in a Kipling poem... 'If you can keep your head whilst all around you are losing theirs, you will be a man, my son,...' could well have been written for Chambers KTM man Mark Hucklebridge on Sunday, as he kept his nut and picked up the biggest smile on a horrid, wet, opening day of the 2004 British motocross championships at Canada Heights.

'Monster' Mark Hucklebridge claimed the only maximum of the day in the newly named MX Open class (formerly the Open class) as his cousin, Molson Kawasaki pilot, Tom 'TC' Church, grabbed the newly titled MX2 class (formerly 125cc class) win.

'TC' scored his second championship leg win of his career on his way to the overall honours with a gate-to-flag win in the first leg. His first win was at Lyng last season.

Tom pipped former team-mate at MJ Church Kawasaki and current British 125cc class champion Stephen Sword by ONE point as Bike It/ Dixon Yamaha rider Andrew McFarlane grabbed third place at the Sidcup and District MCC organised event.

As Mark Hucklebridge was beaming all over his face after his long-awaited overall triumph, James Noble was also happy after being consistent with two second places for runner-up spot.

Welsh wizard Mark Jones slithered his Phoneparts KTM into third place overall, with a cracking ride to fourth place in race one helping his cause no end. But, it was the miserable wet weather, on a track that had already been watered "...just in case," admitted race director Frank Dixon, that played havoc with the racing process and some top names were a bit surprised by the conditions with current Open class champ Gordon Crockard even suffering a twisted knee in a brush with a deep rut.

Press Report 13 - via MX247.com

Bike It Dixon Yamaha Team Report

Full report and photos here on MX247.com.

Podium For Bike It Dixon Yamaha Duo

Bike It Dixon Yamaha’s Andrew McFarlane and Billy McKenzie were both in top form Sunday and braved the worse weather that could be thrown at them, despite driving rain, biting cold winds and mud bath of a race, both riders climbing to the podium at the opening round of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship staged at Canada Height, Swanley in Kent.

Making his British Championship debut, former Australian champion, McFarlane from Brisbane qualified in third position, the aussie who has opted to change race classes to the MX2 category and is now riding one the Bike It Yamaha squad’s YZ250f four stroke machines. The hard work that the team have put in engine and suspension testing in Italy and at home in previous weeks paid dividends as McFarlane took second and fifth positions from his two moto’s, with 48 points he is lying in third position only 5 points behind championship leader Tom Church.

Billy MacKenzie returned to championship action older and wiser after ten months on the sidelines, missing the better part of 2003 after suffering a severe foot injury, the young Scot who has looked very fast in recent weeks chose to miss last weekend’s Hawkstone Park International after twisting his ankle. He showed no signs of any injuries on Sunday, posting 12th in qualifying he followed home double race victor Mark Hucklebridge in the first MX1 race, taking his first podium of 2004. McKenzie carried his speed through to his next race and quickly moved out into the lead but with terrible conditions slid off in the mud bath handing the lead to Hucklebridge. Billy got back to fourth position before catching slower traffic and a series of small mistakes eventually saw him cross the line in thirteenth position.

McFarlane: “The track conditions were tough but the same for everyone, I knew that I needed a good start, the last thing you want when it’s so wet is being stuck behind and blinded by the mud. My lap times were good and I caught up to Tom Church and stayed with him, I managed to save my goggles until we caught the slower lapped riders but then I had to thrown them away. The mud was like fine slurry, we wore away the teeth on the rear sprocket, and I could feel the chain jumping around. I thought then it was better to follow Church and settle for some good points rather than risk going for the win and maybe dropping a chain. The championship is more important this was only one of sixteen races.”

McFarlane: “I always prepare my goggles well but when it’s consistently raining there is nothing you can do, again I tried for a good start but got caught up with a few riders and went down, I was near the back of the field but I knew the points are important, the championship is very important for Yamaha and the team, I put my head down and tried to go forward, there are always good lines out there, you just have to look for them and not be a sheep and just follow the guy in front. I pulled right back up top Church in fifth position, I knew that if I could get by him I would be ahead of him on points but another small crash meant I couldn’t get by him and I finished fifth, and third overall.”

McKenzie: “I didn’t go out in qualifying to post fastest time, I just wanted to loosen up and look at the track, I suffered with arm pump and my time wasn’t as fast as I hoped for so on the last lap I tailed James Noble and that pulled me back to twelfth, the start is fair he so I wasn’t too worried. I have been working on my concrete starts and the bike was working great, it got me off the line in second and from there on took it easy and just followed Hucklebridge for the whole race. I had a lot of arm pump but knew I had a comfortable gap to 3rd place and just took it easy.”

MacKenzie: “I went to the line for race two and I wanted to win, I knew I had the speed, someone tried to come around the outside of me off the start, Hucklebridge went around the outside and into the lead, another rider which I think was Burnham was close, we touched and I don’t know whether he managed to keep it upright or not. I wanted to make a pass quickly on Hucklebridge, down the step-off’s, I just opened up the bike and took a chance hitting the ruts at the bottom of the hill and just took a chance. Once I was in the lead I pulled ten or twelve seconds in four laps but then the track roughed up the bike was straightening up in the ruts. We still need to do work on my suspension so in the end I crashed and then a few times more trying to make up ground without any front brake. I came with people only expecting me to go top ten but I knew from my own expectations I can easily go top three and even win races.”

