The Tough One's Little Brother

Teams:

Advertisers:

The Tough One's Little Brother

It’s a boy! The Tough One’s Little Brother has arrived, kicking and screaming onto the extreme enduro scene as Sunday witnessed one of the most exciting races of the 2008 season.

It had a lot to live up to but, when its day of birth finally arrived, the Tough One’s Little Brother didn’t disappoint and it can rightfully claim to be the UK’s second toughest extreme enduro, close behind it’s big brother, and equally spectacular. Paul Edmondson and Tom Sagar battled solidly for two gruelling hours and finished with just two seconds separating them. Commentator Roger Harvey only took three breaths in two hours!

With the long established success of the Tough One, the TOLB was a risk taken by Steve Ireland to try and emulate the event but on a slightly smaller scale, but a risk, which proved to be very successful.

Not as extreme as Nantmawr Quarry, Wern Duu provided a completely natural course of around four Kms, which proved to be too much for many but just enough for most riders. Very steep climbs and drops, long rocky stream sections which had gotten seriously tough from constant overnight rain plus plenty of off-cambers, usually located at the base of a steep downhill drop, tested riders to the maximum.

With a spread of riders of all capabilities the course made for great racing and proved to be an excellent spectacle as back markers played their part, to some small degree, in the overall outcome of the race

The event attracted an impressive line-up from across the country with Paul Edmondson, Tom Sagar, extreme specialist Wayne Braybrook and Mr Endurance Mick Extance aboard a brand spanking new BMW, which attracted great interest from the crowds of spectators who witnessed the Beemers first serious UK outing. The many riders from the Devon Massive, who competed across all classes with some distinction, gave good representation for the South, which made their long journey worthwhile.

	As bikes were lined up it was interesting to note that out of 80 plus bikes, only 12 were four-bangers, so much for the predicted ‘death of the two-smoke’. This type of event demands nimble, responsive, lightweight surefootedness, not weight and muscle. A two-hour race time was set and despite serious downpours overnight, the day remained dry, which was a real advantage for both riders and spectators. With five classes on the line, the Pro riders took off first – 30 metres to a tight uphill right-hander with a double step up. The charge for the corner saw Sagar, Edmondson and Braybrook mid-pack as Linc Brewster and Richard Elwood share the lead, but ever so briefly. With just one lap down Sagar had stretched quite a lead over the rest of the Pros with Elwood second and Paul Edmondson third.

It took exactly one hour for Fast Eddy to take the lead but even then nothing was set as Sagar fought back time and again. The two simply were untouchable for speed, Sagar on a KTM 144 2T and Edmondson on a Relentless Suzuki RM125 simply outpaced everyone. Even extreme expert Wayne Braybrook couldn’t compete with their pace and as Fast Eddy took the win with Sagar just two seconds adrift, it was all down to the final drop to the chequered flag. There was absolutely nothing between them on the final climb but Edmondson somehow managed to edge the Relentless Suzuki to the front of the field after 19 punishing laps.

	With Sagar second it was more than six minutes before Braybrook took third on his Gas Gas 300, matching the top two lap for lap. Richard Elwood powered his Sandiford Honda to fourth place, a lap down on the leaders but a lap clear of the chasing David Myers aboard his KTM 300.

Early leader Lincoln Brewster scrambled to sixth following more of his stunt tricks, this time a Superman seat grab on the steepest of uphill climbs.

Virtually a local, Rob Reese won the Expert class by a long way, a lap ahead of his nearest rival Simon Comer from Devon, who pushed Cumbrian Andrew Hackett to third.

Preston’s Lewis Belfield took fourth as Devons Rob Pollard took fifth. It was a really interesting mix of riders, spanning the length and breadth of the country.

An exhausted Craig Parkes crossed the line to take the Clubman class by just three minutes from Richard Tucker, also on 15 laps.

The pair had pulled a two lap lead over the rest of the class and it was Oswestry’s Scott Hughes who completed the podium places. Phil Houghton and Johnny Jones made up the places in the top five of what proved to be a very tough class.

Gethin Humphreys pushed his 125 KTM to the front of the Sportsman class, a lap clear of second placed Darren Williams and Thomas Healy in third. Darren Heyes and Aifion Davies had their own battle for fourth and fifth with Heyes taking the tussle by just 11 seconds.

The Over 40 class was very well represented with some seriously experienced riders.

Richard Main and Mick Extance have off-road CV’s as long as your arm, but it was Ian Jones who took the class win posting 15 laps – one up on second placed Gary McCoy and Chris Roberts who nipped in an extra lap over fourth placed Extance.

Ian Coburn followed the BMW rider home grabbing the final top-five place.

It had been tough across the board and unbelievably close at the chequered flag but this initial running of the TOLB will ensure that the event grows at an alarming rate and will not stay as a little brother for long.

It stands solidly in its own rite as an extreme event and Steve Ireland’s gamble paid off in spades. There is no doubt that it will be bigger and better next year but it is hard to see how it could get any tougher. Wern Duu has exceptional access for spectators and, really, this is half of what Extreme Enduro is all about – to see riders accomplish the insane and impossible whilst holding on firmly to your cup of tea and burger.

Well done Steve Ireland and WOR Events, yet another winner! Two sugars in the tea and tomato sauce on the burger please!