Held at Black Dog Woods Sunday 19th September

Promoted by Midwest MCC

The venue for round 4 of the National Hewitt XC Championship was in Black Dog Woods part of Lord Baths Longleat Estate near Warminster Somerset the course laid out by the Midwest teem started in two large open fields laid out as motocross type going then entering the woods for a ten minute loop which was tight and technical the woods were unusually dry but still had some wet parts and not using any fire roads in the woods riders were given a good test.
The large expert field kept the crowds of spectators entertained with drama from the first corner until the finish three hours later with the very close racing and the lead changing all the time.
The flag dropped at 11.00 o’clock for the experts at the first corner Rich Warner rounded in the lead followed by Matt Ridgway, Jeremy Box, and Malcolm Lean there was drama for Ollie Moyce when he collided with the sideways Pete Kyte and fell off when he picked his bike up he was in last position with the charging pack in the distance.

At the start of the second lap Jamie Paget was in the lead with Tyson Mayton-Jones right on his back wheel closely followed by Jon Hinam then young Aaron Smith and in fifth was Ollie Moyce storming through field from last place.
In the Veteran Experts Dave Potts took the holeshot followed by Peter Fry, Gary Baker and Jack Twentyman, on the next lap Gary Baker was in the lead with Peter Fry, Dave Potts and Marcus Barnes close behind.
In the Clubman 2t Jason Hamblin took the lead followed by Mark Hamblin Aaron Wells and Pete King, the next lap Mark Hamblin moved into the lead followed by Jason Hamblin and Pete King.
The Clubman 4t Fredie Davis got the holeshot followed by Jez Dance and Philip Gilder on the next lap it was Fredie Davis, Jez Dance and Philip Gilder.
Vets class saw Peter Fry leading at the first corner from Darren Jones and Ashley Jones, next lap Peter Fry was still leading Alan James moving up to second and Chris Davis third.
Sportsman 2t Chris Stevens took the lead from Sam Hoskins and Wayne Tibbles next lap Sam Hoskins moved into the lead with Wayne Tibbles and Alex Knot close behind.
Sportsman 4t Kevin Park led from Anthony Mallett and Oliver Craig, second lap Michael Jones took the lead from Colin Baker and David Sharp.
Jamie Paget rode despite still suffering from his chest injury and set the joint fastest lap with Tyson Mayton-Jones before easing up to save any further injury before the Naterjack.
Matt Ridgway's run of bad luck continued when he lost the coolant on the second lap, Rich Warner had problems with his exhaust and DNF,
Gary Baker lost time when he stopped to replace a damaged hose when leading but still finished forth in the Vet/Experts.
The forecast rain only came after the finish with the afternoon youth race having bright sunshine for the late spectators stopping off on their way home from Farleigh which is only 15 minutes up the road.

RESULTS

• Experts - 1 Ollie Moyce, 2 Jon Hinan, 3 Tyson Mayton-Jones, 4 Darren Wheeler, 5 Dave Nuttall, 6 Aaron Smith.

Report & Pictures by Martin Harding

British Enduro Championship – 25/26th September

 

The final round of the Metzeler ACU British Enduro Championship took place at Longmoor Camp near Borden this weekend. Heavy thunderstorms on Thursday had drenched the sandy venue and a biting North wind reminded everyone that Autumn had arrived but Saturday morning saw sunshine and a ground frost to make the circuit nearly perfect for competition. The course consisted of a motocross test in the large “sand bowl” and an extreme enduro test through the forest which included climbing a brick wall and negotiating various tyre and log obstacles. Day 1 started at 10am and the day would consist 3 and half laps and 7 special tests and consistency was the order of the day for Midwest Husaberg UK rider Ollie Moyce in the ultra competitive championship class which awarded him with 3rd in E2 class and 6th overall. Fellow team rider, Tyson Maytom-Jones was competing in the E3 Expert class which again was a very close fought group with many riders making lots of mistakes in the deep sand motorcross test. Tyson also rode sensibly and used the massive power of his Husaberg 570 to have his best finish of the season by winning the E3 Expert class and finished 10th overall. Day 2 started an hour earlier at 9am and under grey, cloudy skies and a bitterly cold wind saw the course was rode in reverse direction to the previous day. There were only 6 special tests on day 2 as the soft, sandy course had become very rutted so it was to be another day of trying not to make any mistakes in the sandy going as the slightest lapse in concentration would result in loosing the bike in the soft sand. At the end of the day Ollie Moyce had again matched his previous day’s position again finishing a well deserved 3rd place in E2 class and 7th overall giving him a 3rd in class and 6th overall result after the 2 days. E3 expert rider Tyson Maytom-Jones made a few more mistakes on day 2 and despite winning the E3 class he dropped to 12th overall on the day but after the 2 days riding was awarded with 9th overall and E3 class winner. All the team and Husaberg motorcycles performed excellently all weekend without any problems.

