Gethin Price wins Snowrun
Report by Bob Mullins www.enduronews.com
For 30 years the Welsh Trail Riders Association's Snowrun has signalled the
start of the Enduro season. A classic time card event, it has rarely failed to
deliver & is always over subscribed. This year the weather was cold with a
grey mist hanging over the Crychan forest & the start was in the top quarry.
The Championship class had 4 laps & 8 riders were entered but Luke Lusher
& Rowland Morris were non-starters. The Experts also had to pit plenty of
fuel as they also had 4 laps. 2009 Clubman class winner Charlie Evans had
moved up to Experts after a good season & support from Gas Gas Uk. In
line with the BEC, the veterans were split into Experts & Clubmen but unlike
the BEC they rode the same schedule. Concerned about the cold conditions,
the organisers showed a lot of consideration by putting in a couple of greasy loops
right after the start to warm everyone up. The greasiest one was cut for lap 2. Ross
Jones opted to ride a Kawasaki - some ex-Kawasaki owner's ears will be burning
tonight. Crossing the Tirabad road the riders dropped down Stick Hill to 5 Roads &
climbed Scrach to the first of two tests.
T1 was a tricky trial of roots & ruts around the nadgery near Cwn Cadoran. It
started & finished on the same section of forestry road so the handful of spectators
could clearly see how a man can age in a couple miles. The course then dropped
down to the old Snowrun Quarry (cut on the
final lap) & up to Scrach before heading
towards the Lasso & down Early Bird. After
the Timber Yard the riders crossed the
stream at Bob's Stick to the Out Check. T2
was a fast climb up Trout Hill. Wide enough
for overtaking & barreling enough to make
the odd mistake it was a pleasure to ride.
The inward stage took in the Swimbath,
Geriants, the Rally & County road before exiting the Crychan at the Picnic
site. The sting in the tail was the rocky Cefn Ludlow with it's water splashes.
Michael Rees was one of several riders who got their clean cards a bit damp
within sight of the finishing line. Gethin Price took the Premier from David
Brick. Andy Cripps & Grant Hacking stayed clean to take 3rd & 4th. Charlie
Evans justified his move into the Experts by winning the class from runner up
Gary Jenkins. Charlie set the fastest test time overall on T5.
Photos of the event have been supplied by Keith Davies and Mike Davies. Many more action shots can be found at
Mike Davies’ web site here
Running “proper” enduros since the 1980’s
Snowrun ENDURO
Sunday 7th February 2010
WTRA Ltd - Company No 02959274 email: mail@wtra.co.uk Phone: 07890 345 695 (only between 18:00 and 21:30hrs) .