For the fifth year of The Sucker Punch, the organizers made it sure that this year will be as amazing and as challenging as their previous ones. With all the obstacles in a forest like track, it had given a difficult time for the riders. Consisting of 11 miles per lap of trail that leads to hills with roots, ruts and rivers everywhere. The competitors were given 4-hour duration with any riders completing five laps deemed Gold finishers. Four laps was the target for Silver, three laps for Bronze, with two laps being enough to be classified a finisher.
It seems that David Knight had given his best efforts together with his vast experience to finish as Gold Finisher. It took him 2 hours and 56 minutes to complete the target of five laps. He is clearly giving his all as his result from his past event is also outstanding. He was the runner up at the previous weekend’s Weston Beach Race. Atop the podium, he was accompanied by Humphrey brothers Owain and Gethin in second and third respectively.
Owain Humprey won the Sucker Punch for two times already. With his CF Racing 350 FX Husqvarna, he had an overall fine ride, just finishing six minutes behind Knight. His younger brother, Gethin who had been very close to having his very first Sucker Punch Glove a few times in previous years landed in third place. The 250f MRS Sherco rider had a few crashes and had also been chasing the two leaders since the start of the race.
Finishing the extreme level of five-lap Gold route is not an easy task. As it stands, there were only 7 riders who conquered it. Charlie Frost (KTM), Aled Price (KTM), Fred Adams (GasGas) and Gary Jenkins (Sherco) finished in fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh respectively. Jenkins took a plunge on a river during lap four but with the help of a fellow rider, he was able to get up and continue eventually finishing a Gold Finish.
In Expert Vets class, the winner Gareth Leonard finished on four laps as a Silver Finish. WOR stalwart, Gary Benniman perfected three laps and Bronze for the runner-up. After having his tire come of the rim, Mark Kirby loose at least 35 minutes but still managed to cross the finish line to get to Bronze on lap three.
In the Clubman class, it was Dawson Marriot who was declared as the winner as he finished on four laps reaching Silver. At the recent Tough One’s Little Brother Extreme, he also had a pretty good performance finishing the race within 20 minutes. On second and third place were Steve Mercer and Will Cornthwaite who took them almost 4 hours to finish the race.
On his Beta 300, Gary Morley was hailed as the winner in the Clubman Vets class. As the only 4 lap Silver finisher and had almost a 50-minute margin over runner-up, Lee Allis Smith and third placed Simon Dhar.
Mark Houston dominated the Over 50 class as he finished Silver at four laps. An outstanding performance just like a few weeks earlier at the TOLB. Richard Lewis with Paul mcKie were in second and third place respectively.
Sam Jamison had a won the Sportsman class and having a one-minute advantage over Jake Oakley who is in second place. In third place was Sam Morris with a 7 minute margin from Oakley. Andrew Mills was the winner in the Sportsman Vet Class followed by Gary Nicholson and Jason Clarke in second and third place. Mills and Nicholson managed three laps each with Clarke on two.
In the Novice class, Ian Jones completed two laps, which were enough to take a seven-minute, win from Josh Terry and Danny Griffiths in second and third.
WOR now start November with their Wulfsport Winter series for solos and quads on 5th November, followed by Team Extreme on 19th November and a timecard enduro on the 26th November.