BEC Championship Results:

Championship E2 Ollie Moyce

Day 1-3rd, Day 2-3rd, Overall 3rd

Expert E3 Tyson Maytom-Jones

Day 1-10th, Day 2-12th, Overall 9th

BEC Championship Final Standings:

Championship E2 Ollie Moyce – 4th (Highest Placed Husaberg Rider in class) Expert E3 Tyson Maytom-Jones – 2nd (Highest Placed Husaberg Rider in class)

Pictures: Martin Harding

European Enduro Championship - 10/11/12th September

 

The final round of the 2010 UEM European Enduro Championship took place at Oliveira do Hospital in Portugal. Temperatures rose to 39 degrees and the rocky hills and woods were very dry along the 50 km loop that the riders rode 3 times a day and the 3 special tests were a combination of a MX track, enduro test and an extreme rock section which featured a giant near vertical slab of rock the riders had to climb. Day 1 saw Midwest Husaberg UK Team rider Ollie Moyce was aiming for a podium finish and the dry, rocky conditions suited the smooth performance of the Husaberg FE390 and by the finish he did achieve another well earned podium finish in 3rd position. Fellow team rider Tyson Maytom-Jones rode better than ever to finish a personal best in 8th place and Jamie Paget had to retire due to injury. Day 2 was much the same as day 1 in the tests but the hot weather claimed many riders who pushed too hard in the extreme heat but the 2 remaining Midwest Husaberg UK team riders of Ollie Moyce and Tyson Maytom-Jones again had rode sensibly to secure 4th and 8th positions respectively which left them in a good position for the last days competition. Day 3 was a shorten course of 20km run in reverse direction to finish with a MX test but when the riders arrived at the MX track it was decided that it was too dusty to have a race so it was decided to be a timed special test for safety. Ollie had 5th position and Tyson was 9th which was a good end to a long 3 days of riding.

UEM Championship Results:

E2/E3 Junior Ollie Moyce

• Day 1-3rd
• Day 2-4th
• Day 3-5th

E3 Senior Tyson Maytom-Jones

• Day 1-8th
• Day 2-8th
• Day 3-10th

UEM Championship Final Standings:

• E2/E3 Junior Ollie Moyce – 4th (Highest Placed Husaberg Rider in class)
• E3 Senior Tyson Maytom-Jones – 8th (Highest Placed Husaberg Rider in class)

Pictures: Bob Mullins

Midwest Husaberg UK Team Race Report - BXCC Round 3 at Canada Heights August 1st

 

The 3rd and final round of the ACU British Cross Country Championship headed to Canada Heights MX track in the south east of England. The sandy soil would be a different surface for the riders to contend with but it proved to be a little dusty due to lack of rain in recent months. The 5 mile lap that was full of interesting features and beyond the MX track, the course threaded its way through a wood over logs before bursting out into the sunlight for a mile of stubble fields around a mowed field & there was a rock pile with an easy and a hard route. The second half of the course was through another wooded section where the track was narrow & the surrounding vegetation held the dust in the still air. The 2.5 hour main race started at 1.30pm. Jason Thomas took the holeshot from Ashley Wood with Ollie Moyce in 3rd on his Midwest Husaberg UK, but as they rounded the second corner Ollie dropped his bike & the series leader Daryl Bolter collided with him. Neither rider was injured but Daryl broke his de-compression lever. Jason Thomas took the overall win with 13 laps, Dorren Coutts was the runner up on 12 laps and Daryl Bolter was 3rd with Ashley Wood in 4th & Ollie Moyce was 5th. Ollie said “We have had very dry weather leading up to this event and that has ironically proved to be its downfall. Normally Canada Heights holds up very well and is a joy to ride but nature decided today would be different. The track was laid out very well but because of the lack of moisture the whole lap became a 1 lined dust rut and no fun at all!

I had a good start in 2nd and then turning a sharp corner I pulled the front brake too hard and went down. I jumped back on in around 5th position and entered the tighter woods section where I sat in a cloud of dust following the person in fronts back wheel. After catching lapped riders and not even being able to pass them I continued to get frustrated with not being able to show my full potential and eventually stopped pushing with around 40 minutes to go, it was very annoying not being able to race properly but not anyone’s fault. Eventually finished 5th on the day but more importantly I finished the BXCC in 3rd overall in the championship class for Midwest Husaberg UK. Thanks Guys!”

