HELL’VANA - You Were Warned !!!
Report & Photos by Adrian Harris

Jason Fraser starting on his last tough lap to victory.

The regs stated quite clearly that this race was ‘Not For Quitters’, the entry form even had ‘Think About This, Are You Sure?’ written boldly at the top. …and rightly so too. As although Halvanna Woods is a wonderful place, anywhere on Bodmin Moor in mid winter can be – and normally is - pretty dire as regards foul weather and bogs, - and also very, very wet!

Keen at the start - clubmen getting away sharply.

And the gods didn’t disappoint. It had rained constantly all week and for the few days previous to the event gale force gusts of wind kept ripping off direction arrows and blowing away the track marking tape. Even so clerk of the course Mike Roose and his magnificent team, braved all weathers to set up the track and keep it marked as best as they could.

The beauty of Bodmin Moor - but the riders didn't have 
time to 'appriate it' today!

Sunday morning dawned and I have to admit I didn’t want to even get out of bed, gale force winds were once again absolutely howling, sudden hail and torrential bursts of rain kept storming down sporadically and I gave thanks that I was only going to spectate. But my thoughts were with the riders: ‘Mugs!’ was the main word that kept flitting through my mind, and even then knowing that watching the ‘fun’ would be spectacular, I still didn’t want to get out of bed!!

Phew, I'm nearly through the deep grass,
I wonder whats ahead !!

However being a reporter of sterner stuff – and also the fact that I promised I would take Sarah to watch (and she bullied me to go) – I grabbed the camera gear, notepad and pen and off we set.

Brotherly love, 30 minutes to go and Jon Hinkley is 
still 'very keen' to give Tom a helping hand!

Upon arrival the weather had not improved, but if it was any consolation to the mysteriously happy and smiling riders, it was at least getting a bit lighter – but only a bit. For those that have not yet experienced being in a dense wood on Bodmin Moor in mid winter – it’s a very, very dark place to be!

Just starting out on lap 2, Jason Fraser holds a very small lead 
from hard charging Steve Jewell.

A brief moment of respite meant that as the riders gathered before the start, the sky temporarily cleared, giving some brave souls a glimmer of hope.

Is it a ghost - no its an angel... Unknown rider walking 
back to his bike after digging out another competitor!

At the riders meeting all were told that it is not going to be easy and the clerk of the course recommended that wise riders team up before the start to ‘help’ each other in case they should become stuck – tee, hee, hee.

Expert Trevor Vercoe thrilled to be out of the worst...

...or so he thought!                             
                         But luckily help may be at hand...

Richard Jay hoping Trevor will get himself unstuck...

But no such luck, Richard is off his bike to help Trevor once more!

AND THESE GUYS ARE EXPERTS !!!

At 10am the start flag dropped and a rather depleted championship class entry tore off like bats out of hell. Followed moments later by the experts and other groups respectively at one minute intervals.

Yes Halvanna woods are dark and dingy in December.

Camel Vale MCC had laid out an ‘interesting’ 7 mile lap of varied going, which in summer could be a very pleasant track for riders of all abilities. But this was not summer and certainly NOT A PLACE FOR NOVICES.

Aha - This bit doesn't look to bad.

All riders needed the ability to be able to ride slippery trails which wound scenically in and out of the woods and moor, with out using to much energy – Because that was needed for the BOGS!

Oh dear and there's no one around to help - except that old photographer!

On lap1 at one point it seemed as if the whole entry had buried themselves in a rather nasty quagmire about a third of the way around. However it didn’t take the better (wiser) riders long to suss it and the championship boys soon surfaced with Jason Fraser taking the lead on lap one. But he didn’t have it all his own way, Steve Jewell was giving it all and hanging on it there trailing Jason by only a few bike lengths – and well within striking distance!

What am I doing here - smile for the camera.

There was a fair few minutes before the next championship riders appeared starting lap2 and the rest of the entry seemed very sparse at this point. Gradually one by one, riders started threading their way through the trees. It was good to see so many enthusiastic to start a second lap, even if it had taken a very long time!

Another 'angel' , it may seem daft but it was wise of competitors to 
help each other out - because it could be you stuck next time!

After 2 hours it became difficult to tell who was leading who, not necessarily because the riders and were all starting to look rather brown – as due to the heavy rain showers constantly cleaning, this was not always the case. But the entry became so spread out, it was difficult to be sure if someone was just in front, or nearly a lap behind!

Here we go again and into the slippery woods.

