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Report: Marin Dusk ‘til Dawn 2010
Posted October 4 2010
Words and Photography By Joolze Dymond
As Alexandre Dumas surmises in the Count of Monte Cristo: "Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss."
With this in mind I can only think that today there are hundreds of riders currently in a state of bliss after competing in the tenth anniversary edition of Dusk ‘til Dawn in what only can be described as some of the worse conditions Thetford has ever seen. Even the horrors of 2008 pale into insignificance after the trials endured by riders over the weekend.
For the thousand competitors lining up it was a case of one eye firmly on the weather and the other on the task in hand - ten miles of singletrack and fire road, incorporating all the bits that Thetford is so loved for. Initial reports were that this would be a fast race; the huge expectant grins on riders retuning from their warm up laps were telling tales of the fun that lay ahead.
And then it rained.
The omens hadn't been good - the forecast leading up to the event hadn't been kind, but it was late and virtually everyone in the arena and surrounding campsite were hoping Thetford's renowned microclimate for would come into play, with the incoming weather - an unwanted present from the continent - dumping its load somewhere around Kent.
And then it started.
Both the race and the rain went like a train from the gun; the lead riders very nearly catching and passing the leading quad. Riders streaming around the opening loop, like sparkling little gems dancing merrily against the darkness, before the fireworks exploded signalling the start of the race proper, the excitement and adrenalin drowning out the pitter patter of the first few drops.
Opening lap times proved it would have been a fast race, with some cruising easily under 50 minutes, but as the race unfolded the times just got slower and slower with riders anxiously waiting for team mates in transitions, the rain and the ensuing trail conditions slowly taking their toll on both rider and machine
In the men's pairs, Billy Joe Whenman had a nightmare start to his race, puncturing a mile from transition, leaving him no option but to run to hand over to team mate Steve James. Despite the run, he still came home in pole position in his category, throwing down the gauntlet for the rivals. However, after enduring a snapped chain, worn pads and the relentless rain and never ending slog through the mud, Whenman and James threw in the towel around 3am, despite still leading, leaving Ant White and Adi Scott to pick up the baton and carry on, eventually taking the win with eleven rain sodden, mud caked laps. Charge picked up the women's pairs, while the mixed pairs was dominated by Finnish riders Kanerva and Vastaranta, brought over by seasoned endurance racer, Charlie Eustace with tales of sweet trails and fun singletrack, forgetting any mention of mud! However team manager Charlie Eustace, had his own battle, opting to ride solo experiencing the Thetford conditions first hand!
The solo men's race, on paper looked like it could be a real hum dinger with Josh Ibbett, lining up with Steve Webb and George Budd, not to mention Jay Horton and a whole host of firm contenders.
Ibbett managed six laps before calling it a day in the tough conditions, but it was Steve Webb who'd made his intention clear from the off, with George Budd keeping him company for the first five laps until he too withdrew through injury. Webb using both his trusty single speed whilst dabbling with gears kept ploughing on in conditions that saw most folk walk on singletrack which just hours earlier was running so fast.
Even the fire roads did nothing to relive the agony; they also reduced to unstable streams of slippery slush. Finally Webb, after eleven hours of racing with nine laps under his belt decided he'd done enough for the win. Jay Horton, declaring he had "a rear end like a Japanese flag!" managed to grab a hard earned second with eight laps. The conditions decimated the already scant women's solo field, with a surprised Helen Findlay retiring early for some sleep, getting up for one more lap finding herself in second, behind winner Lynn Williams.
The most impressive team of the event was a real family affair with Paul Ashby and his two sons, Shane and James racking up an impressive twelve laps, the highest tally of any of the categories, despite the team name of Fenboy Slackers! Understandably they won the men's team of three despite a real challenge from the equally hardcore Extreme Sports Therapy team.
Another team that raced themselves to the top step and consisted largely of family members were the women's Salsa Factory racing team, with mum Sara Flatt joined by daughters Anna and Imogen Buick, rounded up by Faith Addison. The intrepid quartet held of the Witches of Walden clocking up eight laps to take their fifth consecutive win of the title, while their male counterparts went on to win the men's team race with eleven very wet and muddy laps.
Knocking locals Thetford MTB from pole position in the mixed race were the XCRacer combination of Niall Frost, James Hampshire, Mel Alexander and Mark Sprat. Both teams ploughed through the race to achieve ten laps, albeit the XCRacer crew managing that total an hour earlier than their rivals.
As dawn broke the trails slowly regained their composure, with the sloppy mud returning to fun bermtastic corners, the speed slowly returning for those left to enjoy it.
The seemingly biblical proportions of rain finally eased and stopped in the small hours, but the damage had been done, many riders calling it a day after battling through the conditions, which included the comedy moments of climbing out of the bomb holes. For those that started a big round of applause for facing conditions that can honestly be classed as one of the worst yet, for those that finished, chapeau!
I'm sure the tenth anniversary of this popular end of season enduro will be remembered for all the right reasons. As soon as the last vestiges of mud have been washed away, memories will abound of those fun moments slip sliding around the trails, man and machine as one, battling with nature to succeed. It will be an on going battle undoubtedly, but will always be fun, for most of us anyway!
Many thanks to the organisers Paul and Frank, who did a fab job once again especially at the new venue of High Lodge. Thanks to all the sponsors, especially TORQ, providing snippets of energy products throughout the event and some cracking prizes, mechanical assistance, coffee (for the photographer!) and bling bikes to drool over - Whyte and Exposure lights for a whole raft of fabulous support and masses of prizes.
