VENUE: WALES

RESULT: 3RD PRO

STILL BATTERED FROM MY CRASH AT THE WELSH 2 DAY, AND HOURS OF REPAIRING THE BIKE, THE TRACK LOOKED WICKED FOLLOWING THE MORNING RACE UNTILL THE HEAVENS OPENED AGAIN (WELL IT IS WALES, WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN). I HAD A GOOD START BUT THEN SLID OFF ON THE SECOND CORNER, I GOT UP AND RODE HARD AND EVENTULY CAUGHT TIM FOREMAN WHO WAS LEADING BUT HE WAS FILLING ME IN SO BAD WITH MUD I HAD TO PIT EARLY FOR GOGGLES AND GLOVES, FOREMAN AND CARTER WERE RIDING VERY SMOOTH IN THESE TOUGH CONDITIONS. THANKS RICHIE FOR KEEPING THE CLEAN GOGGLES COMING.

VENUE: LLANDRIDOD WELLS, WALES

RESULT: 16TH E2

ALL WAS LOOKING GOOD, CHAMPIONSHIP CLASS WERE OFF LAST WHICH WAS A NICE CHANGE SO MY START TIME WAS 1050 AND DUE TO FINISH AT 1905 AND REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RIDE. IN TRUE WELSH FASION THE HEAVENS OPENED AT ABOUT 11AM AND NEVER STOPPED, 163 MILE LAP, LOADS OF ROAD RIDING AND SITTING ABOUT AT CHECK POINTS IN THE RAIN, DID NOT ENJOY IT AT ALL, HAD A BIG OFF ON THE STRATA FLORIDA WHICH WRECKED MY BIKE AND MY ARM AND LEG BUT MANAGED TO LIMP TO THE NEXTCHECK TO FIX THE BIKE BEST WE COULD, STRUGGLED ON AND FINISHED THE DAY BUT IT WAS TOUGH WITH A BENT BIKE AND MY ARM WAS WELL SWOLLEN. ON GETTING BACK THAT NIGHT I OPTED NOT TO RIDE THE NEXT DAY DUE TO MY ARM AND THE FACT THAT I HAD A LOT OF REPAIR WORK TO MY BIKE TO GET READY FOR THE FAST EDDY ON SUNDAY, WHICH WAS MORE IMPORTANT. THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR HELPING OUT, DAVE MOYCE FOR THE COTTAGE, CHRIS PAGET FOR SORTING THE OUTCHECKS.

VENUE: BAGSHOT

RESULT: 2ND PRO

FAIRLY SMALL ENTRY, I WAS OFF THE PACE ON THE FIRST TEST AND WAS LOSINGTO WHEELER AND WARNER, BUT PULLED MYSELF TOGETHER FOR THE SECOND ONE TO GET BACK TO 2ND. THE TIMES GOT TIGHTER TOWARDS THE END BUT WERE ALWAYS GOING TO BE ACHEIVABLE, PAUL HEARN AND THE TEAM HAD LAID OUT A MEGA TRACK USING A LOT OF NEW GROUND WHICH WAS GREAT AS A LOT OF THE RIDES AT BAGSHOT SEEM TO FOLLOW THE SAME TRACK SO IT MADE IT A MUCH BETTER RIDE THAN WE ALL EXPECTED, WELL DONE DARREN WHEELER FOR THE WIN, I WILL GET YOU NEXT TIME. THANKS DAISY FOR KEEPING ME INFORMED ABOUT THE TEST TIMES AND THE NEED TO RIDE HARDER, I THINK THE TIMING PEOPLE HAD HAD ENOUGH OF YOU BY THE END OF THE DAY.

VENUE: BAGSHOT

RESULT: 1ST EXPERT

ANOTHER EXCUSE TO HAVE A DAY OFF WORK, THE ENTRY LIST FOR THESE WEDNESDAY RACES IS GROWING ALL THE TIME, I THINK THE WORD IS GETTING OUT, WELL ORGANISED AS EVER, RUNNING THE TRACK BACKWARDS FOR A CHANGE, I GOT OFF THE START 2ND AND CHOSE TO LET STEVE HUNT LEAD THE WAY ON THE FIRST LAP, NO POINT GOING MAD YET, AS SOON AS WE STARTED THE 2ND LAP I PUT A PASS ON HIM AND GOT AWAY AND GOT A GOOD LEAD UNTIL TRYING TO CUT INSIDE A BACK MARKER ON THE LIP OF A DEEP DITCH WHICH GAVE WAY AND I ENDED UPSIDE DOWN IN THE BOTTOM OF IT WATCHING MY FELLOW EXPERTS RIDE ON PASS (LAUGHING NO DOUBT). GOT GOING AGAIN AND CAUGHT THEM UP AND GOT PASSED, WON WITH A FEW MINUTES TO SPARE IN THE END BUT MADE HARD WORK OF IT THE YAMAHA IS WORKING REALLY WELL. THANKS TO ROB AND RICHIE IN THE PITS FOR THEIR HELP

VENUE: BORDEN

RESULT: 2ND EXPERT

FIRST RACE BACK AFTER 2 WEEKS IN BARBADOS, IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE HARD, THE WEATHER WAS HOT BUT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO THAT, GREAT TO SEE MY MATE OLLIE MOYCE AT A LOCAL ROUND AND I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A BATTLE WITH HIM, I GOT THE HOLESHOT WITH OLLIE IN SECOND (UNLUCKY) WE WERE OFF CHARGING FAIRLY HARD AND LEFT THE REST OFF THE FIELD BEHIND, OLLIE PUT IN A STORMING LAP HALF WAY THROUGH AND GOT A COUPLE OF MINUTES LEAD WHICH MEANT HE JUST SNEAKED THROUGH FOR AN EXTRA LAP AND I MISSED OUT BY 1 MINUTE, NEVER MIND YAMAHA 1ST AND 2ND, CANT BE BAD, WELL DONE MATE.