Fellow Midwest Husaberg UK team mate, Tyson Maytom-Jones was racing this weekend with the possibility of winning the Expert class but circumstances made it hard work with a clutch problem in the first part of the race which was fixed and the just after halfway some rope got caught in the rear wheel and stopped the bike but fellow Midwest Husaberg UK rider Jamie Paget stopped and helped Tyson remove it and he went on to finish 5th on the day and win the Expert class by 1 point!

Further success was achieved by long term customers Alan James and Peter Neal who finished 1st and 2nd in the Over 50’s class.

Results

Championship Class

	16-May	20-Jun	01-Aug	Total
1 Daryl Bolter	20	20	15	55
2 Ashley Wood	15	17	13	45
3 Ollie Moyce	17	08	11	36

Expert Class

	16-May	20-Jun	01-Aug	Total
1 Tyson Mason-Jones	20	17	11	48
2 James Burroughs	17	15	15	47
3 Tom Healey	00	20	13	33

Pictures by Martin Harding

BEC Rounds 6 & 7 at Knighton, July 10/11th

 

Fresh from success at the UEM in Poland the Midwest Husaberg UK enduro team arrived in Wales for rounds 6 & 7 of the BEC in high spirits knowing that bike set up and rider preparation was ready for good results. The course was to be 3 laps of 45 miles with 2 special tests per lap which would lead to over 8 hours in the saddle. Currently 6th overall in the championship Ollie Moyce struggle to get the power of the 4 stroke down on the lush grassy fields of the special tests at the start of the day but as a line appeared and the grass dried up he improved on his times to get with in a couple of seconds of his rivals by the end of the day leaving him 4th in E2 class and 8th overall on day one. E3 team mate and fellow under 23 competitor, Jamie Paget again found the lush grass a little tricky for most of the day and was disappointed to finish 3rd in E3 class and 13th overall but hoped for drier test conditions tomorrow. In the ultra competitive Expert class where times were matching the championship class riders Midwest Husaberg UK rider, Arran Poolman having his first ever ride at the Knighton got to grips with the grassy conditions to finish 3rd in E2 class and 4th overall even after changing his rear disc on the going. E3 expert rider Tyson Maytom-Jones would have liked the conditions a little wetter as unusually for Wales it was very dry on the going with dust being a problem along the forest tracks, he finished 2nd in E3 class and 11th overall.

Overnight rain meant conditions were near perfect and with a line established on the special tests Ollie Moyce started where he left off at the end of day 1 with his first 5 test times matching the multi-British Championship winner Paul Edmondson and with Greg Evans making a mistake on time check gaining a 60 second time penalty and Tom Sagar out in the morning with mechanical problems Ollie could relax a little and was in line for his first ever championship class win but just as the pressure was off him he hit a bump on the third from last special test which throw him over the handlebars and cost him the win on the day. Afterwards Ollie commented, “I am bitterly disappointed for both myself and the Midwest Husaberg UK team who have worked so hard to get me to within sight of my first championship class win, but I am young enough to go on and try again and pleased with the fact that I put myself in the position of nearly winning the class and glad I never injured myself. I am looking forward the next weekend now and the UEM in Italy where I hope to continue my good positions on lately”. Jamie Paget improved on Sunday with commitment and achieved 2nd in class and 11th overall to maintain his consistent results. Determined to improve on the previous days results expert rider Arran Poolman pushed on and went one position better and gained 2nd in class and 3rd overall to give him his best ever results from a BEC round so far setting test times which would place him well in the championship class. Tyson Maytom-Jones was still struggling with steering issues and didn’t feel that confident to push on too hard on Sunday but equalled his results from Saturday and was pleased to finish and find out what the problem was and after investigation from the Midwest Husaberg UK technicians turned out to be a loose shim stack in the front forks giving him no damping and thus causing turning problems. Again all Midwest Husaberg UK team riders and machines finished both days of the event and are now all set to travel to the UEM in Italy this weekend.

