The lakeside at Llandrindod Wells was the headquarters for the annual International Welsh 2-Day Enduro with the event again receiving the maximum entry of 500 motorcycles plus a reserve list for the ever-popular event in Mid-Wales, writes Gary Jones.
With a lap over over 130 miles each day comprising of some nine checkpoints and 3 timed special tests on private land the first of the sidecars left the start line on Thursday morning at 8am and headed out to the first timed test just on the outskirts of Llandrindod, from there the riders headed out towards Hundred House and on to a loop of the Radnor forest.
The second of the timed tests would be held at the popular Saints Well motocross track where Alun Davies / James Ferguson from Caio would take a tumble in the No5 sidecar with Davies needing the assistance of the air ambulance with x-rays at a Cardiff hospital showing up a broken femur in his leg, organisers and fellow competitors wish Alun a speedy recovery.
Competitors headed back into the Red Lion forest and onto the third timed test at Abbeycwmhir near Rhayader for a grassland test before the overnight parc ferme at Llandrindod.
Day two would see an early start with the route being a reverse of day one but still over 130 miles of tough going in the Welsh hills of Mid Wales. With the first of the bikes returning to the final check back at the lakeside mid afternoon. At the awards presentation at the Metropole Hotel that night the overall winner would be Daniel Mundell from Barnstaple riding a Sherco 250 beating runner up Daryl Bolter Husquvarna 350 to the silverware by some 28 seconds.
The wining crew of the championship sidecars and taking max points in the British Championship Round were local Llandrindod pairing Jonathan Williams / Neil James with a slender margin of only 4 seconds over runners up Daniel Lawry / Samuel Wilkinson.
The Expert sidecar class award went to Aled Rees / Dan Lewis from Machynlleth.
Further success to Welsh crews riding the solo bikes went to Robert Jones from Llanidloes winning the Classic Expert class on his Maico 490. Will Lloyd from New Rador took the honours in the Vets Clubman class riding a KTM 300.
The Clubman class saw Tregaron rider Gareth Jones take the overall win aboard a Husquvarna 300 whilst the runner up would be Mathew Harries from Lampeter who also won the E1 clubman class on a KTM 125.
The Vets Expert class saw Beta 250 rider Andrew Edwards from Wrexham take the class win by 4 seconds from Rowan Jones Llanidloes on his Yamaha Off Road Experience bike after a epic two day battle. In the Experts class Monmouth rider Roger Holland took the win on a KTM 250.
The organising commitee would like to thank all land owners en route, marshalls, and helpers for their support which makes the Welsh 2 Day the events it is today.
© Words and images Gary Jones
