The ACU British Timecard Enduro Championship makes a welcome return to Mid Wales with the eagerly awaited Rhayader 2 Day Enduro. The ET James/Lasermaster/Amped sponsored Rhayader 2 Day Enduro will take place over the Bank Holiday weekend (Friday 24th – Sunday 26th August), kicking off with the very popular Maxxis Prologue taking place on the Friday Evening. The club has been very busy over the last few months making sure they bring you a world class event and one not to be missed! The event will start at the Clubs own motocross circuit at Cwmythig Hill, near Rhayader. Cwmythig boasts a large hard standing paddock along with a flat grass field ideal for camping and car parking, plus excellent viewing of the cross test located at the start area. Friday night will see Championship and Expert tackle the Maxxis Prologue (for Championship and Expert riders) which is a short test full of man-made and natural hazards including Tyres, Logs and Rocks, this always attracts a large crowd of spectators and top enduro commentator Huw Watkins will be on hand to keep everyone updated with the latest information. The club has set out a 50 mile lap using the local forests and there will be 2 service points per lap, with 1 at Cwmythig and the other at Saintswell. Saturday will see 3 x special tests per lap, a long Cross Test at Cwmythig using both MX tracks and nearby grass fields, a very long Enduro Test at Saintswell using a large parts of the Red Lion forest along with open moorland and new for 2018 another Cross Test at Abbeycwmhir, which will be a short grass field test. The cross test at Cwmythig will be used straight after the start and also at the end of each lap, Saintswell won’t be timed on lap 1 on Saturday (except for Championship class), while the cross test at the Abbey will be times every lap. Sunday will be a reverse of Day 1 but no 3rd test at the Abbey. Series leader Danny McCanney goes into this round as clear favourite, but Tom Sagar back after his year long absence will be determined to go one better after finishing runner up to the McCanney in the last three rounds. Jack Edmondson will be another hoping to close in on McCanney, along with the rapid Joe Wootton, ex motocross star Alex Snow and world GP regular Josh Gotts. Others hoping to shine will be youngsters Dan Mundell, Jay Thomas, Jed Etchells, Fraser Flockhart James Dent and Tom Ellwood. Top local riders Alex Walton and Charlie Evans who will be hoping for some good points on local territory, while New Zealand Enduro Champion Hamish Macdonald a new addition to the series and will surely be one to look out for too.
In the highly competitive Experts class in-form Aaron Gordon will take some catching, but you can be assured Max Ditchield and Richard Tucker will be hot on their heels.
In the Clubman class another close battle will commence between Lewis Ranger, Harry Houghton and Luke Thomas all capable of taking class wins on their day.
Rosie Rowett will no doubt pick up where she left off at in the Ladies class, Nieve Holmes will be hoping to show her European Enduro experience to pay off with another battle with youngster Rowett.
Both Andrew Edwards (Over 40’s) and Paul Davies (Over 50’s) will take some beating in their respective classes. The club has also put a cup up for the Best Over 50’s rider in memory of the late Michael Alty.
Saturday will also see sidecars competing as it’s also a British Sidecar Enduro Championship round for them too. Favourites for the win will me multiple British Champion David “Winnie” Williams with passenger Luke Peters; however challengers Aun Davies/James Ferguson and Jonathan Williams/Neil James will be hoping to pip Winnie. The prestigious Trevor Evans Memorial Cup will also be up for grabs for the best local sidecar crew too.
There is a full weekend of entertainment lined up by the club, all hosted within the large marquee at Cwmythig, along with a licensed bar, children’s bouncy castle, good catering and toilet facilities, all in all great weekend for all the family don’t miss the action! Camping is available at Cwmythig from Wednesday right through to the following Monday.
Please note: Spectators/Service Crews please use the 1-way road system (yellow arrows) to and from the Abbey Cross Test.
The start of the event will be at Cwmythig Hill, nr Rhayader, Mid-Wales. Signing-on/Machine Examination will take place on Friday 24th August between 3.30pm – 6.00pm, followed by the Maxxis Prologue (Championship & Expert riders)
starting at 6:30pm First riders will start at 8.30am Saturday & Sunday. Timetable of Events:
Thursday 23
rd August
6:30pm - Licenced Bar, Catering & Marquee open
8:00pm – 11:00pm – Rockin Ryders Disco
Friday 24
th August
3:30pm – 6:00pm – Signing on/Machine Examination
6:30pm – 8:00pm –
Maxxis Prologue
8:00pm – 8:30pm – the world famous Purple Helmets Display/Stunt show
8:30pm – 9:00pm – Presentation of Awards (Maxxis Prologue)
9:00pm – 11:00pm – Blue Brothers Tribute Band & support act Anghared Gough
Saturday 25
th August
8:30pm – 5:00pm –
Enduro Day 1
7:00pm – 8:30pm – Bingo, Raffle & Auction
8:30pm – 9:00pm – Presentation of Awards (Trevor Evans Memorial awards - Sidecar class)
9:00pm – 11:00pm – the brilliant Paul Dark singing live
Sunday 26
th August
8:30pm – 4:00pm –
Enduro Day 2
4:00pm – 5:00pm – local singer Glyn Preston singing live
5:00pm – 6:00pm – Presentation of Awards (including Michael Alty Memorial cup)
6:00pm – Midnight – After party & Karaoke
Photos: Gemma James Photography