Steve Dixon – Team Manager: “I am very happy with both Andrew and Billy’s race performances today in very testing conditions, it’s tough for everyone but Andrew has returned from the sunshine of Australia and to be thrown into a new races series with some stiff competition and then having to ride in terrible weather conditions I am pleased that he maintained his enthusiasm. He rode well and kept his head, the conditions were tough but the same of everyone, his lap times were consistent and third overall and podium position in his debut ride I think was a credit to him and the bike. We have worked hard to build the bike around him, the engine and suspension are both working well which we will still be working hard to set up with the Grand Prix season starting next week.”

“Billy’s return to action was as I expected, he’s been looking very fast in practice and he carried that through to race day. He knows that he has a difficult season ahead of him, he will be riding the YZ450f machine in the British Championship and a YZ250f in the World Championship but is under no illusion, he had done a lot of hard work to get back to speed and fitness and only time will tell. His lap times were good, I think the podium finish in race one gave him the confidence in himself that he needed after ten months out of action. He pulled out a five second lead in race two but the conditions were tough and anyone could make a silly mistake like he did, in the end he didn’t give up and rode on to make up ground. In the end I honestly think he will be a serious threat for the championship along with McFarlane in the MX2 class.”

Press Report 12 - via MX247.com

Mark Jones Report

Full report and photos here on MX247.com. Visit Mark Jones's website

Mark's KTM Debut Nets Maxxis Championship Podium

Mark Jones started his 2004 Maxxis British Championship campaign with style in atrocious weather conditions at the demanding Canada Heights circuit yesterday with a fighting 3rd overall in the premier Open MX class.

Piloting his Semi-Factory Phoneparts KTM SXS450, the Welshman put himself in qualified in eighth position after a tough session where it was very difficult to get a clear lap due to fallen riders.

In the opening race, Mark gated well to find himself fourth out of the first turn with Billy MacKenzie and James Noble immediately ahead. Mark quickly passed MacKenzie and set about Noble halfway through the first lap, only to receive a face-full from Noble's rear wheel, cross-rut the take off for the table top and crash.

Remounting well outside the top ten, Mark fought his way back to fourth, passing Gordon Crockard with just over 2 laps remaining.

Moto 2 saw the track conditions at their worst as the gate dropped, with Mark getting boxed halfway up the straight and exiting the first turn well outside the top ten. Battling through to a creditable sixth place was an achievement as he had stalled twice and had problems with mud clogging the front brake lever causing it to stick.

Speaking later, Mark was understandably delighted: "I'm really over the moon. This is my best result for nearly three years and with every ride I'm getting more and more confident with the bike and myself.

"Today was really tough but to end the day with an overall podium on a new machine is just rewards to all the work Phoneparts KTM, my mechanic Steve, Dave Morgan who does my suspension and everyone else has put in during the off season to get me here today.

Press Report 11 - via MX247.com

Team Suzuki Report

Full report and photos here on MX247.com.

Team Suzuki rider Tanel Leok raced the new Suzuki RM250 to second place in the second leg of the opening round of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship at Canada Heights, Kent, on Sunday.

The 18-year-old Motovision Suzuki rider overcame treacherous, muddy conditions to claw back from a first race crash to the podium as conditions deteriorated in the second leg.

Even though his radiator filled with mud following a high-speed crash, the young Estonian remounted to take fourth overall on the day and win the hearts of the 10,000-strong crowd, after chasing from sixth place to the front.

"The conditions were bad today but I’m happy with my result and I hope to carry this form to the GPs this year,” said Leok.

Team-mate Antoine Letellier recovered from a first race crash to take 8th in the second leg aboard his RM-Z250 after charging from the back of the pack and Ben Taylor, who claimed 18th in the opening race after gating at the back of the field, retired in the difficult conditions.

Oliver Sandiford-Smith held 19th in the opening race before a crash that damaged his machine, forcing him to retire on the 11th lap. And in the second, he bent the forks on his Suzuki in a first lap fall, which put an end to his championship points bid.

Said Motovision Team Manager Mark Chamberlain:” I’m happy with the points Tanel has won today in very difficult conditions and it shows that the new machine is very competitive.”

Suzuki’s UK Supercross Champion Lewis Gregory was a casualty of the heavy, rutted conditions. After carving through to 10th, the Hooper BTC team rider was hindered by a jammed back brake which dropped him to 18th before fighting back to 13th in the opening race. Then in the second, the 18-year-old collided with a fallen rider and crashed several more times in the deep mud.

He said: “I just couldn’t stay on. The conditions were very difficult today.”

