With the final rounds of the 2011 Irish Enduro Championship fast approaching the current championship standings have been tabulated, logged and uploaded. To view, download links attached. Regulations for the Tinahealy Enduro are also available in the regs, results & points section…

Irish Enduro Championship: irish enduro champ 2011

Southern Centre Championship: southern centre 2011

Torc Club Championship: CHAMP TORC

The G&G Ross Irish Motocross Championship was wrapped up this Sunday, September 25th at Gormanstown, Co. Meath. To get things started we have a quick look back at the day that was…

(1)

Michael Mahon stares down the final start straight of 2011 G&G Ross Irish MX2 Championship chase…. Twenty plus two mins later he would be king

(2)

John Meara has very much been the thorn in Mahon’s side. A revelation in the later half of this year he very nearly stole Michael’s thunder. His first outright adult moto win (MX1/MX2) in Gormanstown capped off second overall in MX2 standings.

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For the second year running Thomas ‘Moto’ Merton is your G&G Ross Irish MX1 Champion. It took Tommy ten years to win won and now in the space of 24-short months he’s got two

(4)

Richard Bird almost did what he needed to do to stop Tommy winning the title. A first corner crash in the second moto prevented a hat-trick of wins and his first shot at an Irish title.

(5)

Attention to detail is everything! It seems most riders must have tools are a sweeping brush. We wonder if his mother knows that he knows how to use one… if you know what we mean!

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Check back soon for more features on how the final round of the Irish Motocross championship went down

‘From the Horse’s Mouth recaps the mud, ruts and glory of those at the penultimate round of the G&G Ross Irish Motocross Championship at Seaforde, Co. Down

Robert Hamilton (Expert 1^st, 2^nd, 2^nd): “Today was another strong result for me. It was tough early on this morning when the track was muddy and sloppy. I knew the start would be important in the first race so I took the second gate from the inside. I got the hole shot , stayed in front and controlled things from there. Again I favoured the same gate for the second moto and it paid off with a hole shot. Gary Gibson got past me but I knew he hadn’t been racing all year so he wasn’t a threat for points. I kept the pressure on and when he crashed I just tried to hold on for the win. Missing three races at the beginning of the year has been tough so I’m just trying to get as many wins as I can and see what happens. Hopefully I’ll continue this good run of form until the season ends!”

Richard Bird (Expert 5^th, 2^nd, 1^st): “Pleased with today’s efforts! Unfortunately the opening race didn’t go to plan as I got collected in Davey’s crash but I managed to come back through to behind Tommy without goggles. I thought there was a gap to make a pass, I got tangled up and went down but regrouped for 4^th. Race two I started behind Robert and there I finished. It was very one-lined and I couldn’t find a way through. The final race I managed to find a gap and got out front to pull away for the win. It’s a good way to finish the day and help me focus towards next weekend’s Motocross of Nations. I’m really looking forward to that. I’m going to try my best and we’ve got a lot of support coming over for it too so I can’t wait to get going at it now!”

Tommy Merton (Expert 3^rd, 3^rd, 3^rd): “For me the name of the game at the minute is just to be consistent and control my points lead as best I can. I did that today with three thirds. My speed was great in the second race and when I got a clear track I was able to close right up onto the back of Robert and Richard but with the way the track cut up it became very one-lined and without risking a silly pass there was no real way around them. Richard is my closest rival and he took some points back on me but I’ve still got 19 in hand. He still needs to win whereas I need to keep in the top three. It lessens the pressure on my shoulders a bit. It’s been a long year but with just one more round remaining hopefully things will go my way!”

David Gorman (Expert 4^th, 5^th, 5^th): “I started off this morning pretty good with second in qualifying. Coming into the first race, I thought I had the hole shot; I thought I was first but Gibson thought he was first too and with nowhere to go I grabbed way too much front brake and down I went. From dead last I gave it everything to come back to 4^th. Race two was fairly trouble free and I ended 5^th. Again in the final race I hit the deck in the first corner and had to come from last back to 5^th. I definitely made it hard on myself today, I’m still 4^th in MX1 but I’m hoping for 3^rd. I’ve still a round left to go in Gormanstown, I like that spot… sure it’s named after me, so it ain’t over yet!”

Ed Allingham (Expert MX2 2^nd, 1^st, 1^st): “I’m feeling happy with how I rode to today, I felt strong all day. Even though I crashed in both the first and last race I came right back up through the pack. The two wins in MX2 was nice but getting 4^th overall in race two was better! Everything is coming together well, I’m growing in confidence and today with Gordon Crockard helping me I learned a lot. He helped make a difference. I’ve also got picked to race the Under 21 team race in Belgium so that’s been a big bonus!”