Photographs by Martin Harding

European Enduro Championship, Poland 26/27th June 2010

All 4 Midwest Husaberg UK team riders Ollie Moyce, Jamie Paget, Tyson Maytom-Jones and Arran Poolman, set off for the long drive to Poland early Tuesday morning leaving the UK in record temperatures only to arrive in Poland to be met with heavy rain. This would suit the UK riders as they are used to riding in wet conditions but for the weekend the rain stopped and the course was in good condition. The course was to be 4 laps per day and featured only 2 tests per lap, one cross and one enduro but the first test on Saturday was scrapped as the timing system failed. A late start of 10am also meant that the last lap was cancelled so only 3 laps were completed by all competitors on day 1. All Midwest Husaberg UK team riders put in good test times and all finished the first day with no problems with Ollie Moyce finishing 3rd in class followed by Jamie Paget 11th, Tyson Maytom-Jones 12th and Arran Poolman 8th.

Sunday was to be 3 laps again but an earlier start of 9am was planned which suited all the riders. Again all Midwest Husaberg UK team riders rode well on day 2 with only Arran Poolman loosing coolant from his radiator forcing him to retire. Ollie Moyce made it another 3rd in class and made it to the podium for his best result ever followed home by an improving Jamie Paget in 9th and Tyson Maytom-Jones 16th. This was a very good result by all team riders and puts them in strong positions for the next round in Italy on 16/17th July.

Latest YouTube video by Digger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOhSjZGNQXA

The team returned to the Hafren enduro which staged a round of the WEC in 2008 under sunny skies, a far cry from 2 years ago when it rained the whole weekend. Full of confidence from gaining 2 ACU British Championships the previous week team riders set off Saturday morning for the first of two 45 miles laps and 2 special tests per lap, one an mx style course and the other an enduro test both very similar to the WEC event in 2008 only much drier, that said early tests proved slippery on the fresh grass until it was cut up and a dry line began to appear. Showing great form at the moment, as result of riding extra quality events such as the BESC, Midwest Husaberg UK rider Ollie Moyce rode his Husaberg FE390 consistently achieving top 6 positions in his test times closely battling with Ed Jones and Ashley Wood. With two back to back enduro and mx tests at the end of the day there was a lot at stake and as the course became drier the 4 stroke power proved ideal for Ollie and he powered to 2nd in E2 championship class, 1st Under 23 and 6th overall. E3 championship class Midwest Husaberg UK rider Jamie Paget took it couscous on the powerful Husaberg FE570 until the slippery grass cleared and achieved his best result of the year so far with 11th overall, 2nd in class and 3rd Under 23.

Expert class team riders Arran Poolman and Tyson Maytom-Jones had a good day with Arran achieving his best result this year in 3rd overall and 2nd in E2 class, Tyson was also second in his E3 class.

Sunday dawned with grey skies after overnight rain and the threat of rain saw some riders fit new front tyres as well as rear, but this made track conditions perfect with maximum grip available test times were even quicker than the previous day. Slightly less distance on the overall lap allowed the expert class to have one more test on the day bringing the total to 6 with the championship class again having 7 tests to complete during the day. Both championship riders Ollie Moyce and Jamie Paget had trouble free days with there Husaberg machines running faultlessly all weekend they achieved good results again with Ollie 3rd in E2 class and 7th overall, Jamie 2nd E3 class and 14th overall. Expert rider Arran Poolman fresh from his best result yesterday was looking to improve his position but bad luck was to happen when on the first lap he caught something in his rear wheel and broke 12 spokes. He struggled on to the service area where he removed the wheel and tyre then rebuilt it and continued for the remainder of the day losing 31 minutes but setting some of the fastest test times in his class. Fellow expert rider Tyson Maytom-Jones improved on his overall position claiming 11th and 2nd in E3 class, again a successful weekend for the Midwest Husaberg UK enduro team.

ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship May 29/30th rounds 5 & 6.
Photographs by Nuno Laranjeira

DOUBLE JOY for team riders Ollie Moyce & Arran Poolman who at the weekend claimed 2 British Championship titles between them in the Under 23 E2 and Expert E2 classes, and to add to the achievement fellow team riders, Jamie Paget & Tyson Maytom-Jones claimed runner-up positions in there classes of Under 23 E3 & Expert E2.

When the team arrived on Friday at the spectacular Saints Well farm circuit in mid Wales the track officials were watering the circuit due to a few weeks of extremely hot, dry weather in an effort to keep the dust down but there efforts proved unnecessary because the forecast of persistent rain for Saturday was correct and at 9 am the riders set out on a very demanding course which included an mx style area followed by an extreme section which included obstacles such as tyres, rocks and logs to negotiate and ending in a grassy off cambered hill side which would prove very difficult to ride. First away was Under 23 E3 Midwest Husaberg UK rider Jamie Paget on his FE570, now fully recovered from previous injuries saw him produce his best performances so far this year riding with new determination and confidence. Ollie Moyce was next away and knowing the championship would be decided this weekend and with a healthy lead in his class opted to ride with caution until the track became drier ending the day second in class but beating his main championship rivals. Expert E2 team riders Tyson Matom-Jones and Arran Poolman were in a close battle for honours in this class with both riders winning previous rounds this weekend would prove to be very interesting. The tall stature of Tyson and his trials riding skills helped him tackle the very slippery course with no problems taking him to a comfortable victory with Arran finding the wet conditions more difficult to deal with persevered to 3rd on the day making a gap of just 1 point between the two rivals and team mates going into the final day.

