Rowland runs riot at Willingham! 2024 Lincolnshire Enduro Championship Round 2 – Race Report & Results

It was what you could call the usual suspects on the leaderboard in this, the second round of Lincolnshire Enduro club’s 2024 season.

Race Report by Martin Southwick – Images by Graeme Taylor

Last year’s overall champion, Dan Johnson, came home second this time out as opposed to his fourth place back in March at Ashby. This is, without doubt, a good start to retaining any title. However, he will have to work even harder this year. South Yorkshire lad Jack Rowland may have a say in Dan’s plan for the year; he has made a good start in trying to wrestle this years spoils out of the reigning Champion’s hands.

Taking place at Willingham Woods and over a mixed 4.6 mile course, Jack has now won both races this year and obviously heads the years leader board, it is though very early on in the season. After three hours racing at this popular “arena” near Market Rasen, Jack’s winning margin over Dan was a little under a minute when the finish flag dropped, both lads on thirteen laps. Also on thirteen laps in this, the Experts class, was Lucas Travers. This third place for Lucas was far better than his seventh position last time out. He was some four minutes behind the leaders when the race finished this time out.

The “Back Office Pro” sponsored club once again worked hard in the previous weeks to attain the mixed route, and utilised several sections of plantation/woodland, along with some very fast sections through the local stubble fields. Given the questionable weather over the last few months and taking into account that the land can be somewhat glutinous even at the best of times, the course ran pretty perfectly for the 133 riders. Even the sun showed its face. Thats twice this year !!

A very close race developed in the ever fast Over 40’s class. Lee Hattersley who topped the class back in March had to settle for the runner up place this time out, with Andy Myers who “only” managed a third place at Ashby going a lot better this time out to take the win. Mark Lonsdale came home in third spot. All three lads were on twelve laps at the end but that doesn’t tell the full story. Just eleven seconds separated the three riders with just one single second between Andy and Lee !

The lap times put in by these guys were very close to giving the Experts a run for their money too. Some of the lap times in this group were, on occasion faster than the top lads! Staying with the “Antique” classes, the Over 50’s not only produced one of the bigger groups of the day but one of the closest finishes too. Gareth lodge has now done a “Jack Rowland” with his back to back wins taking this victory by just under half a minute, from Alan Vissian in second spot. Lee Smith came across the line in third place, nigh on two minutes in arrears of the first two. Only these in that class had twelve laps under their belts when the three hours passed.

In the Over 60’s, its “Fun boy three” again. Paul Oates continues his run of third places whilst Kevin Bartle Sr and Mark Peckitt swapped positions; Mark taking victory this time out, with Kevin succumbing to runner up spot.

In the Clubman class, Matt Woolridge went a lot better this time out than last, by six places ! Matt’s Victory by a shade over a minute was probably even more sweeter given that it was over the winner from last time out, Nicholas King. Bradley Thornton in third gave Nicholas a run for his entry fee though, just missing out on a second place by under twenty seconds. Once again, all these guys would be in the top fifteen if all the days classes were added together and seen as one. The top four in the class were all on lap twelve when the chequered flag descended.

The biggest group of the day came In the Sportsman 2T class. A lad not seen at round one took the spoils this time out. Jodie Lambley took the win by just under a minute from a lad who was in the Beginners group at Ashby, Archie Barnett. Third place went to Christian Humphrey, albeit six minutes adrift of the top pair. The top five lads in class had eleven laps under their belts after the 180 minutes.

Similarly, it was the same story in the 4T division. None of the first three from March could get their way onto the podium this time. Whilst the first trio of riders were on the same amount of laps as each other at the end (ten), the winning margin for Simon Owen was a big one; some thirteen minutes. Playing second fiddle to Simon was Barrie Atherton. Third place rider Ross Pearson was a lot closer to the runner up spot though; just nineteen seconds came between himself and Barrie.

The entries for newly formed “Slam” class has trebled since round one. The six riders this time out were once headed by Neil Tapper, who was a full lap ahead of second placed jockey Kyle Ardito. Another lap adrift of that was Harry Hinkley. It is worth noting that two of the riders in this class were ladies, both of whom seem to enjoy their first outing with the club. Also, well done again to the six guys in the Beginners class. Once again, the club hopes to see you all on the start line on May 12th, at Dembleby Heath.

Details of that and all other things LEC are found here for members . . https://www.facebook.com/groups/LincolnshireEnduroClub

Or here for Non Members https://lincolnshireenduro.wixsite.com/lec2016

Please note . . Plans have now been firmed up for the second running of the now annual 6 hour Queen Elizabeth II Memorial race in late July (28th). In addition to the normal classes being run on the day, the club has introduced a class for Adventure and Trail bikes this year. The course for these bigger bikes wont be too technical, but the size of the machine must be at least 550CC. As per other classes, entries can be solo, or a team of two riders.

Results