Swanmore

Report by Kay Turner

“Seb Swannin’ Around”

Swanmore – 22^nd January 2006

Report by Kay Turner

 

Perfect racing conditions awaited the 170 eager riders waiting to try out the revamped Swanmore circuit for the final round of Portsmouth Motox Clubs Winter Series.  Freezing temperatures were soon forgotten as the Inter 85 riders took to the start line.

MX World sponsored Jake Shipton took to his new Honda like a fish to water and glided to three easy wins to take overall victory.  Gareth Padgett and Rob Muscat battled it out for the runner up spot with Padgett just edging ahead by two points, with two seconds and a third, Muscat finishing third overall with two thirds and a second.  Chris Chapman continued his run of good form with three consistent fourth places to be awarded fourth overall.  Gordon Appleton proved his worth on the day finishing in fifth overall with two fifths and a sixth to edge in front of sixth overall Tom Ellwood.  A welcome return to Tom who finished 10^th in race one but upped the ante to finish in seventh and fifth in his remaining motos.

The Junior class was a three-way battle for supremacy but Winter Champion Liam Garland took the glory with a second followed by two wins.  Delighted with a first race win, Fraser Viner went on to take second overall with a third and second.  Oliver Osmaston followed up in third overall, with a third, second and last race fourth.  Ryan Fellowes ploughed through the field to take fourth overall, improving steadily throughout the day finishing in fifth, fourth and then third.  Billy Hare fought hard to keep in with the top runners, a fourth and two fifths awarding him fifth overall, with Liam Knight again having a productive day finishing in the top six.  Sixth overall was his reward after a determined effort which left him in sixth and seventh in the final two motos.

There was no stopping a determined Joe Jefferies to take the overall win in the Auto class, and three wins later Jefferies confirmed his place at the top.  But with three second places, Joshua Coleman notched up enough points to not only take second overall but became the Auto class Winter Champion too.  Jamie Cox rode a brilliant race all day to take third overall with three third positions.  With deafening screams coming from his supportive mum, Conner Lopez rode brilliantly all day to finish in fourth overall, finishing fourth, fourth and fifth, just ahead of Jamie Carpenter who battled hard in all three races to keep in touch.  Sixth, fifth and fourth places left Jamie in fifth overall with Camlann MacDonald closing the top six in sixth overall.  A disappointing last race which left him in 11^th place left MacDonald in maybe a lower position than he deserved after finishing in fifth and sixth in the first two races.

Riding at his best, Luke Blanchard reigned supreme in the AMX class, rode steadily and took the overall win with two wins and a second place, just being pipped to the chequers in race two by second placed Nicky Watts.  Crashing out in race one left Watts in fifth, but his win and final race second place left him in runner up spot.  Jay Tucker rode solidly to finish in second in race one, and with a fifth and fourth in the remaining motos left him on equal points with Paul Watts but awarded third overall.  Watts finished in fourth overall, riding a better race in each moto, finishing fourth, fourth and then third just behind brother Nicky.  Determined as ever to be on top spot, Steve Turvey tore around the track to take fifth overall, a brilliant third in race two adding valuable points to secure his position.  Wes Hallawell rode consistently all day to finish sixth overall with three sixth places.

Three VMX riders’ shared 129 points but who was to be the winner on the day?  Steve Lyons pushed himself to the limit to snatch the last race win to grab victory, with Chad Sait in second and Alan Scott in third, all riders finishing in first, second and third positions throughout the day.  Late entrant Shaun Brooker, Ian Birkett and Martin Turner all battled for the remaining three places but Brooker snatched all fourth places to finish fourth overall, Winter Series Champion Birkett just edged ahead of Turner to take fifth overall with three fifths, with Turner finishing consistently sixth in all three motos to take the final spot.

Senior rider Jamie Tempest couldn’t quite tuck a victory under his belt but still came away winner on the day.  A fourth and two seconds gave him enough points to give him victory over second placed Harvey MacDonald who finished in third, third and fourth.  Max Tranah’s win in race two secured him third place even with a disastrous seventh in race one.  A great performance by Christopher Wratten awarded him fourth

overall mainly thanks to a fine second in race one, adding to his fourth and fifth positions.  Warren Field was heading for first overall with three victories but an 18^th in race two left him considerably lower than he should’ve been but still fifth overall was nothing to be sniffed at.  Tom Moore, Senior class winner for the Winter Series, ended his championship run in sixth overall, riding steadily all day to finish in fifth, sixth and sixth.

Completely dominating the Inter Open class, Cusworth Bikes of Doncaster sponsored Sebastian Osborne returned tanned and determined to take the overall win, and with three easy victories, his goal was achieved.  Lewis Abbott took second overall with two seconds and a third with Daniel Latham taking third overall away from Jackson Evans.  Latham tied on points but with his second place in race three, was awarded the position.  Evans just missed out on a podium spot, a fourth in the last race letting him down.  Two thirds should have secured him the higher position but Latham just edged ahead.  Visitor Greg Kingston and Winter Series Champion Michael Clarke battled it out for the remaining places, both ending up on the same points, but Kingston’s two fifth places left him in fifth overall, with Clarke taking sixth overall with a fifth and two sixths.

Congratulations to all our trophy winners and our Winter Series Champions.