Sunday saw a completely different day with the sun shining and wind blowing the track soon dried and with the course running in the opposite direction to the previous day the pace of racing was much faster. Jamie Paget was again first away and with a good first days riding under his belt he continued to ride well and even ex 10 times British Enduro Champion Geriant Jones commented on how well he was riding finishing runner up in his class overall. Ollie Moyce was more determined to do well on Sunday and with the course drying his times improved rapidly and he eventually won his class comfortably and became British Enduro Sprint Champion Under 23 E2 class. The battle to see who would become Expert E2 champion was a 2 horse race between Midwest Husaberg UK team riders Tyson Maytom-Jones and Arran Poolman. Tyson prayed for more rain on Sunday but the drier conditions suited Arrans MX riding style allowing him to take the victory on the day and win the class championship, a second British title for the team. We would just like to take this opportunity to thank all our sponsors and helpers who have made this success possible.

Second place honours for Ollie Moyce in the Champ class, victory for Tyson Maytom-Jones in the Expert class!

The 1st round of the 2010 ACU British XC Championship was held at Chavenage on the 16th May, the skies were grey with a threat of the rain but the bright yellow fields of oil seed rape shone like sun and the 7 mile course was in excellent condition.

The Main 2.5hr race started at 1.00pm and Lewis Belfield took the holeshot closely followed by Midwest Husaberg UK rider Ollie Moyce and by the time he had disappeared through the hedge he had a good 50 yards lead. From the start the riders looped around a cambered field and then ran along the hedgerows to the first of 4 wooded sections and included an interesting addition to the dammed stream - a fallen tree. At the halfway point Daryl Bolter took the lead on his KORR KTM. The rain came & went in short sharp showers but it did little to cool the heat of the battle for 2nd between Ollie Moyce and Ashley Wood. The lead changed and then changed back again and as the event continued the stream crossing got deeper and the marshals had to remove a couple of sandbags to lower the level of the water. At 3.15pm - with 15 minutes to go - the heavens opened. The course greased up and the riders slowed down. Daryl held the lead from Ollie Moyce with Ashley Wood in 3rd and Jon Hinam in 4th all managing to complete 11 laps. Jamie Paget finished in 8th position on his Midwest Husaberg FE 570.

Midwest Husaberg's Tyson Maytom-Jones took the holeshot in the Experts ahead of Seb Dexter. Tyson never looked back and topped the Experts by over a minute despite picking up some rope in the rear wheel with James Burroughs in second and Seb Dexter third.

Picture by David Moyce

With only 2 days rest following the UEM enduro in France last weekend the Midwest Husaberg UK team headed north for the long journey to Lossiemouth in North East Scotland to compete in the re-scheduled rounds 2 & 3 of the BEC. Conditions were better this time as the event was cancelled in February due to heavy snow and the riders tackled the long, sandy, demanding tests which became extremely bumpy after nearly 14 hours riding over the weekend.

Championship E2 rider, Ollie Moyce improved on his first BEC results to claim 3rd in class on both days and 1st under 23 class. Ollie said

“I had a mixture of fortunes over the weekend. On the Saturday I struggled in the beach test getting past slower riders but pushed hard to finish 3rd in class and seventh overall, only a few seconds from 2nd. Whilst on Sunday I was having a better day but a lack of concentration meant that I crashed 3 times in the last Enduro test undoing all that hard work. I then had to give it everything to again finish 7th overall and 3rd in class but this time I was the fastest under 23 rider. It was a great event and well worth the 12 hour drive. My FE390 Midwest Husaberg did not miss a beat all weekend and I would like to say thanks to everyone who helped.”

 

Picture by David Moyce

E3 Championship contender, Jamie Paget had a difficult first day breaking off his gear lever but improved on day 2 to claim 3rd in class on both days. Arran Poolman Expert E2 rider had a good result on day 1 claiming 3rd in class but on the second lap hit a hidden tree stump and later had an x-ray to confirm 3 broken bones in his foot so couldn’t ride the second day. Tyson Maytom-Jones had a consistent weekend in the Expert E3 class finishing second on both days.

