Racing

Race Report: Pokerstars Manx 2 Day Enduro, The Best Little Race of All!

12.07.2016
by

It’s amazing how fast a year goes by, it only seems like five minutes since our first trip over to the beautiful Isle of Man for the Poker Stars Manx 2 Day Enduro. This trip is up there as one of the UK team’s favorites and it was with great excitement that we headed over the water from Liverpool to the little isle for another fun-packed weekend.

The Steam Packet will get you there from the UK.
The Steam Packet will get you there from the UK.
The Isle of Man is so picturesque.
The Isle of Man is so picturesque.
For such a small Island, it's surprising how many are into the two-wheeled fun.
For such a small Island, it’s surprising how many are into the two-wheeled fun.

As the exhaust smoke had dissipated from our amazing trip over to experience the island’s TT Races just a month prior – TT Races by bicycle we hit the shores again, to be met by our usual host, Al Heginbotham. The weather had been amazing the whole time on our previous trip and we hoped for the same again, but the forecasters predicted a washout for the Saturday, as we headed out to ride the stages on the Thursday prior to the event. Three of us had come over via www.steam-packet.com in the van at a cost of £180 return, although, riders can make the trip for as little as £35 with just a bike and bag on foot from the UK.

Despite the mist of the race days, riders were still pinned, Callum Russel, Continental Racing.
Despite the mist of the race days, riders were still pinned, Callum Russel, Continental Racing.
Far right, Al Heginbotham, the best host on the island. Stu Hughes far left.
Far right, Al Heginbotham, the best host on the island. Stu Hughes far left.

Al and mates had been flat out through the winter improving stages and adding a new one called The Otter’s Pocket. They had been busy working hand in hand with the very helpful forestry and it showed, as we basically spent two days uplifting and riding the stages; this being so easy to do on the quiet Manx back roads. As enduro was such a new thing to the Isle of Man then the tracks are holding up so well, not being ridden till into becoming a mass of breaking bumps like trails back home! We got out with some of the locals over the couple of days riding prior to the event and it was great to see that the numbers of riders making the trip over from the UK had increased this year as the word is now steadily getting out about the great riding.

Trails were so much fun and very unusual in places, here the trail runs alongside a road's downhill.
Trails were so much fun and very unusual in places, here the trail runs alongside a road’s downhill.
Timing was taken care of by the plug-in chips, just remember to actually plug them in on completion of your run!
Timing was taken care of by the plug-in chips, just remember to actually plug them in on completion of your run!

Al offered all the usual hospitality of the Island, coastal visits, food in fantastic eateries and the general banter needed to make a trip worthwhile. He (like his friends he digs with) is very proud of his efforts to improve the island’s riding in amongst the plantations (small forests) where the stages have been built. These are connected by some big fire-road, back lanes and mountain hikes, giving the feel of being right out in the wilderness at times, surprising for an island where the sea is visible from so many places during the ride. The guys who head up the Manx enduros are more of a club than a profit organization, so your £50 goes towards the timing, some free beers and a free chicken/bacon burger both days, plus a T-shirt and some generous prize money for all top fives in category and top five overall.

Top guy and race director Steve (Bear) Collins chows down on one of his free burgers.
Top guy and race director Steve (Bear) Collins chows down on one of his free burgers.
The Veil of Mannaman was strong both days!
The Veil of Mannaman was strong both days!
Riders loved the tough snotty conditions.
Riders loved the tough snotty conditions.

Like in 2015 the tracks were mostly forest style, natural loamy turns through the conifers, with some stone sections made up where things would get a bit boggy during the wet weather. These tracks ranged from steep and techy to pedally and tough, but all were fun. Rock sections were at a minimum, making way for some tough rooty parts to get through at speed, but as usual the tracks could be summed up with one word; fun! When approaching these small plantations you would easily be mistaken by thinking that each of the ten stages to be raced over two days would only be a minute or so long, but these are deceptive woods, with many a stage offering up over three minutes of testing terrain. One of the plantations now had a completely new trail for racing, called ‘The Otter’s Pocket”, here Al had been toiling over the winter working hand in hand with the very generous DEFRA (the island’s version of the Forestry Commission) bringing in stone for the top part of this trail, making that section more bike-park like with stone jumps and berms; with its small rhythm section and two hip jumps this was so much fun!