John Meara (Expert MX2 1^st, 2^nd, 2^nd): “I felt I put in three strong rides today going 2:1:1 in MX2. It’s tough running an MX2 bike in the open race against the bigger bikes especially on these hills. The starts were crucial today and I managed to get three decent ones and pushed hard on the opening laps to make passes while everyone was bunched up. From a championship point of view I’ve closed the points gap from 24 down to 13 so with one round left it’s still all to play for!”

Ross Brown (Expert 9^th, 8^th, 10^th): “I’m still struggling with race fitness, I’m not yet over my broken wrist that sidelined me for most of the season. Towards the end of the race I’m getting arm pump and end up having to back it off a bit but I’m gradually getting there. I’d two bad starts in the opening race which didn’t help but in the last one I got away 5^th and held it for a few laps. Once I got up front I felt I had the speed to run up there, it’s just my race fitness that’s letting me down so I just need to keep building on that.”

Ross Brown is racing his way back into fitness...

Glenn McCormick (Semi Expert 2^nd, 1^st, 1^st): “Today probably couldn’t have gone much better with two wins. Even though it was wet this morning it was fun. As the track dried out the berms got more tacky and the lines worked in my favour. My starts were dialled in today, I hole shot the second race and won it well. In the last race I had a good battle early on with Andrew Gill for the lead but once I got past I was able to hold it to the flag.”

Gordon Clarke (Semi Expert 9^th, 5^th, DNF): “It was nice to give motocross a go instead on enduro. Actually, I nearly got the holeshot in race 1 but didn’t know where the corner was. I started turning left and everyone went right! Down I went, but managed to ride from last back to 9^th. Rookie mistake! Race two was better and rode for a solid 5^th. The final race was fairing even better. I was running third and having a good fight until I washed out the front end on a slick off-camber and went down hard. Overall though it’s been good fun, I’m not used to banging bars and defending lines but enjoyed the racing today.”

Chris Lappin's leading the Clubman MX1 points chase

Andrew McKee (Clubman MX2 Champion): “Coming into today the nerves were at me slightly. You think of all the little things that could happen, like the bike breaking and other stuff like that! I just tried to block that out of my head and treat it like a normal race. I focused on each race as they came and it worked out for the better, two wins and a second let me wrap up the championship today so I couldn’t have asked for better really… roll on the prize giving!”

Chris Lappin (Clubman MX1 2^nd, 3^rd, 1^st): “It turned out pretty good today despite the conditions. In practice the track was actually ok when it was still very wet and fresh but once the first race turned around it was a different story. It was very difficult with the claggy mud; some riders were stuck on the hills too which really added to it! Race two I finished third. In the last race I got a bad start but got a lucky break when the leaders crashed and I took the win. I came here behind in the points chase and now I’m leading it. It’s still all to play for between me and Marty so we’ll have to see how things go in Gormanstown!”

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Robert Hamilton takes overall Expert honours at the penultimate round of the G&G Ross Irish Motocross Championship while Andy McKee becomes the first Irish champion of 2011 winning the Clubman MX2…

Every now and then Mother Nature will do her upmost to throw a spanner in the works and when the penultimate round of the G&G Ross Irish Motocross Championship arrived at Seaforde, Co Down it almost turned into a day of riders slipping and sliding their way around the hillside circuit. Overnight rain had left riders facing an early morning mud bath as they rolled out onto track for practice. With conditions failing to improve for the first block of racing, the track was revised when the opening Grade C MX2 race resembled scenes of the legendary 1998 Foxhill’s Motocross des Nations as many riders became stranded on the treacherous hill climbs. The change in course also brought with it a change in weather, dramatically improving conditions and opening up the track for better lines and better racing.

With conditions far from pretty, the Expert class took to the start line for their opening race. A good start would be a must to stay out of trouble. The G&G Ross Yamaha of Robert Hamilton was fastest out of the blocks and gladly grabbed the holeshot, with Stephen Kelly and Ricky Watt next in line. Getting squeezed tight in the first turn, AJ Plumbing’s David Gorman lost the fight with the tyre wall and was the first to hit the deck, which also collected Ed Allingham. Gorman would put on an impressive charge from last to work his way to fourth at the flag. With clear vision Hamilton was out front putting in some fast laps but a returning from injury Gary Gibson was making inroads into Hamilton’s lead. By mid-distance it seemed like the lead might change hands but Robert had both race pace and fitness on his side and eeked out a comfortable lead that he’d hold to the end. Championship leader Tommy Merton worked his way into third while BodyTech’s Richard Bird would drop from fourth to fifth after crashing late on in the race. TMC’s John Meara was first of the MX2 brigade.