Team-mate John May fell on the second lap of the opening race, winding himself badly and damaging his RM-Z250, but he overcame the disappointment of his DNF by racing into a points-scoring position in race two and holding it until he crashed out of contention. The 19-year-old from Bristol struggled to start his machine and eventually finished out of the points in 21st position, claiming: “That was the toughest race I’ve ever done.”

Team Manager Rob Hooper summed up what was a difficult opener to the British Motocross season. “It was a very hard day and difficult race conditions, but the riders did their best. We’ve still got a lot to learn but the new bikes performed well,” he said.

Team ARW Suzuki rider Richard Fitch failed to score in both races after suffering in the heavy, muddy conditions.

Press Report 10 - FullNoise.com.au

Wind and Rain at British Motocross Opener

Full article here.

By: Garry Morrow

Andrew McFarlane on the podium

With rain and howling winds, 24-year-old Mark Hucklebridge (Team Chambers KTM) has won the open class at round one of the 2004 Maxxis British Motocross Championship at Canada Heights in Kent last weekend (March 13-14), while Tom Church (Molson Kawasaki) claimed the 125cc class honors from teammate and defending champion Steve Sword.

In the open class, Hucklebridge had no problem as he virtually lead both motos from start-to-finish to give KTM its first open class win since former GP star and now KTM boss Kurt Nicoll achieved the feat. RWJ Honda's James Noble was the next fastest finishing with two second-place finishes, while Mark Jones (Phoneparts KTM UK) finished third overall for the day.

Kiwi Josh Coppins (CAS Honda) looked good after taking pole but ended the day in seventh place. Coppins’ teammate Gordon Crockard was less fortunate when he fell and twisted his knee. The reigning British Open Class champion and world championship contender looks certain to miss the first round of the World Championship in Belgium next weekend and could be out for longer.

Tom Church and Steven Sword spoilt the day in the MX2 (125cc) class for Australia's Andrew McFarlane (Dixon Yamaha) when the two Kawasaki riders took the first and second spots on the podium in what was a closely fought out class. Church won the first moto, 18 seconds ahead of McFarlane. In the second it was South African Tyler Rattray (KTM) who stole the show after leader Carl Nunn (RTT Racing Honda) fell three laps from the end. Rattray lapped up to sixth place in the rutted out and technical condition, a DNF in the first moto saw him with no chance of the overall. Sword and Nunn ended the second moto in that order while a quickly closing McFarlane was unable to catch Church for fourth place.

The next round moves to Lyng, Norfolk on April the 18th

Press Report 9 - via MX247.com

Team Molson Kawasaki Report

Full report here on MX247.com.

Muddy Heights

Molson Kawasaki Racings Tom Church claimed overall victory in the MX2 class at the opening round of the British Motocross Championship at Canada Heights yesterday.

After overnight rain the track conditions were still in pretty good condition and Church posted a time to place him fourth in the early morning qualifying.

With the weather against them, the dark skies and cold wind didn't deter the fans, who flocked to the Kent circuit for the day’s racing, and they were well received by Kawasaki riders Tom Church and Stephen Sword at the Molson truck for mid-morning autographs.

As the riders went to the line for the much-anticipated MX2 race the heavens opened. Focused on the 30 minutes ahead of him it was Church who took the holeshot.

As they headed down the hill for the first time, the 22 year-old’s leg slipped off the bike and he headed over a large tabletop with it stranded over the side panel. Eventually regaining composure the Molson Kawasaki rider was remarkably still leading and began to pull away from the rest of the pack.

By mid-race he was some ten seconds ahead but it wasn't over yet as Australian Andrew McFarlane began to close down the gap. But the Marshfield rider remained smooth and calm, powering his KX250F to the finish flag to win the opening race of the 2004 season.

"I am so happy, the conditions were tough out there but I got the holeshot and was able to keep relatively clean and stay out of trouble. I knew that Andrew was catching me, but at the time we were passing lapped riders and I didn't want to make a mistake, its great to take the win here."

Kawasaki Racing Team’s Stephen Sword took a well-deserved third in the opener, after a mid-pack start and losing his goggles early on in the race.

The rain kept falling throughout the day and by the time the second race came around the conditions had worsened.

As the gate dropped Church again powered up the hill but he got pushed wide in the first turn and started his first lap in around twelfth place. Honda’s Carl Nunn had gone to the front, with Tyla Rattray and Stephen Sword close behind.

Riders were now struggling, with the slippery circuit making it harder to maintain a rhythm, but Church pushed his way through the pack and was soon in fourth. By now the leaders were some 20 seconds ahead and there was no chance of catching them. Nunn had crashed, moving him back to third, Rattray eventually taking the win ahead of Kawasaki Racing Team's Stephen Sword.

McFarlane once more began to catch Church in the closing stages, but wasn't able to make a pass giving Church fourth in moto 2 and the overall win.

"That race was pretty tough, it was hard to do a lap without making a mistake, but I am really happy, I scored good points today and it's a great start to the Championship. I would also like to thank the fans and everyone who stayed out in the rain today and supporting us."

Molson Kawasaki Racing now head to Belgium for round one of the World Championships.

