The incredibly strong Championship class entry at Camel Vale's Hustyn enduro on the 22 April meant that anyone who wanted to try and win it was going to have a real fight on their hands.

Jason Fraser fought hard but placed down in third at the days end.

Last years champ Jason Fraser was up against recent favourite Nick Life, - and fast improving over winter Steve Dustow. Plus regular south west event winner Jack Twentyman and recently returned to racing Tim Lewis. Not to mention at least half a dozen other fast rising stars - all capable of pulling a win out of the hat given the slightest chance.

Nick Life took to long to dial his test in and had to settle for 4th

For April it was an incredible day, the sun was breaking through a light mist as the riders lined up to be started four at a time - each on their respective allocated minute.

2nd place Steve Dustow couldn't quite match Lewis's pace on the tests.

The Championship riders had to complete 8 laps of a fabulous Hustyn Woods track - setup by Mike Roose and many helpers from the Camel Vale club. As is normal with enduros, each lap tends to get tighter and tighter, as times are reduced. So what was - for championship riders - a leisurely 39 minute first lap had been slashed to 33 minutes by half distance and finally dropping to an awe inspiring 25 minute check time to complete their last lap without penalty points ruining the day!

Brad Williams hammering across forestry thinings.

To put this into perspective, riders in lesser classes had almost as long a race (about 4 hours for them), - but only had to complete 5 laps - at a much more 'leisurely' pace. Well we all know it wasn't leisurely for anyone. As the Sportsman and Clubman riders all rode their hearts out trying to stay on pace.

Young Jamie Paget wasn't far of the top pace and earned 7th overall.

One of the skills of a good organiser is to set the lap times to be just challenging enough for the riders in each class to meet - when pushing hard, and in this respect on this event, Camel Vale seem to have got it just about right.

Paget and Jewell race down a high speed fire road.

The track was very tough on riders, in that the ground was very hard and felt jarring at speed. Many of the top riders came into the pit area complaining that their bikes did not seem to be handling. I overheard one say his bike was just skipping over the ground instead of gripping. Someone else kept thinking they must have had a puncture.

Carl Mcilroy on a narrow forestry trail.

But this was all as a result of no rain for weeks and the ground becoming rock hard - the bikes were fine, and riders gradually settled in.

Ian Putt in action on the special test.

All classes coped with the first few check times without much problem and many realised fairly early that it could well be all down to the special high speed tests to settle the results.

Clubman negotiating a drop off out of the woods & onto a fire road.

A back on form - and really flying - Tim Lewis was determined to upset the apple cart and pulled out all the stops on his first test. But clobbering his gear lever towards the end of the test meant his bike was stuck in one gear.

3rd placed Expert Shaun Dayman on a picturesque trail.

Steve Dustow also determined to win felt he'd had two good tests, but on the third - and last test - one small slip cost him serious time. One soft berm let Steve slide into some soft loam and he had to work hard to get out of it and back on track. That caused arm pump and less than a minute later Steve was badly suffering from it.

Expert Shaun Martin nailing it on the test.

Expected challengers for top spot - Jason Fraser and Nick Life were also putting up a good fight, but when it came to it couldn't quite match the pace of Lewis and Dustow. - We are talking mere seconds here over a championship pace 8 minute test.

The last trail home - an Expert negotiates the last section at speed.

Despite being stuck in gear Lewis posted 8:05 (8mins & 5secs) to Dustows first test of 8:03. Fraser blasted to a 8:07, just ahead of Nick Life's 8:12. Brad Williams stomped in with a 8:15 and Carl Mcilroy just pipped him on this one at 8:13. But there wer two more special speed tests to come and it was going to be the totals that counted - as long as they all managed to 'clean' their lap check times.

Not everyone got around safely!

On the second test all the top riders knocked around 10 seconds off their times - as they began to learn the best line. But Fraser now suffering very painfully from numbness and pins and needles in his recently injured hand, was finding it difficult to control his bike. Despite this he managed to improve his test time by 7 seconds - but would this be enough to challenge for top spot?

Line astern chaps - as riders pass a budding photographer.

At the end of the day it was an on form Tim Lewis who really pulled a trick out of the hat posting blisteringly fast test accumulative times, to take the overall win.

Mike Roose designed the course - and liked it so much, 
he decided to make his return to racing on it !

Nick Life not totally at home with the principal of switching into hyperdrive - for a few minutes only during the speed tests, had been gradually dialling in threateningly close - his last test time equalling the fastest of the day. But this was to late - and all the top guys managed to clean their check times - just!

Those who woods race must look out for gnarly tree roots.

Steve Dustow fought for four and a half hours to claim second spot, - after his slight mishap on the test, had cost him the 6 seconds that he would have needed to win. Jason Fraser hit back with an awesome third test time, but had to settle for thrid spot only 4 seconds down on Dustow and two seconds ahead of a quickly improving Nick Life in fourth.

Rose Disney captured on the special test.

Camel Vale had put on an excellent event and one that passed - I am pleased to say - without serious incident. Well done.

Clubman 96 gassing it on an open trail.

CVMCC Hustyn - Results