Hamilton's winning races but needs a miracle to win the championship

With conditions significantly drier, Gibson showed he’d lost none of his reaction times while sitting on the sidelines and grabbed the initial holeshot though Hamilton quickly took over. For two laps, Gibson shadowed his every move as Bird moved into third followed by Gorman, Merton and Allingham who in a race within the race was leading MX2. Eyeing up a pass, Gibson pushed his way through to the front and set about chasing his first win of the season. But body language can tell a lot and soon it seemed clear that Gibson was running out of steam. A mistake was coming and after crashing not once but twice he was out of contention. The race was now back on as Hamilton inherited the lead, though this time he had stronger company from Bird and Merton. With the two-lap board out, a mistake from Merton turned the trio into a duo but no matter how close Bird got, Hamilton had enough left in the tank to keep him covered taking his second win of the day. Allingham rode the socks off his MX2 machine for 4^th overall and 1^st MX2.

Again Gibson opted for the far outside starting gate and again he grabbed the holeshot but mistakes would drop him initially down to fourth and eventually to seventh. Finally upfront the roles were reversed as Bird found himself out front with Hamilton chasing. This time Bird would control the pace not allowing Robert to come within range of a pass preventing a Portavogie hat-trick. Merton would settle for a comfortable third though again Allingham would come close to his rear wheel at the chequered flag with David Gorman fifth.

McCormick went 2:1:1 for Semi-Expert Overall

In Semi-Expert, it was Glenn McCormick that secured overall honours with two wins and a second. But it was championship leader Ryan Glover that bagged the opening win taking advantage of early pace setter Jordon Martin’s dismount just three laps from home. McCormick worked his way to second fending off Andrew Gill in third. For race two, McCormick was quickly out front setting a pace the others struggled to follow. Martin made no mistakes this time to finish second while David Russell worked his way to third ahead of Gill and Gordon Clarke in fifth. For the final race, McCormick didn’t have it all his own way as Gill held station out front for the first three laps. Soon though McCormick took control of proceedings and earned his second win of the day. Gill settled for second while Martin took care of third.

With just six races left in the championship chase, Clubman MX1 had become a two-horse race between Martin Portis and Chris Lappin. Leading into Seaforde Portis held just an eight-point advantage over Lappin, but leaving it he would find himself four in arrears. Wild card Gary Price was the first spoiler in the mix grabbing a muddy first moto win while Lappin battled through for second. It was Bobby Watts who became spoiler number two as he won race number two, with Chris Lynd beating Lappin to the flag for second while Portis finished fourth. Lappin would thankfully win the final race with a late race pass on Portis two-laps from home to take control of the points chase with one round remaining.

Andy McKee is your 2011 Clubman MX2 Irish Champion

With ten-wins and 18 podiums out of 21 starts, Seaforde saw the crowning of the first 2011 Irish Motocross champion as Andy McKee nailed down the Clubman MX2 championship with one round to spare. Being pretty much the rider to beat, the penultimate round of the championship was again kind to McKee as he wrapped up the championship with two wins and a second. Aaron Ashton was the only rider to prevent a McKee hat-trick as he took the chequers in moto two. Jordan Wade rounded out the podium with three steady rides for third overall.

The G&G Ross Irish Motocross Championship concludes at Gormanstown, Co Meath on September 24^th, and the premier title still up for grabs it’s promising to be a season ending showdown.

Race Results: HERE

Championship Standings: irish 11 rd 7

Electraction TM rider Jordan Scott has secured a hard fought and well deserved third place in the Junior World Youth Cup on Day Two at the GP of Andorra; having previously finished fourth on Day One.

Round six of the Enduro World Championship was held high up in the mountains of Sant Lucia de Lorca, Andorra last weekend in what was to prove a very hard and physical event, categorised by the “ extreme” Extreme Test better suited to mountain goats than man and enduro machines. Difficult for almost the entire field both the course and the Extreme Test were to take their toll on many competitors.

Jordan, 19, aboard the TM 125 stuck to the task and completed both days, finishing a fine fourth in the Youth Cup on Saturday and later upping his pace again to finish a battling third on Sunday, despite feeling the effects of the physical track and altitude.

Jordan, in his first short season at the EWC has now a finishing rate of 8 out of 8 days; an admiral achievement for both himself and the little TM 125.

Jordan wishes to thank his sponsors

Electraction

George Scott Builders

FOX

DC

TM

Maxxima OILs

Metzeler

Kleenrite

Corcoran Chemicals

After almost a 2-month break, the Enduro World Championship GP of Andorra marked another successful weekend for team Husaberg.

Well lads, there has been some talk of riders hoping to see a H&H championship happen next year.

Check out the poll on the left hand side here, what do you think? If you’re part of a club committe maybe you could shed some light on what needs to happen for this to go ahead?

Feel free to start a discussion on this in the comments for this post or on the forums.