It was great to start the South West Enduro Championship season at a totally new venue and the Camel Vale clerk of the course Mike Roose had done a stirling job of laying out the huge Grey Mare plantation race track.

This was one nice 'virgin' wood to race in.

Despite gloomy cold predictions, the day started with wonderful sunshine, which lifted the mood of all the competitors, pit crew and marshals alike, as riders got ready to start their 3 hour Hare & Hounds challenge.

Carl Mcilroy raced hard all day to take 2nd spot.

For 2006 Mike had come up with a new race format, in that each class had to attempt reach their target number of laps within the three hours. An added benefit of which - and part of the overall plan, was to stop 'trophy hunting cheats'. To achieve this, the Championship class target was set at 15 laps, the experts 12, followed by 10 for the clubman, but only 5 laps for the sportsman class.

Steven Jewel passing No123 on his way to an Expert Class win.

The idea being that - genuine sportsmen class riders would find 5 laps a tough enough target. But any who entered as a sportsman for an easy win and to take glory, would only get half a days ride. In fact I noted some finished after 1 and 3/4 hours, Not such good value - especially if they should really have entered themselves as a clubman! But many genuine sportsmen level riders did take the full 3 hours to clock up 5 laps, so I reckon the organisers must have got it just about right!

Fast woods fun, but caution was needed as the 
occasional icy corner caught a few out today.

And of course the same goes for all the other classes, if any are to good for that any particular class, they end up with a short race and hopefully will promote themselves next time. I say congratulations on coming up with a novel method, to help ensure people try and enter their correct class.

The race started off in waves with as usual the Championship lads tearing off first, followed by experts, the various clubman ranks and finally the ubiquitous sportsmen.

Action amongst the top boys was frantic, as all wanted a great start to the season proving their true worth. And for the first time in ages it looked as if top dog Jason Fraser would have to work hard to earn his dinner, as many a pretender to the throne fought determinedly to take away his crown.

If you go down to the woods today - there's 
a wonderful new race track - on which to play!

During the first few laps the lead was thinly held by Jason with Steve and Chris Dustow snapping at his heels. Lap after lap Steve was only inches from Jasons rear fender, with brother Chris only a few bike lengths behind them both.

Carl Mcilroy pressed hard in fourth with Nick Life and Pete Wilson in 5^th and 6^th close behind. A surprised crowd saw Mcilroy lead for a short while, just before Steve Dustow took front row with a not willing to be beaten Fraser now on his fender for two laps. Fuelling after 2 hours Chris Dustow had to watch Fraser miss the pits, to take and lengthen his lead as Steve's Husky 125 expired.

Clubman rider emerging from the woods onto a very fast fire track.

Mcilroy was now back in second spot again and pressing Jason really hard. S&R sponsored Jeremy Dunn was starting to have a bad day. After riding very briskly initially, one small rock swiped off his GasGas footpeg and although he managed to get back to the pits and scrounge one, he lost nearly a whole lap in the process.

At the two & half hour mark Jason had pulled out a comfy 20 seconds from Carl Mcilroy, who was himself about another 20 seconds in front of a hard charging Nick Life who desperately wanted a podium finish. Another 30 seconds behind was Chris Dustow who although riding really hard, seemed to be just a little off his earlier race pace.

Nick Life showed real class, but only managed a 3rd place today.

As the chequerd flag fell after 3 hours on this fast sweeping woodland circuit, it was once more an unbeaten Jason Fraser who took the number one spot aboard his Midwest Racing Husaberg, from Carl Mcilroy's Seeward Racing Yamaha by nearly three minutes. 2 minutes further adrift in third spot was Yamaha mounted Nick Life, with Albion Honda mounted Chris Dustow tailing by just 1 more minute and the last finisher to complete 13 laps.

Despite his early charge Chris Dustow finally slipped to 4th at the flag.

Steve Jewell only just won the expert class on 12 laps, with Martin Cheesman only a few seconds behind as they crossed the line.

See RESULTS for all class winners and full finishers list.

Whilst viewing from the pits I noted a brace of VERY noisy four strokes - obviously more worried about their bikes lack of power - than about our sports future!

Gareth Andrews had sadly failed to start as the 18inch rear wheel had failed to arrive in time for his new Kawasaki ride, so sadly had to just watch the action from the marshals seat of a trail bike.

Andy Elliott enjoying his new Beta.

It was good to welcome a new female entrant racing (sadly a rare breed in the south west), Rose Disney from Newquay rode well to a good finish on her first attempt.

Sadly Richard Lennard was yet again let down by his KTM250 4-stroke failing to start just after being warmed up. Richard said "Its fine when its really hot or cold. But at the moment, when its just warm its being a pig". (Well that’s my polite interpretation of what Richard said!)

Unluckily one young lad had a nasty accident on an icy corner when he broke a leg.

Jeremy Dunn's discarded bike minus radiator protection! 

Championship Jeremy Dunn finally finished his 'bad day' when a racing incident left him with a bent radiator, trashed rad shroud and grill. Jeremy smilingly as ever stated "I knew I should have stopped earlier, as I was having one of those days when just nothing seemed to go right".

Well done Camel Vale on running such a top quality event - and what a class act to find such a great new venue as this.

                                           RESULTS

Report and Photos - Adrian Harris (Biker)