Press Report 8 - ICNorthernIreland.co.uk

Article from here

Crockard Doubt For 'World' Opener

GORDON Crockard will today see a Belfast specialist after sustaining a knee injury during yesterday's British Championship Motocross opener which was nothing short of a nightmare in Kent.

Early reports suggested that the Ulsterman suffered a dislocated knee and if that's the case he could be a doubtful starter for Sunday's first world championship round in Belgium.

At the end of a forgettable day Crockard, who is the defending British title holder, had to be lifted into a car before he headed for home.

It was midway through the second race that the Newtownards rider banged his knee and suffered suspected torn ligaments.

According to Crockard's manager Paul Maguire: "There was instant swelling of the damaged knee which was heavily bandaged.

"Gordon will seek urgent medical advice just as soon as it is possible.

"Initially, Gordon wasn't saying very much but understandably he has been left gutted so early in the season."

Heavy rain had turned the Canada Heights course into a sea of mud which made it a lottery for the championship contenders.

In the opening race Crockard finished up fifth.

Both races were won by Mark Hucklebridge.

Another Ulster rider Adam Lyons who was contesting the 125cc events also had mixed fortunes.

"In the first race I got off to a bad start in 25th place," said Lyons.

"But I managed to finish ninth."

"I felt that I had a good strong race in difficult conditions."

He added: "Then in the second race I was lying sixth only to crash out.

"I got going again but the front brake kept jamming due to the thick mud which was caked on it.

"Due to that particular problem I crashed out another four times before I decided it was time to retire."

Press Report 7 - via MX247.com

RTT Honda Report

Full report and photos here on MX247.com.

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Nunn secures second moto podium in awful conditions

RTT Honda rider Carl Nunn gave his new team their first podium finish yesterday at the opening round of the Maxxis British Championships at Canada Heights despite appalling weather that reduced the Kent circuit to a muddy slush.

Nunn gained fourth overall in the MX2 category with results of a 6th from the first moto and 3rd place in the second although the 24 year-old led the majority of the final race until a crash three laps from the chequered flag dropped him to the lower step.

Constant rain throughout proceedings on Sunday coupled with a strong cold wind meant that the track soon flooded and quickly formed deep difficult ruts; essentially the races were decided within the first few corners as riders escaping the pack enjoyed a distinct advantage. Nunn was amongst the front-runners both times coming out of the gate and jumped into a lead that he swiftly extended to several seconds in the latter moto before his untimely slip.

The former GP winner was still able to defeat World Championship peers Andrew McFarlane and Jamie Dobb in race two.

Nunn began the day on a positive note by qualifying second fastest before the abysmal weather conspired to dampen the event and produce a day’s racing that was more about applying a measure of caution than taking any risks; particularly with the first Grand Prix of the season only a week away.

The swampish mud meant that Nunn was forced to ditch his goggles barely two laps into the first moto and as the 30 minute and 2 lap distance counted down the effects of his affected vision saw his pace start to slow. Sixth place was bolstered by a stronger showing in race two and the result gives the team plenty of encouragement for a successful campaign in the domestic series and hopefully leading onto bigger glory in the World Championships.

“I didn’t really think in the first moto,” reflected the rider. “I couldn’t see a thing and then got stuck behind Brad Anderson who basically was a joke. I think the guy had disconnected his brain because he was weaving all over the track and blocking the lines. I made a mistake and could not pass Jamie Dobb and finished sixth. I was going wide-open for the holeshot in the second moto. I backed off in the first race and lost some ground going into the first turn so for the next one I chucked the bike in there; shit or bust. It worked and I could then concentrate on the track and keeping a rhythm. Towards the end I had a small crash and it lost me the win but overall I am happy with my riding. It’s the first race of the season, the bike and team is great and I am really looking forward to the rest of the year.”

An unhappy meeting was in store for Jason Dougan who suffered mechanical problems in both races and had to leave the venue without a point. The 16 year-old had been running inside the top ten in both races until his engine mysteriously stalled and twice instigated his retirement. The highly rated youngster was dissatisfied with the outcome of his debut outing with the team and now has to pick himself up before the tough task ahead this weekend in Zolder.

“My starts were OK. In the first moto I was holding ninth and starting to move forward when the bike cut out,” he commented. “I restarted but then it happened again as I was going down the hill so I had to pull up. In the second moto I was fifth on the first lap but going around the back of the track it stopped going over a jump and I had to push back. I am disappointed because I was enjoying the track; I like the long deep ruts. Now we will test maybe today or tomorrow just to work on the engine problem before going to Belgium.”

Despite the contrasting fortunes of both of his lead riders, team manager Mick Aldous was content by the end of the afternoon.

“I’m happy enough; it was extremely hard work for all the riders in the conditions,” he commented. “Jason had a tough time and we haven’t looked at the bike yet but it threw him on the ground and he was disappointed not to score today. Carl knows that he cant take his goggles off after only two laps, but it was difficult for him to see and I thought he could have had third. The overall result was good enough and he did what we expected of him. He has the tools with this team, good support with Honda and factory suspension and we all know he has the talent, so now he just needs to get those high finishes to build his confidence; it is there for Carl, he just has to go out there and grab it.”

