|
On
16 and 17 of September we had our final races for the ECMO 2016 season.
In
a beautiful landscape in Northern Ireland the ECMO riders had the
possibility to race on a complete other type of track than we are used to
in Europe. Beautiful slopes with nice jumps, very suitable for classic.
And during the practices and the races, the continental riders get more
and more excited about the track, nice to see.
Mr. John Colling, the “captain” of the organizing team, did an amazing
job. It was, in every detail, super organized. The whole happening was
planned perfect, with demonstrations of trial during the scrutineering, a
small bakery demo during Ladies Hour was appreciated well and of course a
“whiskey taste” moment, and some small presents for the still growing
group of ladies (about 70). So the ladies left after about one and a half
hour the tent and had to go to some hungry man.
And of course on the day of the race you hope to have nice weather and so
it was.
Complete sunny! All ingredients for a wonderful race day and that
it should be.
Before the presentation of the teams there was a short speech of
Mrs. Girvan, mayor of Ards and North Down (where Ballyblack belongs to),
where she said that she was glad to welcome that big group of foreign
riders and spectators. She was proud about the organization and wishes
everyone a nice stay in Northern Ireland. Also a short welcome to all by
the chairman of ECMO, Mr. Alberto Langenberg. Special thanks to Mrs.
Girvan, for her nice words and hospitality, to Mr. John Colling, who did
an amazing job with his team, but also for Mr. Lesley Wright, the landlord
of this fantastic track. And it is perhaps a bit cliché, but without all
these enthusiast and willingly people, an event like this will never be so
successful. One thing more that I must say: “What are the Irish friendly
and helpful! Unbelievable”.
Most of the continental visitors did come also for a short stay in this
beautiful country and they will not be disappointed. There is much to see,
the Atlantic coast with for instance the Giants Causeway, the Titanic
Museum and a lot more nice places and things. I, by myself and Herman, we
made some beautiful trips.
Except for a few small accidents we had fantastic races. On this technical
track you see the riders on different positions as normal on a sandy or
rocky track, each one has his own specialty. Wonderful to see how some
guys can take corners complete drifting, like in a speed way race. And the
track was reliable, no dangerous or tricky points.
In
the 70+
class there was a real battle going on between Cecil Pearson (NIr) on JAP
and John Dunscombe (Wal) on BSA. Both won one leg and it was very close in
the second leg. Most steady (coaching by Emma) was England and they won
the title, before N-Ireland and Wales. I still hear the sounds of those
4-strokes.
Trough the years we know that Cai Larsen (DK) is a good pilot, Jorgen
Ahlstrom (SE) is fast, but Doug Sherbourne (EN) is fast as well. And here in the 66+, we also saw that clever riding can bring a good result.
That is what the CMCdN makes so special and nice. The Danish started with
only 3 riders in their team, so they must try to finish all 3 for a good
result and they did. Both Jorgen and Doug won a leg, but finally England
was the champion and close followed by the three
Danish riders and Sweden as number three. Also Wales and Scotland
were battling close for place 4 and 5 and Northern Ireland had less luck
in this competition. (Randers Denmark is next year the host of the
CMCdN).
“L’ histoire se repète” in the
60+ class. The French riders were that strong again on their beautiful
BSA’s that only in the second leg the English rider Peter Mathia could
beat them. Although the Swiss Beny Winiger and the Dutchman Gerrit
Polsvoort were pushing, the French, Pierre Dehan, Roger Brelet, Claude
Martineaud and Jaques Pinsard were unbeatable this day. The English
Quartet, Dowse, Mathia, Miller and Graves, also seriously coached by Mrs.
Partington, couldn’t catch the fast French. The 3 Swiss riders did a
very good job. Winiger, Walter Senn (both BSA) and Jack Frei (Husky) were
just 1 point ahead (on third place) of the Dutch team, Hans and Gerrit
Polsvoort, Gerrit Schreurs and Herman Leunen. It was a permanent change of
positions and that made this race so exciting.
The
50+ class
was a big class with a lot of fantastic riders. It could go to both sides,
to England as well to N-Ireland. At the end the N-Irish were the better
team. Adrian Lappin, Laurance Spence, (what the hell is he fast on these
track), David Wilson and Trevor Calderwood (fastest 250cc rider over 50),
had a perfect team performance that day. Fast and steady. The English,
Reed, Best, Copping and
Archer tried hard but it did not reach to the top, although Keith Best was
in very good condition. Chapeau for the riders of the Czech Republik. They
had a strong team, but stupid bad luck, in the first leg the BSA of Jan
Hrdina was broken down and no other bike available. So the other 3 riders,
Miroslav Nejedly, Karel Liska and Pavel Russfell had to be a bit careful
to go for their changes. They did and the third place at the end was a
nice one. Nice going home that long trip with the trophies. (Next year
there will be a CEC in Czech Republik in Stribro).
The “youngsters” of this CMCdN, the
30+ teams, came only from the British countries. The seven teams you
could divided in 3 categories. Experts, fast riders and good crossers.
England -1 was by far the best and with a rider like Scott Hayworth in
your team, you cannot loose. What a nice style of riding, smooth,
technical and particularly very fast, brilliant. And his mates, Keith
Rice, Gary Green and the injured Wayne Partington were also on top level.
Behind this team there was a real battle between N-Ireland-1, Wales-1 and
England-2. During the race and the changing of positions, each of the
teams could get on the podium. Here the team captains had to count fast to
give the good information to the riders. At the end Wales-1, with John
Cash, Robert Jones, Guto Llewellyn and Andrew Owen became second with just
one point in front of
N-Ireland. William Dixon, John Griffiths, Lee Rook and George Porter have
tried hard but not enough, only six points behind the Welsh brought the
Irish the third place.
The price giving of the CMCdN Cups was a big happening in the complete
filled up big tent. A fantastic atmosphere with nice Irish music, made by
a trio, made this CMCdN special. Of course there were speeches, and thanks
but special there was noticeable friendship in the tent.
After the price giving and before the marvelous party started, Herman
Leunen, secretary of ECMO, renders his thanks to John Colling by handing
over a nice plaquette.
There were also two more cups to give away, the Stonebridge
cups for the fastest 250cc riders in the field. Under 50+ it was Glenn
Davey who won this cup and over 50 I mentioned already Trevor Calderwood.
Peter Jerred handed over this memorial cups.
After each CMCdN there will be a next one in a other country. And the
symbol of the CMCdN, the big shining TUBA, is going with the
representatives of the country where it should be held. Next year is
Denmark our host and so Jens Bak Skovsen received the tuba, on his back,
from Jon Colling and he promised to be sparing with the mascot of the
CMCdN.
And the party went on and on, with singing and dancing, one big mixture of
enthusiastic European classic motor sportsman and fans.
Ballyblack thank you very much for a fantastic stay and beautiful
motorsport!
Alberto/25-09-2016 |
