The first race of the day saw the Clubman and Veteran riders roll out for a 90-minute blast around the Nanatmawr Quarry course. Relief flooded over the riders when they realised that they did not have to run to their bikes, Steve Ireland had opted for a traditional XC start on the fields above the quarry to give the pack a chance to stretch out before hitting the tough stuff.

Freezing overnight condition had left the track a little icy in places and the opening race certainly paved the way for the main afternoon race but as the sun appeared the track condition improved significantly and lap times began to fall.

Lichfield’s Pete Bailey made his mark right from the off in the Clubman class by grabbing the lead and hanging on to it with both hands but Gethin Humphreys didn’t let him get too far ahead and kept a consistent minute behind the leader for most of the first hour.

Bailey made the right choice by picking a Suzuki 125. His trials skills combined with the light weight of the bike saw him tackle the quarry section with relative ease, compared to other riders, the tough course always saps energy and Bailey’s experience of the Tough One was certainly an advantage. Danny Thomas charged hard to get in front of the main pack and managed to avoid a few of the rider log jams but Adrian Deeley was always within touching distance of Thomas, as was Niki Walker until the final stages of the race.