News & Results

Held at another demanding woodland venue, this event again started with a monsoon type deluge before the race. However this venue - not having any huge hills was allot more manageable for the riders.

Team LFB's Bike Tech Husqvarna rider Zade got off to a good start this time (all lights working according to the rules!!) And managed to stay on time for the first half of the race. On the tight time check however, Zade had a big get-off on a fast,rutted section of the course and took at least five minutes to recover and carry on racing. At the finish Zade - battered and bruised brought his Bike Tech Husky to the line in 22nd place.

Matt had even more troubles! Riding the TriCounty KTM straight after a night shift and so was over tired even before the start. After 3 laps Matt decided the safest option was to retire from the race and go home to bed! A wise choice. 

The outstanding performance of the day goes to new Team LFB member Pete who rode through all manner of disasters to bring his 300cc Gas Gas to the end of the day in 7th place in class - that's superb for his first proper enduro!!!

Held at the notoriously difficult West Harting Down venue, this event lived upto that reputation. 10 minutes before the start of the race the heavens opened and soaked the already slippery clay soil making the course an absolute nightmare for all the riders.

Out of the 142 riders entered in the race 42 pulled out with problems of one sort or another! And although they did go on to finish the race, Team LFB had their share of problems.

Zade lost 60 points before even turning a wheel!! The Bike Tech Husqvarna's lights were not working as the rules stipulate they should and so Zade was penalised before he even made it to the start!! He then struggled on through the wet and muddy conditions to finish the event in 30th place.

Matt fared a little better and with only the usual bumps and tumbles brought his TriCounty KTM home in 23rd place at the finish.

New Team LFB member Pete was also at the race but riding as a marshal to gain experience of these time card enduros before his debut at the next round of the SEEC.

With Team LFB's star rider Matt off on holiday, it was down to Zade to uphold Team LFB honors. And with the Bike Tech Husqvarna now all patched up after it's last race mishap, Both he and the bike were up for the challenge. Arriving at the venue, Zade began to worry that his choice to stick with the part worn Metzeler tires on the Husky was possibly not a wise one... The team van drove into the car park and promptly sank in the mud!! It was going to be a muddy (slippery) one after the week of rain leading upto the race. Once again joining Team LFB was Ben on his Suzuki RM250. This would be Ben's first race back to enduro in nearly 8 years! 

In the early part of the race Zade took things steady to check out the best (safest) lines and, after last time, make sure he warms up properly before hooning up any hills! And a good job too, allot of riders dropped out of this race early on due to the VERY slippery clay soil which was like ice to ride on in places! By the midway point Zade was into his groove, The Bike Tech Husky didn't miss a beat and both bike and rider made it to the finish in one peace. Zade managed a 9th place in class with only one minor tumble all day. Ben, in his first race back to the sport brought his Suzuki home in the mid pack of his class - not a bad day for both riders...  

With the Normandy club having laid out a superb course for this milti-lap hare and hounds event. The team LFB riders were looking forward to a good race. And, well, 50/50 is the best way to describe the team LFB results. The old adage that if it wasn't for bad luck, Zade would have no luck at all is certainly true for the 2009 season so far for the Bike Tech Husqvarna rider! On the very first lap Zade stopped to help a fallen rider (who was unhurt but trapped under his bike). Only loosing 30 seconds or so, Zade hopped back on his own bike and shouting encouragment over his shoulder (or more likely taking the mickey!) Zade blasted his Husky TE250 up a short sharp hill, looped it, bailed off the bike and watched it cartwheel down the hill and come to rest in the branches of a tree half way down the hill!!

With the help of a couple of Normandy club marshals (thanks guys) Zade was able to retrieve his bike and press on. After a further two laps and countless falls and slides it was obvious that all was not well with the front end of the Bike Tech husky. He pulled into the pits and with the help of new LFB team member Pete (not riding due to a smashed up motorcycle) they were able to straighten the fork alignment on the Husqvarna. Zade Then went back out and continued the race but that whole episode had cost him dearly and put him at least two laps down on the rest of the field. Zade finished the race managing 8 laps and coming home in 22nd place in class. 

Matt on the other hand rode a superb race to bring his TriCounty KTM to the finish in 6th place in class and earn a Bronze award in the process.  Both Matt and the TriCounty KTM 250 EXC-F rode flawlessly, not missing a beat with bike and rider tackling the course as if it were a stroll in the park. Well done Matt!!

