British Enduro Sprint Championship 2010: Rounds 1 & 2, 27&28/03/2010 

The MPS Racing Team has had a tough start to the year with a long list of bad luck and misfortune but it seems their tables have turned for the opening round of the British Enduro Sprint Championship. With Matt Ridgeway out of action following a huge crash MPS were left with a place to fill when twenty one year old Alex Rockwell appeared from almost nowhere but the young Manxman went on to dominate the Under 23 class at the first two rounds of the BESC held at Chavenage Farm finishing first on both days and a clear five minutes ahead of his closest rival. ‘Rocky’ had only spent the previous week practicing on his new Husqvarna TE 250 machine and coming from a motocross background feared he may fall short in the woodland sections of the course but nothing could have been further from the truth as he ploughed his way through the ruts and roots on both days to take two very convincing wins. Alex’s team mate Tom Braddock rode a more reserved race and came away with fourth in the Under 23’s class in round one and fifth in round two. After the event Tom admitted he was finding it hard to put his team mate, Matt Ridgeway’s crash to the back of his mind but by the end of each day it was getting easier. Not wanting to push too hard and risk injuring himself Tom rode a mature race on both days, steadily improving his times as the two rounds unfolded.

Alex Rockwell “I made a few mistakes during round one and had to get used to riding in-between the trees in the woodland sections but I seemed to get quicker as the day went on. The track was pretty slippery after the rain on Friday night but after a few laps the track drained quite well. On Sunday we rode the course the opposite way round from the previous day so the ruts and lines were in the wrong place sometimes but as I relaxed again my test times began to fall. All in all I’ve had a fantastic result at the first rounds of the BESC and couldn’t have really asked for any more.”  

Tom Braddock “I started the first round well and felt reasonably comfortable but I crashed mid day and I struggled to get back into the right frame of mind. I was worrying too much about crashing and thinking about Matt’s crash to be honest, it’s just something I’m going to have to get over. The second day was pretty much the same again really; I know I could have gone quicker if I’d have pushed myself. The event was really well organised and easy to understand but I found it hard stopping and starting all day, I’m one of those riders who once I’m riding I just like to keep going, I’ll have to work on my technique for the next round.”

Results Under 23 Class: Round 1: 1: Alex Rockwell (Husqvarna); 2: Joe Deakin (Husqvarna); 3: Lewis Belfield (KTM); 4: Tom Braddock (Husqvarna); 5: Craig Reynolds (Yamaha)

Round 2: 1: Alex Rockwell (Husqvarna); 2: Joe Deakin (Husqvarna); 3: Lewis Belfield (KTM); 4: James Giddings (KTM); 5: Tom Braddock (Husqvarna)