The two races were won by Tom Church and factory KTM rider Tyla Rattray respectively.

Veteran British Championship rider Jeff Perrett sustained an injury to his right hand during qualification and led to his eventual retirement in race one. The pain forced the 31 year-old to sit out the second moto.

“I was unlucky this morning because I was halfway through my qualifying lap when I caught my hand on a fence post,” he said. “I then struggled to grip the bike. The pain wasn’t too bad in the first race as the adrenaline was flowing but it was carnage out there, bikes were on the floor everywhere. I had to take evasive action at one point and crashed. The hand swelled in the break and I decided not to go out for the second moto. Now we’ll focus on getting everything ready for the guys in Zolder.”

The team’s fourth rider Luke Kennet was also on the injured list with a damaged knee. The 19 year-old had been running reasonably well up the order but like Dougan and Perrett did not take away any points to show for his efforts.

“I got tangled up with some riders in the first moto and bent my gear lever back making it impossible to continue,” he said. “In the second race I was again involved in a pile-up after making a good start. I managed to restart the bike but twisted and popped my knee going over a jump. The knee clicked back in but I caught it in the ground again and could not carry on. I’ll need to go to hospital to get it checked out.”

The team have now packed up and will head out to Belgium during the middle of this week to prepare for the first Grand Prix of 2004 taking place at the Zolder circuit.

Press Report 6 - Honda-Racing.co.uk

Full article (results, photos, etc) here at Honda-Racing.co.uk

Strong season start to MXBC

Heavy rainfall blighted the opening round of the British Motocross Championship (MXBC) today [14 March] at Canada Heights, Kent. Downpours throughout the day made riding conditions extremely difficult with competitors struggling to keep upright on their machines.

The conditions meant that Honda Racing's riders from the CAS Honda, RWJ Honda and RTT Honda teams were focused on damage limitation – staying on the bikes and avoiding injury. But they also managed to collect some points in a strong start to the season.

New rider Carl Nunn displayed some impressive riding for RTT Honda's debut in the championship, securing a sixth and third place. He led the second race until the final two rounds when a fall made him drop from first to third place. The points have put him in fourth place in the MX2 class of the championship.

RWJ Honda's James Noble also got himself into one of the top spots. He put in a strong performance to claim third place in both races leaving him second overall.

Yoshi Atsuta and Josh Coppins put in good rides for the CAS Honda team, leaving them in fourth and fifth place in the open class. Team-mate Gordon Crockard was less fortunate. He had a slight fall in the second race and twisted his knee after getting his foot caught. Jussi Vehvilainen did not take part because of a back injury.

Crockard has flown home to Northern Ireland tonight to see a specialist tomorrow morning. He is having the injury checked out immediately so that he will be fit for the opening round of the World Motocross Championship in Belgium next weekend.

Honda Racing Off-Road Co-ordinator Roger Harvey said: “The conditions today were miserable. It started raining at about 11 o'clock and just went from bad to worse. It's been much of a lottery for the riders to stay on their bikes and come away injury free.

“I'm happy with today's performances despite the conditions and I think that we've made a strong start to the season. We got some points and we've got quite a few of the riders up there in the championship already.

“Gordy [Crockard] will have his knee looked at immediately and other than that the riders stayed as injury free as possible. We're looking forward to the opening round of the world championship now and feeling positive.”

Press Report 5 - via MX247.com

Tanel Leok Report

From here on MX247.com

Tanel Leok has broad shoulders. Everyone that knows the Estonian teenager knows that he is built like a brick outhouse. It's a good thing, though, since he carries a huge load of expectation on him this season. A switch to the MX1 class, the switch to a new bike, a new team, a new environment all add to the pressure on the teenager.

At the first round of the British motocross championships at Canada Heights, Tanel proved that he can cope with the pressure and dish it out in equal measure. The beautiful Canada Heights circuit was lashed by rain during race weekend, and a slick and muddy track turned into a rutted nightmare by the time the final race was run.

Tanel slotted in a steady qualifying performance to claim the 9th gate. The treacherous conditions claimed many victims, including Tanel himself, who managed a close inspection of the countryside early on in the race. Remounting near the back of the field, he produced one of his characteristic charges to the front, finally coming home in 11th position.

In race two, Tanel made amends for his first heat mistake and warmed the cockles of the British championship faithful with one of his trademark, elbow-down, head-tilted, speedway style exhibitions. Coming from sixth position, he guided his Suzuki to the front, and two thirds through the race, it was an all yellow affair as the Motovision Suzuki hosted the field in a game of follow-the-leader.

The extreme muddy conditions made things difficult for everybody, and more so for our young hero, as a clogged up radiator caused the bike to overheat and spew out coolant. With his concentration diluted, Tanel made a small mistake and went down again, allowing Mark Hucklebridge to slip past into the lead. Tanel could get his bike going whilst still in second position, and nursed it home for his first British Championship podium finish this season.

Tanel's efforts placed him just next to the overall podium in fourth position. I is nevertheless a strong start to the season, and the youngster hopes to build a strong championship campaign on this basis.