To be loading up the Bikes for a day's riding in the heart of London's Docklands was a new experience for team LFB's Bike Tech rider Zade! But that's the Location for the latest addition to the south east's already fantastic enduro venues...see the track here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgq0VF1A0Cc . Zade was joined on this training day by Ben on his Suzuki RM250 and brand new team LFB member Pete on his equally Brand new (to him) Gas Gas EC300. A big hats off to Pete as this was not only his first ride on his bike but also a first real introduction to Enduro! You'd think the team would take him somewhere a little less daunting!

The track itself is a short sharp shock of an enduro lap, relatevly fast in places with logs to cross, a few jumps, man made obsticles such as stacked pallets, railway sleepers (both across the track and along the direction of travel), as well as truck & tractor tyres to be crossed, stairs, rocks, car wheels, in fact everything except the kitchen sink! (And given time I'm sure Chris and Dylan the organisers will fine a way of adding that too!!). Every obstacle has a chicken option too so riders can build up to tackling the harder ones in their own time without spoiling their lap.

Team LFB started the day off with Zade not paying attention and riding straight into the "hard route" through the trees and, wheelying over the first fallen tree he spotted the massive  fallen log at the end, closed the throttle at just the wrong moment and nose dived into a big heap in the middle of the track!! But no harm done and next lap he tackled that route again and cleared it easily. In fact team LFB & co coped very well with most of the obstacles and came away at the end of the day with a great confidence boost to their riding!

The only real mishap of the day was that Pete managed to cart-wheel his Gas Gas over one of the fallen logs and smashed most of the rear end of the bike...

The last word from Zade: "This place is not the extreme nightmare I was expecting! in fact it's a great little flowing course with plenty to keep a real enduro rider busy all round the lap. It's good for bike fitness, riding skills and just plain fun to boot! As an average clubman rider I was expecting to struggle here, but far from it, I was able to ride at my own pace and tackle each section as and when I felt ready. Basically, I can't wait to come back!"

Just minutes before the start of the enduro the heavens opened! As if the freezing cold wasn't enough! But, as usual, once the race started any thoughts of the weather were forgotten.

The Leatherhead club's event at a brand new and fantastic venue - Hungry Hill, Surrey,  was a perfect event for both Team LFB riders. Despite the downpour, Zade on the Bike Tech Husqvarna had a steady and uneventful first lap. His special test on the second lap didn't go according to plan though. Zade caught up with a slower rider who took a tumble right in front of our Bike Tech Husky rider, Zade had no option but to ride right over the stricken man's bike!! (they shook hands after the race though). That episode cost Zade valuable seconds which ultimately put him out of the top 10. Zade did however win a Bronze award for finishing 18th in class. Matt on the other hand had a perfect special test on the TriCounty KTM and by contrast saved all his dramas for the rest of the course... That said, Matt did an amazing job, despite falls in most of the deep bogs/ruts he dragged his TriCounty KTM 250 EXC-F to a fantastic 10th position in class and a Silver award to boot! Both Team LFB riders had a great day and having fixed all the dents and scrapes to the bikes are raring to go for their next race... 

In what can only be described as perfect enduro weather, Team LFB headed down to West Sussex to take part in this notoriously technical Portsmouth club event. Both Team LFB riders got off from the start with no major problem. On lap 1 however, Zade almost threw it all away as he took a small jump over a little ravine only to land the Bike Tech Husqvarna with the front wheel in one rut and the back wheel in another!! Zade kept the throttle wide open and him and the bike carried through the ruts and out to the left of the course, missed a track marker post and came to a stop just inches away from a large oak tree - Phew!!

Matt had no major dramas but unfortunately the TriCounty KTM rider didn't stop at the lap marker on lap 1 and therefore rode the whole race one lap down!!

Zade and the Bike Tech Husky had a small fall on the penultimate lap which cost him a few minutes to recover from to place 17th by the end of the event. however Matt's outstanding ride in this event was over shadowed by his early race blunder! 

As Team LFB hasn't raced this month, here's what the team get upto on a normal practice day out...Coming off a night shift, the team loaded the van and drove down the M3 in the pouring rain. But for a change, the sun came out just as they arrived at the track. Although it's a motocross track, Popham is much more of a natural terrain track rather than the more supercross-y tracks in the area - in other words, ideal practice for Enduro riders. Out on the still very wet clay track it was like riding on an ice rink! But despite many tumbles team LFB kept on circulating clocking up valuable practice for the next race which will be at Emsworth - a similarly slippery clay venue. After a short break for a bite to eat the team lfb boys were back out and with the track drying by the minute lap times were starting to build. Team lfb were joined by some mates from south west London - Heiko, Tim and Don - all on CRF Honda's while Vikki was behind the lens tacking snaps. A good day was had by all...

On arrival at the Broxhead venue we couldn't believe that such a small place could host an enduro! But Hant's police and XHG Tiger put together a fantastic tight and technical course.

