Bird stands in the way of Sudbury riders’ title ambitions

Sunday sees the penultimate round of the G H Motorcycles/Husqvarna/Eastern Centre Enduro Championship being staged by the Sudbury Motor Cycle Club at Home Farm, Little Hadham, Herts (10am).

Over the last 26 years Sudbury members Chris Koch, Stevie Roper, Ricky Roper, Jamie Roper and Chris Hockey have been Enduro champion 21 times between them.

However with the return of Aston Bird (Woodbridge), a former champion, all could change as Bird has a 12-point lead in the Championship Class, and a win could well give him the title.

Will Hughes (Braintree), upgraded to the Expert Class this year ,is leading the contest on 44 points ahead of Jake Gregory (Stowmarket, 37 points), Ben Alexander (Woodbridge, 35) and Jack Grice (Lowestoft, 28).

Competition sponsor Gavin Hockey (Sudbury) is leading the Expert Veteran Class with 54 points, ahead of Phil Roper (Sudbury, 43 points), Michael Ridge (Stowmarket, 35), and current champion Mark Chapman (33).

Alex Rampton (Sudbury), who turned 17 last month, is leading the Clubman Class with 57 points, followed by Martin Stevens (Diss, 47), Ryan McDonnell (Sudbury, 38) and Kevin Palmer (Norwich, 26).

In the Clubman Veteran Class Kevin Gore (Norwich) leads the contest on 35 points from Dean Curry (Sudbury, 31), Peter Andrews (Woodbridge, 29), Jason Carboult (Sudbury, 27) and, jointly on 26 points, John Austin (Sudbury) and Duncan Griffin (Diss).

Clive Stevens (Diss) heads the Clubman Veteran Class on 46 points from current champion Andy Mason (Sudbury) and Steve Finch (Braintree), both on 40 points, followed by Adrian Rickwood (TBEC, 36) and Gary Drage (Sudbury, 27).

Although there are five rounds this year the riders’ best four scores will count, and as some of the contenders have already missed rounds, all their scores for this round and the last round will count, which could well see some of these riders with lower points win a title.