"The conditions were quite bad," we managed to extract from him after the race. (Tanel will not go down in history as one of the world's great orators). "The track was pretty one-lined, and it was hard to pass. I'm happy with my result in the second race, and hope to carry this form into the GP's."

Tanel's team-mate Antoine Letellier had another hard day at the office. Admittedly not in his favourite conditions, the Frenchman qualified in 10th position in the MX2 class. Like his team-mate, he crashed early in his race, and was reduced to a comeback fight from the wilderness. The track conditions didn't make things any easier, but Antoine squeezed himself into the points with a 15th place finish.

In the second heat, the affable Frenchman gave himself more work to do with a very unrepresentative start, which left him near the back of the field. This time the comeback was executed with growing verve and confidence, and by race end Antoine was in 8th position.

Press Report 4 - via MX247.com

Tyla Rattray Report

From here on MX247.com

A crash and a win for Rattray at British Championship event

The track: Canada Heights is situated near Swanley, Kent. The fast and specacular circuit has a sandy underground, and is somewhat stony. Some penetrating rain made the track slick and muddy, and by the end of the day, it was badly rutted.

Tyla's comments: "The conditions were quite heavy, but I like that. In the second heat, the track was quite rutted out and technical."

Look at the horizon. See those clouds and lightning bolts? Hear the thunder? What is that, Armageddon descending? Nucleur war? No, more than that, it's the hostilities brewing for the 2004 motocross world championships. In a week's time, the posturing will stop, and full battle will commence for the 2004 world championship crown.

With his preparations for the 2004 world campaign coming to a head, Tyla Rattray hopped across the pond to participate in the first round of the 2004 British Championships. The British series is Tyla's "home" championship for 2004, and the eighteen year-old South African is intent on making a serious bid for the title.

Race day started off in grand fashion for Styla, when he showed all comers the way during qualifying. This is normally all the encouragement that the redhead needs for a top result, but things looked to turn sour for Styla in the first heat. A good start left him in third position, and he was already breathing down the leaders' necks when a cross-rut sent him flying. The crash was hard enough to warrant scientific measurement on the Richter scale, and with both bike and rider shaken and stirred, the proceedings for race one were over.

Real motocross racing has two heats, though, and this gives the bold and the strong an opportunity to come back from disaster. Styla made use of this opportunity in grand fashion. He started off in fourth place, but by the time the scorers wiped out their eyes, he was in the lead, and proceeded to stamp his authority on the race completely. As the clock wound down, the KTM edged ever further away from the field, and by the end of the race, Tyla enjoyed an 18 second lead over the second-placed man. He saved all riders up to sixth position the effort of going full race distance.

"I'm very happy with my form at he moment," he said on his way back to Belgium. "The bike is exactly how I like it, and this week, I'm just going to get my sand shoes on for Zolder next weekend."

Press Report 3 - via MX247.com

Team Chambers KTM UK Report

From here on MX247.com

Mark Hucklebridge finally scaled the Heights!

Mark Hucklebridge made a little bit of history by winning Chambers' and KTM UK's first ever British Open race, and overall! The last man to win on a KTM in the Open Class was former GP star Kurt Nicoll. Mark was overjoyed to take what was also his first overall win at a British Open round.

The day itself was horrible, yet the attendance was very good for the opening round of the newly named MX Open and MX2 Championships. With a large number of team and bike changes over the winter by most riders it meant that nobody knew quite what to expect in either class. Add that to the soaking and extremely slippery conditions and it was bound to be an eventful day.

Qualifying:

MX2: Brad Anderson put KTM on pole, with Tyla Rattray in eighth and Chambers KTM's of Wayne Smith ninth and Shaun Simpson fifteenth.

MX Open: Kiwi Josh Coppins took pole position in the Open class followed by Yoshi Atsuta and Marko Kovalainen. Christian Burnham took fourth and was closely followed by his team-mate Mark Hucklebridge.

Race 1 - MX2: Wayne made a good start, with Shaun not too far behind him. Tyla Rattray in the meantime had taken the early lead, but unfortunately fell on the first lap, and had to pull out. Wayne rode steadily, and looked strong, but former World Champion Jamie Dobb came through after half race distance to move Wayne down to seventh place. Wayne's lonely ride was underlined by the clean state of his kit, but he had caught right onto the back of Carl Nunn. His challenge was halted though when his "goggles jammed up" with mud and could no longer see to chase Nunn.

Shaun was up to ninth place, until running into the ropes at the bottom section of the track, and then on the same lap hitting his head on a post in a strange manner, without even falling off the bike. The collision did rattle the just turned 16 year-old, and for a long time he wasn't quite sure where he was. "I couldn't remember the track until near the end of the race," he said with a grin on his face back at the truck. Shaun had still managed to finish sixteenth despite the problems he had.