Following several weeks of good results the Midwest Husaberg UK enduro team arrived in France for the first round of the European Enduro Championships on Thursday.

The 9am start took the riders straight to the extreme/cross test then time check 1. From there it was in to the Enduro test which was un-timed on the first lap, then into Cross test2 and back to time check 2 in the paddock. The day was to consist of 5 x 52km laps with 3 tests per lap. All Midwest Husaberg UK team riders had good results on both days all scoring points in there classes. Team rider Ollie Moyce, who was the highest placed Husaberg rider said,

"I was very excited going into the first round of the European Championship in France as I had been riding well in recent competitions and was very comfortable with the FE390. The whole weekend went very well for me and apart from losing out on 3rd place on the 2nd day I had no major dramas at all. I was consistently up the front of the class with test times and even winning one or 2 which has done wonders for my confidence. I am now running joint 3rd in the points and will be hoping to improve on that in the next round."

Other good news was the team were 4th in the team event.

Rounds three and four of the 2010 ACU British Enduro Sprint Championship moved onto the Rogers Hill Raceway facility in Dorset this past weekend where once again great weather and a diverse and challenging course ensured some great racing in all classes.

With no rain for at least three weeks prior to the event conditions were extremely dry during Saturday’s round three giving all riders their first taste of genuine hard-pack conditions this season. Featuring one motocross track at the start of each lap, a wooded extreme section, a grass track section, and finally a second motocross track, the average lap time for Elite class riders on day one was over 11 minutes.

Ollie Moyce (Midwest Husaberg UK) and Ashley Wood were the two fastest riders in the Under 23 E2 class finishing comfortably ahead of third placed Joe Jones on day one. With Ashley setting the pace early on during round three Ollie soon got into his stride to enjoy a 17 second winning margin. On day two there was no catching Ollie as he finished one-minute clear of Ashley, who in turn placed one-minute up on Joe.

There was no question as to who the fastest Under 23 E3 class riders was as Daniel McCanney romped to two convincing class wins placing ahead of Jamie Paget (Midwest Husaberg UK), who overcame his hand injury, and Kieran Jones.

The battle for the top spot in the Expert S2 class was an all Husaberg affair as Midwest Racing team mates Tyson Maytom-Jones and Arran Poolman battled it out on both days with Tyson claiming the top spot at the end of round three while Arran got the upper hand after some committed riding during round four.

Ollie Moyce dominated the Under23 E2 class.
Jamie Paget, coming back from injury, scored two second places in the Under23 E3 class.
Tyson Maytom-Jones battled it out with team mate Aaron Poolman in the Expert E2 class.
While Maytom-Jones claimed the top spot in round 3, Aaron Poolman won it in round 4.

Report J. Edmunds, Pictures by Martin Harding.

Hewitt National XC Championship (Round 2) at Chavenage Farm on Sunday, 18th April organised by Midwest MCC
Report By Mike Wood, Photographs by Martin Harding and Jack Stringer

The super Chavenage venue, scene of last months successful staging of the first ever ACU British Enduro Sprint championship witnessed yet more action at the weekend as the Midwest MCC held the second round of their Hewitt National XC series. Once again a bumper entry was in attendance to tackle the very dry,undulating Gloucestershire circuit, with for the first time racing for Youth riders. The kids in attendance proceeded to produce some great competition after first witnessing Midwest Racing supported riders Ollie Moyce and Tyson Maytom-Jones score a great 1-2 in the main Adult event aboard their Husaberg machines.

Indeed it could have been total domination for the Midwest team as in the opening few circuits of the Experts Adult event,Jamie Padget was also keeping his teammates company up at the front until a re-occurrence of a recent hand injury was to eventually force him out on lap four. Earlier in the contest it was though the very experienced Ady Smith who had led the pack away to commence their three hour blast aboard his two-stroke KTM before dropping back to 5th spot. Another rider initially in contention for honours and producing some very impressive lap times was James Jackman until retiring on lap eight after his Yamaha lost all of its gearbox oil and seized. So,after passing Smith before the completion of lap one,the immaculate Moyce led all the way to the chequered flag,finishing two minutes ahead of his very determined teammate Tyson Maytom-Jones whilst third placed Darren Wheeler was charging hard and just a very narrow five seconds behind Tyson Maytom-Jones.

Great racing and great weather ensured that the British Enduro Sprint Championship got off to a memorable start.

