Metzeler ACU British Enduro Championship
Round  2 "The Grampian"
Lossiemouth, Scotland

Photo Right Cpl Craig Altass
Report By Cpl Craig Altass  

  Round Two of the 2008 British Enduro championship saw team REME in Lossiemouth, Scotland. With the logistics of getting the riders, machines and support crew all the way to the north of Scotland sorted, the team was able to get on with the job in hand, racing!

      The event, held over two days consisted of mainly sandy going, with tight and sometimes boggy forestry work. The Organisers provided two special tests the first a MX test with steep climbs, jumps and man made obstacles, the second a cross country test with deep unforgiving sand and tight technical tracks amongst the forest.

      The time between check points was expected to be tight and the riders faced long days in the saddle. This added to the harsh Scottish weather meant round two was not going to be easy.

      Despite the intermittent snow and hail showers the event got underway.

      Showing they can mix it with the country’s finest riders team REME’s two championship class competitors Sgt Hunt and Cpl Murray set off.

      Cpl ‘Revvin’ Kevin Murray was the first of the REME championship riders away. Clearly at home in the deep sandy conditions, he posted incredible top ten special test times. Coupled with this he rode unnerved throughout the checks incurred no time penalties and finished his weekend in an outstanding 7th overall position.

      Sgt Steve Hunt on his return to British Enduro Championship racing following a particularly nasty knee injury and operational commitments posted good test times throughout the weekend and rode to a good finish, landing a 5th E1 4stroke position and taking 21st overall.

      Next was the turn of REME’s Expert class riders with Cpl Daz Hughes first away.

      Having been struck down with mechanical problems at the previous round of the championship Cpl Hughes would have been keen to get a good finish under his belt. Cpl Hughes posted good times on the special tests and despite picking up an injury to his foot, muscled his big 450 Yamaha to a tenth place Expert E2 position.

      Also in the expert class SSgt Roger Baker braved the conditions and took a strong 10^th Expert E1 4 stroke position.

      Clubman riders SSgt Jason Cordon and Cpl Tony Cotty both rode well aboard their 250 4 stroke Yamahas with Cpl Cotty in only his second British Championship round achieved a 12^th place clubman E1 4stroke position and SSgt Cordon taking the 5^th spot.

      Elsewhere in the clubman class, riders Cpl Craig Altass and LCpl Phil Cooper enjoyed a close fought competition with both riders losing only 2 minutes on the Saturday and posting strong test times, they finished 8^th and 9^th clubman respectively, with Cpl Altass taking 4^th Clubman E2 and LCpl Cooper an incredible 2^nd place E1 2stroke.

      Cpl Andy Williams set some promising test times early in the event and looked set for a strong finish in the clubman class, but was unfortunately forced out of the competition with a seized engine.

      Team REME’s participation in the 2nd round of the British Enduro champs could not have been achieved without the dedication and commitment of its members in particular SSgt Neil Hestleton Team manager, SSgt Al Cook Support Manager, Mr Eddy Mason the Yam Guru and support crew members LCpl Van-Santen and LCpl Pothecary as well as the awesome Cpl Lee Bailey and LCpl Mike Bailey who were both unable to compete due to injury.

      Special thanks to former Team REME members Mr Tony Altass, Andrew ‘Dusty’ Martin and Dave May-Miller who were on hand to help wherever they could.

Photo Left SSgt Roger Baker