Halvanna or Hell’vanna as it has so affectionately become known, is not a track that has lots of extreme or trick hazards like the Tough One does. But it is every bit a tough an event to finish. There were long fire trails for riders to gab a breather now and then, but after building up a massive sweat in the woods and struggling through deep muddy often flooded tracks, these often seemed all to short and it wasn’t long before serious exhaustion started to set in.

There must be some kind of way out of here... 

Hats off to those who just wouldn’t be defeated. When the winner of a 7 mile lap 3 hour event only manages to complete 5 laps, you know it just had to be tough!

When the chequered flag dropped, it was championship class rider Jason Fraser aboard his St Blazey Husky 250 who took the win. Tony Dinham had quietly fought hard and come up through to take second spot only 9 minutes adrift also on 5 laps, with Bradley King being the only other championship class rider to finish - completing 4 laps.

Russ Cook was in luck, as some kind spectator got stuck in to help.

Max Hembroke was forced to retire after only 2 laps when his airbox filled up with mud choking the bike. Although Steve Jewell had put up a hell of a chase keeping the throttle pinned whatever was thrown at him, pushing so hard in those conditions meant total exhaustion finally got him and after 4 laps he was also forced to retire. Even Jason - the event winner - didn’t want to go out again after 4 laps. When I saw him battling out of the woods and grabbed a photo on lap5, I had never seen him looking so shattered, with his face gaunt and eyes just glaring, he looked like a dead man riding!

Lap 3 and Jason Fraser is muscling the bike all the way.

In the Expert class Sam Chapman also completed a magnificent 5 laps to win from Chris Shorey who was in second spot but a lap down. A lot of credit has to go to Sam for this result as he is an MX boy – and this race could not have been more different. However I have heard rumours that he has been out practising with a certain young Jamie Paget a lot recently. Lets hope we see Sam at a few more South West enduros next year. Its always good to see new talent of this calibre on the scene.

Steve Jewell kept it flat out when he could, but exhaustion got him.

No58 John Edwards aboard his WR250 Yam like everyone else struggled a lot. In fact most times I saw him he was in it - deep, but he never stopped smiling despite it all. I must admit I didn’t have him down as a finisher when I saw what looked like a rock hard rear tyre spinning everywhere – even on the slightest incline. But John – better known locally as ‘Tap House Ted’ won the over 40’s completing 3 very hard laps, managing to just pip his brother Tim who had to settle for 2^nd.

Its really lonely sat here, stuck, with the wind and hail driving down.

3rd in the over 40’s was Dave Farr riding a GasGas 300 with a recluse clutch, proving once and for all that they will take some serious abuse and still deliver the goods.

Bob Creedy took the clubman win – the only clubman to complete 4 laps, and he fought hard for it to. As it had taken him 3 hours and 46 minutes to battle to his premier medal position. Notably 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th places all finished on exactly 3hours dead, which tells a tale in itself. For those not in the know, this usually means the riders were done in after completing a previous lap and waiting patiently for the chequered flag to drop before clocking in to finish. Either that or there was an exceedingly close race for second place. But judging by the conditions on the day I would hazard a guess at the former!

It wasn't all like the Somme, but some of it definately was!

A few top riders were notable by their absence, which was a shame , but for some it was understandable. Nick Life – normally a front runner – was Chris Berry’s best man that weekend and knowing that after partying all night the night before, it would be a wise move to enter such an extreme event – or safe. Thought long and hard, but decided he would just have to put it off until next year!! (Congratulations to Chris Berry)

Expert winner Sam Chapman grinds to a temporary halt.

Mike Roose said all marshal’s and helpers had done a magnificent job, not only on the day either. A small but dedicated team had battled horrendous weather to set the course up and many more really got stuck in on the day and all helped to make this very demanding event a great success – WELL DONE.

Two marshals get stuck in on a slippery root infested climb.

A quick note to those who had the worst time in the bogs. Experienced riders who were watching were suggesting that many were just screaming their bikes in first gear, instead of putting it in a higher gear which helps clean the tyres out.

Another very lonely spot - a forlorn rider picks up his bike once more!

Also to No58 ‘Tap House Ted’, I am not convinced your tyre pressure gauge is accurate – it looked a lot more than 7psi to me!

An exhausted and expressionless Jason Fraser fights the front end of 
his bike down after getting unexpected traction out of a wooded hell hole.

And finally, it was great to see so many racers parking their bikes up to go back and help their competitors out. Sometimes it’s the best way for both of you to move forward quickly. Nearly all enduros were tough in the early years and racers helping each other was a common sight. It was good to see this comradeship in action once more.

CVMCC Halvanna - Results

Report & Photos:  Adrian Harris