Natural and slick in places, stages were challenging on both days.
Natural and slick in places, stages were challenging on both days.
Free beer on completion of both days, how cool is that!
Free beer on completion of both days, how cool is that!
Stu Hughes, 2nd overall after day 1, 1st Vet and 3rd overall on completion of day 2.
Stu Hughes, 2nd overall after day 1, 1st Vet and 3rd overall on completion of day 2.

After our great couple of days roosting the dry trails the rain came in for Friday night and early Saturday morning, leaving all the trails wet and slick for the 1pm misty start on Saturday for day one. Fortunately the rain held off during racing, but the sun only occasionally managed to force it’s way through the legend of the island known as the veil of Manannan, where the Celtic god wraps the island in his mist to ward off any harm. Out on the climbs things got a bit bleak as the mist and wind added to the feel of a harsh unforgiving island, but the summer temperatures made it so we could all still wear lightweight tops and not freeze.

The woods were damp but a pleasant break from the winds of the open mountains during day 1.
The woods were damp but a pleasant break from the winds of the open mountains during day 1.
Natural as a full bush in a 70's porno!
Natural as a full bush in a 70’s porno!
Dropping in on the new Otter's Pocket trail.
Dropping in on the new Otter’s Pocket trail.

We had roughly four hours to travel the 32k, 1000mtrs of climbing and five stages offered for day one, with a couple of the islanders amazingly busting this out on full DH rigs! Throughout the day we learned the value of our winter front tyres, as the top riders fought it out for the quickest times of the day. Eventually the island’s Expert DH rider Jim Marshall held the lead on day one, ahead of the UK’s Stu Hughes with Manx rider Tom Skillicorn in 3rd and Callum Russell in fourth. It had been quite a tough loop, all of which was to be repeated for Sunday, when sunshine was expected.

There were some pedal sections, draining the legs of power, but still fun.
There were some pedal sections, draining the legs of power, but still fun.
Positions were immediate after handing chips in.
Positions were immediate after handing chips in.

After a big old Saturday night carb overload feast we hit the trails again on Sunday morning, this time at the earlier start time of 9am. There were some tired looking riders around, all of which still offered the friendly Manx social banter we had now come to admire on the island. Off we went again, from one slick trail to another. There must have been some kind of big spiritual threat to the island on Sunday, as all day the Manannan shroud held it’s ground, only to reveal the blue stuff in the sky on top of the mountain prior to the tenth and final stage, this being the fastest and most DH style of all, bringing riders hurtling over some large drops into the arena.

Anyone who completed the two days deserved respect.
Anyone who completed the two days deserved respect.
Especially if they are the only lady competitor! Maybe next year some UK lady competitors would like to make the trip over from other shores!
Especially if they are the only lady competitor! Maybe next year some UK lady competitors would like to make the trip over from other shores!
Overall Podium, some good age variations in there!
Overall Podium, some good age variations in there!

It was all smiles at the end of the day, as riders swapped stories of their slips, crashes, nearly crashes, big slides and general enjoyment whilst chowing down on the free food and beers over music and sunshine before the final podium presentations. It had been another incredible event, one that we have already booked ourselves into for next year; as we would recommend you do too!

Sunday night saw several of us hit the town of Douglass, sore heads in the morning!
Sunday night saw several of us hit the town of Douglass, sore heads in the morning!
We are already planning a return for some testing soon!
We are already planning a return for some testing soon!

Results

Overall results were decided after the full ten stages of both days, leaving the Isle of Man’s Jim Marshall in 1st , Manxman Tom Skillicom in 2nd, UK’s Stu Hughes in 3rd, UK’s Callum Russell in 4th and Manxman Callum Paul Buchanan in 5th

Full Results: Here

Website: Here

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Words: Photos: Doc Ward

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