Race 2 - MX Open: The perfect start to Mark's season came when he hole-shot the first race in an identical manner to last year! Chris Burnham was closely in tow back in fifth place. Not surprisingly it was too good to be true, and Christian fell early on, which put him back to ninth. However, Mark charged away to create a big lead, setting the fastest lap of the race by over a second. Former Champion Paul Cooper reeled in Burnham slowly but surely, and eventually made a pass. Billy MacKenzie had made a successful transition to the Open class and did gain some ground on Mark when they reached tail enders, but the gap was soon recreated.

Mark went on unchallenged to take only his second race win ever in the British Open, and the first ever for the team and KTM UK. It was the first KTM to win a British Open class race since 1997, and it meant a lot to all involved. Chambers KTM UK support rider Chris Lillywhite was seventeenth.

Race 3 - MX2: Smith and Simpson continued from where they left off in their first outing, with Wayne getting a very good gate, Shaun following. After turn two Shaun decided to pull a tear-off, but this put him off balance and he dropped the bike. He restarted at the very back of the pack. Wayne then went missing for a whole lap after piling into a fallen rider at the bottom of the circuit. Jamie Dobb had then hit Wayne, making the situation even worse. The Chambers riders battled through after their misfortune. Wayne came through to twelfth place without ever seeming to break into a sweat.

Tyla Rattray had taken a leaf from Hucks' book, and made the most of his good start to eventually take the race win from Stephen Sword, thanks to Carl Nunn throwing away his lead. Shaun had many more tricky moments due to the track that was forever getting wetter, but he forced his way back to sixteenth at the end! Another "never say never" style of racing, which meant that he beat Jamie Dobb of all people!

Race 4 - MX Open: The KTM 450SXS again put Mark at the head of the field by turn one, and a second 450SXS of Christian's in his shadow. Billy MacKenzie picked and outside line for turn two and forced his way into the lead though. It was soon a duo of Chambers KTM's chasing down the Yamaha, and just as they all seemed to settle down it was MacKenzie that made a mistake, letting Mark through for the lead and Christian into second. Tanel Leok was now used to the conditions and passed Christian for second place.

Mark quickly came into back-markers, and caught Phil Mercer at exactly the wrong time, slowing him down over the finish line, and Leok manoeuvred around him to take the lead down drop-offs and tabletop. On the following lap it was Mark's turn to fall, but he jumped to his feet quickly before Christian could pass him. The 450SXS's did battle for a couple of laps, and at one point the number eleven plate did get ahead, but Mark was determined to win his first ever overall in the British Open. Leok cut his lead short by taking a fall like the previous leaders.

Once again it was Chambers KTM UK one and two, but it was spoiled by a back-marker who changed lines ahead of Christian and left him with nowhere to go. Christian got up from his fall with nothing more than a bruise, and a great deal of disappointment when he had to pull out.

The running order was now Hucklebridge from Leok, and James Noble in third. Mark kept his focus despite wanting to celebrate underneath his helmet and earned a well-deserved first overall win of his career, punching the air as he came across the line, before walking off the track with another big grin on his face.

Once on the podium (still smiling) Mark thanked all of the team before taking a much-deserved rest and posed for the photographers.

Team Chambers KTM UK would like to say a big thank you to all of our sponsors that without their help this result could never have been achieved, and especially Kevin Burk from KTM UK, a special thank you and well done to you!

Press Report 2 - MXLarge.com

By Jim Thompson

Full article and photos here on MXLarge.com.

Water Everywhere

Weather seemed to dominate the opening round of the British Maxxis Motocross Championship.

Relentless rain wrecked havoc on the superbly prepared track at Canada Heights, which hosted a revamped format for the championship, emulating MX1 and MX2.

First winner of the day was the Molson Kawasaki UK mounted Tom Church. Church emerged from turn two in front of the chasing pack, with the Planet Motocross new signing Brad Anderson on his rear wheel.

At the flag Andrew MacFarlane had consolidated runner-up spot, with current British Champion Stephen Sword in third after riding a tactical race and a mid-pack start. Anderson brought the first two-stroke bike home in fourth.

"I am so happy," said Church. "The conditions were tough out there, but I got the holeshot and was able to keep relatively clean and stay out of trouble. I knew that Andrew was catching me, but at the time we were passing lapped riders and I didn’t want to make a mistake, it´s great to take the win here."

Mark Hucklebridge’s spirits didn’t seem dampened by the weather. He snatched maximum points in the seasons MX1 opener. A first moto holeshot had Hucklebridge in front from the off and was never headed all of the 30 minutes.

Runner-up spot went to open class debutee, Yamaha UK’s Billy Mckenzie. The first of two third spots were claimed by RWJ Honda mounted James Noble. Rounding off the first four was Mark Jones on his KTM debut.

Tyla Rattray made amends for his first moto DNF with a top podium place in Moto 2. Sword shadowed Rattray´s moves and secured second place for overall runner-up behind Church, who got top spot on the day after finishing fourth in this moto behind the Honda of Carl Nunn.

Sword´s reasoning was simple "With the way the weather was and the new moto format it was important to finish on the podium in both motos.

"The track didn’t allow a lot of passing, with one race line emerging, if you didn’t get the gate it was always going to be a battle."

