The Xmoor Enduro Club unfortunately chose to run their last winter event after a few very wet days in November, which provided a very entertaining track for all the spectators!

Only in enduro - will you see friendly banter and laughter 
between competitors - before the race starts.

Unprecedented for the XEC club was allowing the use of Enduro Knobbly tyres on the rear, instead of the compulsory Trials tyres only rule - that is normally strictly enforced in the South West to preserve our precious tracks.

A cautious start was advised on the slippery track.

After a quick track inspection it was easy to see why this was permitted. The track had a superb layout and covered around 7 miles of steep mixed woodland terrain. - And luckily spectators could easily get to the 'more interesting bits' to enjoy the fun on hand!!

Also a new format for the XEC was to shorten the main race to 2.5 hours - a wise decision and brought on due to many factors. Such as 2 races in the day, short daylight hours this time of the year and last but not least - 2.5 hours of tough enduro riding is often more than enough for all but the best superstars!

Logs and roots soon caught some competitors out!

Choosing the two race format meant for the first time in an XEC event that a junior race could be held in the morning. This was of 1.5 hour duration and over a slightly shorter lap - to enable an ever watchful eye to be kept on the youngsters - should they hit trouble.

The Youth race started at 10am and was of a 1.5 hour duration. Although the course was challenging - especially for bikes using small wheels - the talent displayed by many of these youngsters was incredible. Hardly any needed help and some showed a level of skill that was almost frighteningly good.

After a poor start Ian Putt worked up to fourth place overall, 
before one bad error dropped him 10 minutes. 

When the flag dropped at 11.30am it was Harry Mitchell who took the top spot in the 125cc class from Ben Scott. Both on 9 laps and with only a few minutes between them.

The winner of the 85cc 2 stroke class was Shaun Kersey followed closely by Steve Holcombe and Sophie Thomas - all on 8 laps and were the only ones in this class to do so.

One place not to be - This sort of mistake cost riders dearly.

Craig Down won the 110 - 150cc 4stroke class from Daniel Richards - both on 7 laps. The small class of 65cc riders saw Dominic Thomas romp home to win with a very creditable 2 lap lead - completing 7 laps.

There was now a short but hectic break while the organisers went to work setting up the adult race. The start line proved interesting and caused quite a stir during line up, - as bikes appeared to be facing all directions. This was due to a misunderstanding, which meant each of the class line-up marker boards were set out facing the wrong way!

Pausing to check track direction was a sensible option.

There was a very short start straight leading into a wet slippery forest track and as the Championship boys tore away very, very fast, it was plain to see caution ought to be the order of the day. This was proved correct a few minutes later when riders were appearing out of the woods from all directions. As is always difficult when leading a race on an unknown track, reading direction arrows - and not trails on the ground, is a must - as they don’t always go in the same direction!

A few of the first riders in the group had mistakenly taken a wrong turn and were riding against the arrows!!

The excellent marshalls were always there to help out.

Fortunately onlookers were frantically waving them back, but sadly some who had tried desperate for a good start had now blown their lead and had a lot of work to do.

When the experts shot off they also made the same mistake - as the 'wrong track' was now becoming well marked on the ground (it goes to show, people look at the tracks more than they do the arrows!). However a quick thinking marshal found the source of the problem and stood their directing the rest of the starters.

Within a few miles it was clear to see that No7 Nick Life was going to be the man to beat. Chris Dustow No3 was hot on his tail and determined to give chase. After that there was a big gap before Pete Bulley and Gary Wright appeared on the scene.

The track was definitely wet in places!

Ian Putt got a poor start but was weedling his way up from 7^th spot up into fourth by lap 2. However after choosing an unfortunate 'slot' in the muddy quagmire just before the lap ending climb, lost about 10 minutes in one fell swoop. - Such is true enduro!

It was a tough race. The track was very interesting with some seriously challenging climbs and drops. But this is all good experience for those who are still learning. Although the track should have been easily rideable for the better riders, Sportsmen (and some Clubman) who were struggling on the big hill were causing quite a blockage at their attempts to make the climb.

Winner Nick Life looking ahead, while powering through the mire.

Marshalls sensibly allowed the more 'novice' riders to take a longer diversion around this obstacle after they had made at least one good attempt. In fact it has to be said - I have never seen marshalls at any club work so hard as these guys did today. Not only did they all act immediately there was an issue arising and get it sorted immediately, they also worked tirelessly picking up riders all day - and dragging those who got stuck , out of the mud. So a really BIG WELL DONE guys and gals for that.

After just over an hour it was decided to cut out the big hill completely to allow the race to flow a little easier - as there was enough tricky bits elsewhere!

Sarah Putt found the going slippery but stayed the full course.

Onlookers were treated to quite a spectacle near the pits - where the lap sank down a deep muddy track, through a water hole and steeply climbed back up to the finish line. Due to the use of Knobbly tyres, after an hour the track dug out into a series of muddy slots. This meant riders had to make slot choice hundreds of yards from the water splash - which if they got wrong WAS A BIKE SWALLOWER!

Hitting the water hole hard could mean burrying the bike big time, hitting it too slow meant the climb out to the lap scoring was nigh on impossible. Drizzle after 1.5 hours added further to the interest in this area. Luckily for the riders though much of the rest of the track which had been slippery earlier in the day, now had the surface skimmed off and had better grip.

This did not apply to the may tree roots however - which became slipperier and slipperier with every passing knobbly. - And so unfortunately did many of the slated forest trails when the slimy mud spread all over them!

After 1.5 hours many riders were deciding to retire, finding it all a bit hard.

Mark Tucker took a well deserved Expert class win.

When the chequered flag finally fell after what was for most 2.5 hours of really tough riding, it was Nick Life who took the win by a narrow margin from Chris Dustow - both on 15 laps. Steve Dustow and Gary Wright were one lap down with 14 a piece. The expert winner was Mark Tucker who did really well to be the only finisher in his class on 13 laps.

Mark Wareham took the clubman 2stroke win with 11 laps, as did Sam Guppy with the clubman 4strokes. Michael White took the over 40's win with 12 laps Robert Ellick the sportsman win on 9 laps.

Revving, slipping, sliding and pushing up the final lap end climb.

This time it was a new team running the event for XEC, and riders said they deserved a lot of credit for doing such a fine job in keeping up the fine tradition and high standards of the Xmoor Enduro Club.

So, finally well done XEC, the new guys did an excellent job - you know who you are. But just one comment for improvement, the pits really could have been - and really should have been, just a tiny bit bigger!

The bottom line was - It looked so much fun, I just might enter myself next year!

Full Results - Youth Race - Adult Race

Report - Adrian Harris
Photos - Adrian Harris & Debbie Tucker