The 2010 British Enduro Sprint Championship got off to a flying start this past weekend when the opening two rounds of the series took place at the spectacular Chavenage Farm circuit in Gloucestershire. Despite terrible weather during the days leading up to the event, come the weekend track conditions were perfect, ensuring great racing action in all classes.

As expected it was the Under 23 class that provided much of the weekend's best racing action. Competition was close at the top of the Under 23 ES2 class on day one with Ollie Moyce placing his Husaberg at the top of the class, just 15 seconds up on Mark Roberts while third went to Ashley Wood. On day two the same three riders finished in the same order at the top of the class with Moyce's winning margin a slender three seconds.

In the Expert ES2 class Aaron Poolman placed his Husaberg at the top of the class on both days, enjoying two comfortable wins in front of teammate Tyson Maytom-Jones.

The British Enduro Sprint Championship's next two rounds will take place at Rogers Hill Raceway, close to Bere Regis, Dorset on April 24-25. As part of GMC Events Ltd plans to expand the series the event will include the BESC's first Sunday-only Clubman class.

Pictures by Martin Harding

Raced at a club motocross on Sunday and ended up 3rd overall. I had forgotten how much different it is and in the first race I struggled with my arms pumping up and I felt I was down on power against the 450 motocross bikes so I ended up 5th.

After that race we decided to take the bung out the exhaust as it sounded like a hair dryer compared to the others anyway. This not only made it sound better but gave it that extra edge up the straights. I had a better second race and came 3rd. I was a lot more confident for the last race and had a good start in about 5th and moved my way up to second and catching the leader when my hands decided they were tired and would not push any more, so unfortunately I had to settle for 3rd again but it was nice to overtake most of the field on an Enduro Bike haha.

Considering I was down on power, had softer suspension and was a bit rusty I thought it was a great day and a lot of people complimented on either my riding or the bike.

On arriving at the Thetford forest Friday afternoon the team we met by the Clerk of the Course, Andy Waters, who informed us that the event maybe cancelled if the high winds that were forecast for Sunday arrived, fortunately for all teams and riders who made the long journey to Norfolk this was not the case but heavy and persistent rain was the order of the day.

Picture by Martin Harding

5th in E2 class and 9th overall was a sound start for Ollie Moyce who was a little bit disappointed with his overall result which found him starting the day in 27th position on the start list and not in the top 10 seeded riders from last years championship but he quickly proved he deserved to be included in the seeded start list with his 9th overall.

My test times throughout the day were not too bad but due to the weather conditions and having to pass slower riders on the going I ended up crashing quite heavily and losing a minute. If this hadn't have been the case then I would have been further up the overall results. The bike was running perfectly as always and the team were a great help. I would like to thank everyone who was there to help and support me

Ollie Moyce

Picture by Martin Harding

21 year old, Jamie Paget, again was not completely happy with his final result of 3rd in E3 class and 18th overall finding the very heavy conditions difficult to adjust to at the moment after his transition from riding a two stroke for the last 2 years.

More time on the bike and adjusting to the huge amounts of power the 570 Husaberg produces should bring better results in the future. I had a slight misfire during the latter stages of the enduro so I rode conservatively to preserve the engine and ensure a finish.

Jamie Paget

RESULTS

1. David Knight 530 KTM (E3)
2. Paul Edmondson 250 Suzuki (E1/4)
3. Daryl Bolter 250 KTM (E1/4)
4. Si Wakely 250 Husqvarna (E1/4)
5. Tom Sagar 450 Suzuki (E2)
6. Greg Evans 300 KTM/4 (E2)
7. Ashley Wood 250 Gas Gas (E2)
8. Rory Mead 250 Yamaha (E2)
9. strong>Ollie Moyce 390 Husaberg (E2)
10. Phillip Mclaughlin 250 TM (E1/4)

The 1st round of the 2010 Hewitt National XC Championship got off to a cracking start at Chavenage Farm near Tetbury on Sunday 21st February.

Overnight snow had dusted the fields with a light frosting. The sun shone but the air was cold. The Midwest team of Ollie Moyce, Jamie Paget & Tyson Maytom-Jones had organised a training session the day before & their first job on Sunday morning was to chip the frozen mud off their wheels.

The first through was Ollie Moyce ahead of Aaran Poolman, Jason Fraser & Jamie Paget.

By the halfway point the sun had begun to work it's magic & the course began to dry. The Chavenage course is very compact & a good crowd had turned out to support the riders. Ollie Moyce held onto the lead, closely followed by Jason Fraser but with less than 30 minutes to go Jason's new Suzuki ran out of petrol. He had only had the bike for 3 days & he wasn't too sure of the capacity. Ollie Moyce went on to take the overall win. He had enough of a lead to stop for a splash & dash on his last lap. Midwest team mate Jamie Paget did well to get so much out of his Husaberg FE 570 in such slick conditions.

