Welsh 2 Day Enduro 2010

More info here on the W2D Website or drect to the Results

Other Year's reports: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004

Photos by Jim Delahay and Drew Mooreand Tony and Ben Falconer

Pics by Drew Moore

Pics by Tony and Ben Falconer

Mike Wells obviously enjoyed his Welsh with an excellent 6th in the near 100 strong Over 40 class. I haven't had time to scan through for the rest of our locals and peripheral club members but there were more than a few of you.

The Welsh has got to be such a social event maybe they should create a new acronym for those who had a good session Thursday night and fail on Friday - instead of DNF it should be DTM! (Drunk Too Much) I wonder if that applies to any of our riders!

The Vess Report

Easily described in three words - Hot and Dusty.

Not that I'm complaining as a wet Welsh can be a pretty miserable affair!

Vid: Here is a good example of some of the going you don't normally see on YouTube - Day 1, on the way to Beulah, Dry and dusty over Rhos Saith-Maen.

The route was much the same as last year, although the tests did seem to be laid out to be a bit quicker than last time. I put my faith this year in the Tubelis system that I've used for the past 12 months with no problem. All went well on the first day until the end of the last forest check when a small split in the front caused the tyre to deflate. The only remedy available was to put a tube in which cost me a bit of time at the end of the day. On day 2, the tube lasted until halfway through the Wennalt bank check. At the end, I met up with Mike who had decided to retire as his 450 was loosing water, so we swapped front wheels as his had a moose in - nice one Mike! (we did fix the puncture as well!) After that was the test at Cwmythig followed by the Tarenig forest check. In here, somewhere up by the wind turbines a split appeared in the rear tyre, so I rode half the check and the road work to the rally school on a flat rear. Gavin and Drew did a great job of putting a tube in and only 3 minutes were lost. I rode Strata Florida in exactly the 22 minutes allowed - got to be the slowest I've ever gone down there! I also then did the Irfon forest check in exactly the alloted time, and got back to the lakeside to finish.

I've ordered mooses for the Powys! The Tubelis things will go back in the garage - they're perfectly OK for trail riding but can't be trusted entirely for an event - teach me to be a cheapskate.

Vid: And now Vess puts his Special Test head on - Well, somewhat less scary than his Rally head as he tackles Abbey-Cwm-Hir test. "Just taking it easy now I have a tube in the front - replacing the Tubliss system which failed when the tyre developed a split at the end of day 1".

Altogether though, another thoroughly enjoyable ride round, although there does seem to be more road work than ever, and some of the going is getting a little whooped out. Mike's retirement turned out to be because of a faulty radiator cap - but like he said - a cooked engine would have made it a very expensive Welsh. Anthony had a hoot riding around as course opener with the WTRA crew (at the expense of missing the hotel full-english as he had to start so early). Micky Wells, Pete and Ben all finished I think, so a good club result, and very special thanks to the roving mechanics/fuelers for watering and feeding us, and getting me to the end.

Vid: And now for another short interlude - The Test at Church Farm on Day 1.

PS. Come back later, we may even have some more dusty videos to show you.

Ben's Welsh

Welsh 2 Day Enduro 2010 was my tenth in a row, which in West Glos terms means I'm a bit of a newbie. Veterans Anth and Drew Moore, who were here in course opening and fuelling capacities rode this event on IT 175s (maybe 250s?) back when it was still called a trial - some time ago!

It's always had retro appeal, and this year in the shape of around a dozen twinshock entrants it had a bit more. There were some serious riders too - though they were only 2 minutes ahead of me, I caught only a couple on the long checks. One was winner Andrew Edwards. Though before I go any further, I would add he was at the side of the road in the check going in to the Cmythig Hill test, inspecting his seemingly-dead C-reg KTM.

Five minutes later, he came haring past me, minus one shock! I later found out another was borrowed from a Husky, to make sure he kept within the rules of the class.

In keeping with the retro-theme, I will reel off a well worn phrase: "I was clean on time until..." I drowned the Gasser in a Strata' pool which was a bit deeper than I anticipated. Having ridden this famous check around 20 times, I should know better. But I elected to ride the pool, having de-railed the chain in ruts trying to get around water in past years. Wrong decision! Thanks to the 2 lads at the side of the track we had the plug out, carb bowl off and got going. Cost me 18 minutes, and moved me from about halfway in Clubman E2 to somewhere near the bottom off the finishers. At least I finished.

Weather-wise, we had a dry Welsh, which kicked up the dust but thankfully the wind blew it away on day 1. Day 2 was a bit worse but nothing terrible. It meant a filter change was a must on day 1, which was achieved with some considerable dexterity under the watchful eye of my dad. Outside assistance is not permitted.

Best of all though, was the company - you know who you are. Yet again the event was more than just an enduro, more an enjoyable diversion from the everyday. Isn't that what sport's supposed to be? Big thanks to those who made it possible - the fuellers. Gavin, Drew, Callum, Angela, and Guy did sterling service, not just filling up bikes but re-fuelling riders, cleaning goggles, supplying food and lucozade, and much needed encouragement at the fuel stops and out on the going. It makes a big difference.

Biggest thanks need to go to my "sponsor" who was in hospital on Monday night and walking tests with me on Wednesday afternoon. The details of my "deal" can't be divulged in public, save to say the Gas Gas ran perfectly. Until I added water to the fuel/air mix. Thanks too to the organisers for another great event (and the natty official stick-on numbers). See you next year for the diamond jubilee Welsh 2 Day.