I travelled to Czech republic with Wyn and Tracy Hughes in their Vito. Due to the floods earlier this year the main road into Czecho was washed out so we arrived late on Wednesday from the Poland side. The team hotel was a welcome sight to all as it was a very large, clean and modern hotel certainly not like some that I've stayed at in Czecho. We arrived a little early. Wyn had made an excellent job of preparing the bike so there was no mechanic-ing to be done. With all the tests walked I spent my spare time receiving Trials lessons from Juan. The whole Isle of Man contingent laughed at my novice skills. Despite of some embarassing crashes and fives I've definitly got the Trials bug. As soon as I can afford one I'll buy a trials bike. Bindy Braybrook says I should get some practice in and try the Scott. Do I really look that stupid? Knighter reckons he'd like to give it a shot on his Yam Enduro bike. All my enduro peers have got a good trials background so it is something I need to work on.
The opening ceremony on Sunday was a damp occasion so the team didn't stay for long prefering the warmth of the hotel. The event started proper on Tuesday with first man, Petteri Silvan away at 7.30. It was cold and overcast so my bike needed choke for the first time since the Breckland. The main event on the first day was a tight check from 2 to 3. Lots of big names lost time meaning the brits were right up there in 2nd behind the Swedes. Juan Knight was one of the only riders to go clean in my class so with 8th on tests he should have been Day 1 winner. Likewise Paul Eddy should have won the 400's as Salminen dropped three. Unfortunately as I have seen all too often the check was scrapped by a FIM jury decision. I have been told that it didn't even make it the Jury as the 3 head honchos had decided to scrap it before putting it to the jury. You can ride flat out risk your life and clean a check for nothing. You can fit a mx front tyre that is identical to an enduro one and get excluded. It is stupid officous logic like this that is ruining our sport. Next year i expect Juan Knight not to ride at World Enduros - as a privateer he doesn't want to spent his hard earned and risk injury for results that can and will be overturned by a jury. Paul is to remove the ISDE from next years contract as he has suffered two years on the trot from Jury politics. Last year he was excluded for mistakingly fitting a front mx tyre. This year he missed out on beating Salminen because the Jury gave Salminen his time back. Euan Syme, the British Team Manager would like to appeal against the FIM but is currently struggling to get support from the ACU. He has my support and I'm sure that of all the other 'Enduro' riders.
Incidentally with the time penalties removed I finished sixth on day1. My best result to date. On Tuesday I was tenth then on Wednesday i was on course for top 6 when i clipped my hand on a marker post and broke it. I was out but the team was still in so i became a spectator and went about cheering on my team mates on tests.
On Saturday a tight check was again scrapped when our boys went well. At the end of last day we finished 4th which is our best result in years but we should have been 3rd or even 2nd. Everybody involved was gutted.