After the event Ollie Moyce said that he hadn't had the best of starts & he had struggled with arm pump on the first few laps but it was probably the same for everyone. Once the course began to dry out he really enjoyed the ride & he was looking forward to the first round of the British Enduro Championship this weekend.

Results, Expert Class

• 1. Ollie Moyce (Husaberg)
• 7. Arran Poolman (Husaberg)
• 8. Tyson Maytom-Jones (Husaberg)

1st Round Eastern Centre Championship at Tunstall Forest

A cold misty and grey day in Tunstall Forest near Woodbridge did not dampen the enthusiasm. Over 160 riders entered this popular season opener in East Anglia with a strong national field doing battle with the local boys. A slight drizzle had decided to accompany the Midwest riders (Ollie, Jamie and Aaron) but this fizzled away after an hour or so.

The schedule saw us doing 6 laps of a 12 mile loop with each lap getting tighter on time. We had to ride a test on each of the first 2 laps and then another at the end of the day!

Photograph by Anthony (GRUD) Ridge

Special test action kicked off at the end of the first and second lap with a sting in the tail for the championship class with a final test after the 6 punishing laps. Local Woodbridge rider, Aston Bird out on a new 450 Kawasaki put the mark down for the Eastern Centre finishing the first test a second and a half ahead of HuskySport Husqvarna rider Si Wakely with Midwest Husaberg rider Ollie Moyce tucked in third place 0.4 seconds behind Wakely. After the second test things were even closer with Bird still in front but Moyce had the fastest second test a second up on Wakely with Bird a few hundredths behind. As the event moved on to the tighter laps Bird had a slender lead 0.9 seconds ahead of Moyce with Wakely a further 0.7 seconds adrift.

However disaster struck for Bird at the end of lap 6, after the tight final lap required to be ridden in 28 minutes he clocked in a minute early, dropping him from the final special test shoot out. Moyce made no mistakes and again topping the test times, just over a second ahead of Wakely with Bird a despondent third on the test but dropping to eighth overall. This left local championship riders Chris Hockey Julian Harvey and Jamie Roper to slot into third fourth and fifth places.

New Midwest Husaberg UK team rider, Jamie Paget still adjusting to the big four stroke after riding a two stroke last year, started the day steadily and as the day progressed grow more and more confident which saw his test times improve to finish 7th overall with no penalty points incurred. Third Midwest Husaberg UK team rider Tyson Maytom-Jones was still away on a skiing holiday so his place was taken by Aaron Poolman riding in his first year of enduros after a motocross career who again managed the conditions very well and admitted there was still a lot to learn before he returns in 3 weeks time for a round of the British Enduro Championship.

Thoroughly enjoyable day and great practice for the Muntjac! Thanks to all sponsors and helpers

Results

1. Ollie Moyce(2) - Midwest Husaberg FE390
2. Simon Wakely (3) HuskySport Husquarna 250
3. Chris Hockey (1) Yamaha 250
4. Julian Harvey (9) Aim KTM 250
5. Jamie Roper (15) Yamaha 250
6. Bradley King (11) Gas Gas UK 300
7. Jamie Paget (10) Midwest Husaberg FE570
8. Aston Bird (20) Kawasaki 450
9. Jason Morland (12) Jim Aim Racing 250
10. Steve Mason (22) Yamaha 250
11. Richard Roper (16) Kawasaki 250
12. Aaron Poolman (25) Midwest Husaberg FE450

Travelled to Midwest on Saturday to check bike over and then on to Bagshot for the first round of the REME winter series. Conditions were cold and wet but I was keen to try the FE570 in my first event since the Six Days, Portugal, in October.

I had a good start and entered the woods in 3rd position. It took me a good hour to adjust to the four stroke before I started to pull back time on James Jackman and Julian Harvey. The track deteriorated considerably and became a deep rut for most of it.

I caught Julian up on the last hour but there wasn't enough time to catch James.

I finished second and was pleased with the result. Bike was awesome! Still learning but cant wait to get out on it again.

Report by Jamie Paget

We now have a Facebook fan page.

For 2010 Midwest Husaberg has 2 new riders. The team consist of Ollie Moyce (22), Jamie Paget (20) and Tyson Maytom-Jones (23)

All riders will be competing in the BEC, BESC, UEM, selected WEC plus any other national events as well as club events such as Hewitt XC.