The new RTT Honda team had mixed fortunes. Nunn ended fourth overall, but talented Jason Dougan suffered mechanical problems in both races and had to leave the venue without a point. The 16-year-old had been running inside the top ten in both races until his engine mysteriously stalled and twice forced his retirement.

Hucklebridge didn’t get it all his own way during the second MX1 moto - Mackenzie got the holeshot and led for the first few laps until the Chambers KTM overhauled him and led on almost every lap but Laps 12 and 13. That was the turn for Estonia´s Tanel Leok on the Motovision 250 Suzuki.

This battle ensued to the flag, where Hucklebridge led home Leok with Noble in third and the first of the CAS teamsters, Yoshi Atsuta, in fourth.

Event winner Hucklebridge was overjoyed to take what was his first overall win at a British Open round. Also, he was the first man to win on a KTM in the open class since the days of Kurt Nicoll.

The positions in the championship behind Hucklebridge: 2. Noble, 3. Jones, 4. Leok, 5. Joakim Karlsson.

Defending champ Gordon Crockard was unfortunate. He had a slight fall in the second race and twisted his knee after getting his foot caught. Crockard has flown home to Northern Ireland to see a specialist. He is having the injury checked out immediately and hopes to be fit for the first Grand Prix next weekend.

Honda Racing Off-Road Co-ordinator Roger Harvey said: "The conditions today were miserable. It started raining at about 11 o'clock and just went from bad to worse. It's been much of a lottery for the riders to stay on their bikes and come away injury free.

"Gordy [Crockard] will have his knee looked at immediately and other than that the riders stayed as injury free as possible."

Jussi Vehvilainen is now home in Finland, his broken vertebrae is not as serious as first thought. He has consulted the specialist who operated on his back and neck last year and will be present in Zolder.

Press Report 1 - MXFish.com

By Russ Gabriel

Full article and photos Here on MXFish.com

The first Round of the 2004 Maxxis British Motocross Championships gets underway at Canada Heights. KTM’s Mark Hucklebridge goes two for two in the nightmare weather and track conditions. Molson Kawasaki’s Stephen Sword gets the MX2 class overall.

Absolutely appalling conditions on the track sorted the men from the boys at Canada Heights today. At the start of the first MX2 race it was tough going enough, but from there the rain started to come down and things got worse and worse. Starts proved to be a major factor this weekend with vision problems severely hampering all the riders.

It was Tom Church holeshotting in the first race of the year. Tom rode a perfect race and went right to the flag. Dixon Racing Yamaha’s Andrew McFarlane started to pull Church in at one stage, but the Kawasaki rider remained strong and started to increase his lead again by the end of the race. Stephen Sword moved up from a mediocre start and got to third place by the flag, with KTM’s Brad Anderson putting a good start to use with a fourth placing. James Dobb also moved through the field to take fifth.

South African Tyla Rattray was on the floor shortly after the start attempting an aggressive multi-pass manoeuvre going into the bottom corner. He failed to finish. RTT Honda’s Carl Nunn gave himself too much work to do from his start and eventually got to sixth.

In the second race it was Jim Murro leading the early charge until storming Nunn went by on the first lap. Nunn then started to pull away from the field with a regrouped Tyla Rattray in hot pursuit. At the thirty minute mark it was all but in the bag for Nunn when he hit the floor. Rattray got his just reward with the win.

Stephen Sword had been quietly moving his way through the pack and took second with the overall win as a bonus. Nunn got up and finished third. After riding with clean eyes in the first moto, Tom Church was this time experiencing the vision problems he missed earlier. A strong ride from Tom saw him in fourth. Andrew McFarlane recovered from a poor start to take fifth at the flag.

In the first MX Open class race things were less complicated. As the rain hardened and the track conditions worsened, Chambers KTM’s Mark Hucklebridge took the lead and never looked back. Billy MacKenzie, McFarlane’s team-mate, rode a strong race to take second. James Noble, Mark Jones and Gordon Crockard took the next three places with the CAS Honda man coming from a long way back after a poor start. Christian Burnham went down on the first lap after charging hard and finished tenth. Estonian Tanal Leok was also on the floor and finished eleventh.

MX Open Moto 2 was the race of the day. Billy MacKenzie aggressively took the lead on lap one from another Hucklebridge holeshot. Billy was eventually to finish 13th after crashing. Tanal Leok put in the longest succession of fast laps in the difficult conditions and was leading the race at one point, but a crash meant he couldn’t beat the smooth but sure Hucklebridge. A second place for the Motorvision Suzuki rider moved his overall placing considerably.

RWJ Honda’s James Noble didn’t ride without crashes and problems but still managed third at the flag. A great performance from Yoshi Atsuta in race two got the CAS Honda star to fourth place. Team-mate Josh Coppins was also very strong coming from a long way back to finish fifth. Josh was fastest in training but had a disappointing day really. The third rider of the CAS trio, Gordon Crockard twisted his knee in the last of several crashes. Canada Heights will be one to forget for him too.

More Information

For more information on the whole British motocross championship series go to MXGB.info