Matt and Zade lined up side by side at the start and when the flag dropped Matt went blasting off ahead while Zade took the steady approach on that first lap. Sure enough within a couple of laps both team LFB riders were riding side by side again. And that's how it stayed for most of the race. At the pit stop they noticed that Matt's chain was drooping, on closer inspection they found That Matt's rear wheel had come loose!!! 

After the pit stop team LFB were once again bashing handlebars out on the course. On the faster more open sections Matt on the TriCounty KTM would pull away a bit while on the tight wooded sections Zade and the Bike Tech Husqvarna would reel him in. (poss Zade's experience and the lower gearing of the Husqvarna coming into play there).

By the end of the race both riders were exhausted (Matt even suffering from the effects of dehydration) but both made it to the finish line ok and collecting a finishers medal each for their troubles...

The day didn't start off well for Team LFB. A phone call from Matt to say he was sick and wouldn't be able to ride meant that the team was down to one rider for this event. So although without the luxury of a team mate to help if the bike got bogged down, Zade lined up for the start of this 4 hour race.

Knowing that he had to keep a reserve of energy for the last hour, Zade took things steady for the first part of the race. That's not to say things went particularly well for the Bike Tech Husqvarna rider. For some unknown reason, Zade just couldn't get into the stride of the race. Silly mistakes, choosing the wrong line on most of the difficult big hill climbs and generally using up far too much energy early on in the race.

But digging deep, Zade pressed on and was soon reeling off the laps. The rain in the weeks before the race meant that the Bagshot venue was unusually soft under the bikes and pretty soon deep ruts started to form claiming many riders. It was very easy to choose the wrong line and end up in a deep rut or be pitched over the handlebars by an exposed root half way along a rut! 

By about the halfway point, Zade really found his rhythm, By the end of the race Zade managed a (joint) 9th place in class and had had a thoroughly good day out.  

This event is without doubt one of the most challenging events of the South Eastern Enduro Championship. Whether it's because of the fantastically varied and technical course, tight time allowance or because it's the first event of the season or all three I'm not sure. 

Both team LFB riders only managed to stay clean (not lose time) on two of the six timed sessions with dramas unfolding on almost every lap! Zade Broke the side panel and bent the handlebars on his Bike Tech Husqvarna, while Matt's Tri County KTM radiator now has the perfect indent of one of the Warren Heath trees in it. That said they did better than allot of other riders who failed to finish this notoriously though event. 

Matt came in 15th place in class while Zade limped home in 20th, both riders earning a Bronze award for getting to the finish line. 

Although not a Team LFB rider, another LFB member was at the event - Steve Goodman who rode a borrowed Husaberg to 4th in class earning a gold award for his efforts...well done Steve! 

The day started off in the huge Weavers Down sand bowl with Dylan and Ed Jones (both accomplished championship riders and members of British Enduro's first family!) teaching sand riding techniques. Matt was the first rider of our A-group to bite the dirt! As you can see from the photo in the gallery, Matt was flat out in third gear still convinces he would make it as the bike hit the ground!! Lucky it was sand and a soft landing! 

After a short break for a cuppa, our next session was with Husqvarna supremo Wyn Hughes. Wyn took us into a particularly muddy, rutted and 'whooped out' track in some tight woods - in short a technical session. And what a help it was too!  Wyn let us all go 'round a short lap he set up and watched each rider. He then stopped us and pointed out what each of us was doing wrong and more importantly, how to put it right. I for one could immediately feel the difference.

After lunch our group went out with Garaint Jones - the godfather of british enduro! A multi british and european enduro champ' Garaint rode a hotted up Yamaha YZ300 and was hard to keep up with even though he was obviously only cruising! Again this session was very technical - a tight, root infested track in between the trees. Before today, this type of riding would really have taken it out of me but now I find I can maintain a fair speed and still find the strength to breath!

I would strongly recommend these courses to any off road rider, whether racer or trail rider they cater for all levels. The instructors are all first rate and best of all - friendly and helpful. In the lunch break we noticed several riders with bike troubles (not us for a change!) and in every case one of the instructors was there giving a helping hand.

Lastly I'd like to say a big thanks to Graeme Warren Photography for the fantastic pix of the day. Cheers Graeme.

The main goal of this event for the LFB team was to make it to the finish line - then see what result we got.  I'm pleased to say that both Zade and Matt finished the tough 2 day event in the sportsman category.

                  Day 1 pos            Day 2 pos               Overall combined pos

Matt            10th                    4th                         6th

Zade           13th                    9th                        12th 

Next year we will be moving upto the Clubman class and we intend to have a go at more British championship rounds.