FONTE: ENDURONEWS.COM
David Knight vince la 2^ prova dell'Eddy's Extreme a Cowm!Knighter takes his first title of the year!
A very hearty congratulations to David Knight on securing his first championship title for 2013 after another resounding win at round two of the Eddy’ X-treme Championship at Cowm Quarry, Whitworth. Knighter was followed home on the day by Graham Jarvis with Jonny Walker coming in third.
Round Two Results:
Eddy’s X -treme Round 2 – AM Race RISULTATI MATTINAEddy’s X-treme Round 2 – PM Race RISULTATI POMERIGGIOKnighter.net Honda mounted David Knight claimed his 14th British title last Sunday with an outstanding win at Eddy’s Xtreme Enduro in the wild hills of Cowm Quarry outside Rochdale, his first title on Honda machinery but from the quality of his performance, definitely not his last.
Race director Paul Edmondson had planned a tough but ride-able course with several tricky rock sections scattered between huge climbs and heart-stopping decents with easier but longer routes around the tougher extreme sections.
The opening round of the Championship at Tong was tight and technical with plenty of woodlands sections but Cowm Quarry does not possess a single tree and the course was harder, longer and more technical as it stretched into the far distance on a much larger scale than Tong. As with the opening round of the series each section was easily accessible for spectators and the high cliff section offered an outstanding panorama of the whole event.
In bitterly cold but dry conditions two hours of torture began at 9.30am for the Clubmen, Veterans, Youth and Sportsmen riders with a slightly easier course than was planned for the afternoon Pro and Expert race.
Clubman Mick Boam, winner of the first morning race at round one, lined up in pole position on the front row of six riders who hit the Endurocross course fast and hard as the start flag dropped. The Veterans followed just moment later and a real tussle began which saw Craig Parkes on the floor with riders using him for grip. The Youth and Sportsman riders joined the fray and initially there were a couple of log jams but by the second lap everything was flowing smoothly. With more ground between sections than at Tong, the field soon stretched out and the whole course was littered with riders in various states of disarray by the third lap.
Mick Boam (left) and Sam Ludgate headed the field with Henry Morehouse tagging along as Anthony Ayrton and Mark Jackson did the Vets class proud as they clawed their way into the top five with another fistful of Clubmen riders close behind including Pete Bailey, Dan Farrer and Reece Morewood. Boam completed a fantastic win to take Clubman champions title and was followed home by Mark Jackson who took the vets win. Ludgate and Morewood completed the Clubman top three as Ayrton and a roughed-up Craig Parkes made the Vets top three.
Antoine Criq (right) fought hard for the Youth class win, 22nd overall in a talented field of riders was quite an achievement. Mike Gilby should have taken second place but disappeared from the timing on the last lap of the race. This rocketed Brandon Sharples into second Youth position followed by Nathan Ball in third.
Ben Brierley and Michael Pye had a great ride at the top of the Sportsman class, finishing with just 27 seconds between the two, Brierley won with Pye second and Danny Lazariuk third, a lap behind the leading pair.
A short break between races allowed the fast Eddy crew to make adjustments to the course, re-routing through several very hard and loose climbs and adding a couple of extreme rocky sections which attracted the crowds before the second race even began.
Trials supreme Dougie Lampkin was on the start line giving free advice to fellow gas gas riders Danny McCanney and Alexz Wigg
Graham Jarvis
Zac Sherwin
Alex Wigg
Knight, Jarvis, Walker, Bolton, McCanney and Lee Edmondson crowded the front row and as the flag dropped Eurotek KTM mounted Paul Bolton go the jump on everyone off the start, but only briefly as Knight Jarvis and Walker charged to the front of the field.
KTM’s Jonny Walker and Husaberg’s Graham Jarvis were in hot pursuit of Honda mounted Knight, his self-confessed plan to take it steady for a few laps fooled no one as took the lead with Walker getting the best of it until he crashed hard at the first rock section, dead-legging both legs on his bars, leaving Jarvis to tail Knight out into the tough course around the quarry.
The tough rocky course took its toll early on as Knight made an unscheduled pit stop on his second lap to free his rear brake, which had jammed on but from that point onwards it was a one-man show. Jarvis tried to make the most of knight’s misfortune and put some distance between himself and the Manxman but within a lap Knight was back in command.
A few small errors from Jarvis saw him steady himself and push hard as the final few laps approached but Knighter had nearly a two-minute lead with the pair of riders a lap ahead of everyone. Unable to catch Knight, Jarvis settled for second spot as a ruffled Walker cruised to third, looking less than comfortable on his bike.
The Beta X-treme Team of Ben and Dan Hemingway were literally on home turf and both started well but within a quarter of a lap Dan was sidelined briefly as his mount tried to rev itself into oblivion. Two minutes of fiddling soon saw him back in contention but unable to match brother Ben who was flying in fifth place or even Beta Factory rider James Dabill who finished in seventh.
Paul Bolton used every ounce of his vast extreme knowledge to take fourth spot while Danny McCanney (right), not an extreme specialist by his own reckoning, was less than happy with his performance where most riders would have been elated to take fifth in such exalted company. He may not have been happy but his skills impressed everyone who saw him.
Lee Edmondson had been going well until the mid-point of the race when a big off at one short but steep rock section saw him consider his future and he withdrew from the race. He had been as spectacular as ever to that point. Gary Daniels put on a great show to take ninth, especially by finishing a place ahead of Trials ace Alexz Wigg.
Zac Sherwin showed he has what it takes to make an impression on the extreme scene taking the Expert win by over a minute from Lee Sealy who also had a good ride but it was Husqvarna mounted Rob Johnson who showed he is much more than a time-card specialist by battling his way to third in the Expert class.
Knight had always looked at one with his Big Red mount, riding smoothly and confidently across treacherous terrain with ease as others fell by the wayside. A refuelling error saw him have to stop for a second stab at filling the Honda 250X but it made no difference whatsoever to the final result.
The thought of taking on a talent such as Graham Jarvis in Jarvis’ own back yard must have passed through his mind, but only briefly! Knight is fit, full of confidence and fired up to show he still has plenty to offer and plenty to win.
Cowm Quarry was the perfect venue for a final event of this high standard. Paul Edmondson has unrivalled talent and experience for setting out superb courses that make for competitive racing across all classes whilst giving the crowds of spectators excellent value for their money, bringing together the most talented extreme riders in the UK to a venue which was unknown to many and making a lasting impression on all who witnessed the event.
