2008/2009 REPORTS

The 2008-09 BSHRA championships made a long overdue return to Pembrey Forest on the 15th & 16th November to start off the season. The course has changed little over the last 4 years, but once again would prove to be an enjoyable challenge to all those who attended. The trails were based on a mixture of sandy, grass and dirt rides that proved to be physically demanding and technically challenging working your way through the dunes. 3 different course lengths were planned and marked out for the weekend, 3.25 miles for the B and C4, 2.3 miles for C3 and D/DM and 1.2 miles for the Scooter.

As the opening rally, and with such a long distance to travel, we were really pleased with an entry of 60 from all over the UK. Unfortunately, not everyone managed to get there. Tim and Sally Hart, hit some debris on the motorway and holed their diesel tank and had to endure a transporter ride back home. The course was finally laid out and ready for inspection on Friday, after Simon Luxmoore and Chris Walker had been a huge help in making some final course preparations. As usual, all the attendees were as enthusiastic as ever and the general atmosphere was fantastic with everyone looking forward to getting their racing season underway. For Saturday the weather was miserable all day with constant drizzle and warm temperatures (11-13C) but the Pembrey sand drained well and caused no issues.

At the end of the first days racing the winners were, in the excellent entry of 13 B class runners, the reigning champion Caroline Kisko came out fighting for her first ever visit to Pembrey to narrowly beating Simon Luxmoore by 6.8 seconds with Debbie Scott half a minute back in third. Current C4 champ, Richard Sergent showed he is the man to beat again this year in C4, with Hugh Sym putting in a fine performance for second, having just recovered from a leg injury, and Caroline in Third with her Veterans. In the C3, new girl to the class, Alison Gee took her expanded D class team from last season to the win from current C3 champion, Sharon Sargent, with another class favourite, Reece long in third. The Scooter class was topped by Stuart Parker with his better half, Gemma Riley, in second, ahead of the most volunteered marshal in the series, Roger Bellamy, with his Mal Maverick in third. In the Ds, there were a few new faces moving up from the S class as well as the usual suspects. No expected first time BSHRA and adult class entrant, Danny Slater to come along and spoil the party with an emphatic win over Reece long and his pups with Paul Regan in third spot. The DM class was won by super marshal Roger Bellamy and second was taken by local Mal driver Terry Bogue.
I inspected the course at the end of the day and was really pleased with how it was holding up with the wet conditions, and hoped for better conditions the next day.

Sunday morning dawned breezy, with no signs of any rain, but it was again quite mild (12-14C).
After day 2, the winners were, in the B class, Caroline Kisco ran a blinder, going 10 seconds faster to beat Simon Luxmoore into second who ran a little slower with Debbie Scott hot on his heals in third. Richard Sargent got it all right again on day 2 to win C4 with Caroline Kisko in second and Hugh Sym in Third. In C3, poor Alison Gee had a torrid day as her run was hit by the first out in class curse, loose dogs on the trail, leaving the win to Sharon Sergent with Marina Mclean in second and Reece Long in third. In the Scooter class, 1st was repeated from Saturday with Stuart Parker winning, with apparently someone who is even older than Simon Luxmoore (which I doubt!), in second place, new Rookie Dave Windsor, was ahead of Roger Bellamy in third. In the Ds, Paul Regan took revenge to beat Danny Slater into second with Reece Long dropping to third with his youngsters.

Even tough the weather did not give us its best, I am sure the vast majority enjoyed the rally. Finally, for those who volunteered or were press ganged into marshalling, we thank you all for your doing your bit. The rally could not happen without you.
A special thanks to all the friends and local mushers who gave up their time to help with organising, marking, running marshals around and clearing the course. You know who you all are and I am indebted to you all.

Alistair Spowart
18/11/08