2016 – Moto Gymkhana National Championship – Round 4
Grim conditions meet the all riders for the fourth round of the Moto Gymkhana Championship. As well as driving rain and high winds, the weather had knocked a large number of leaves from the trees causing problems for the course lay out. The solution was a course alteration that compressed two elements. This favoured those who had been practicing their tightest of turns as there was a lot of lock to lock action.
The competition started in the wet, but in true Donington style the wind dried out the course, giving at least one dry run to all competitors. The drama did not stop there, championship contender Andrew Rayfield, MT-09 developed a fault after competing a solid first attack. He was forced to make his second attack on a borrowed CBR600, sportingly loaned to him by Ian Ashford.
Remarkably he posted an almost identical time before penalties. Championship leader Rob Fox gave himself a bit of work to do after a scrappy first attack left him in 3rd place. The third championship contender Mark Wraith turn in his trademark smooth and solid response, delivering two almost identical attacks within 0.18sec of each other.
Iain Suggett, building on his first novice podium in round 3 cont
inued his march up the rankings onboard his Honda Bros, proving that practice combined with tyres manufactured in this half of the century can really make a difference. Also pushing hard for a podium was Dave Pinto, the Romford Rocket’s Honda Grom suiting the tight section of the course and setting a pace that could only be matched by Ian Ashford in the race for the top of the Novice Podium.
For the women, Joanna Noble Finch topped the chart followed by Pauline Thornton and Christine Willson, who notably managed a phenomenal 123.55 seconds improvement over her first attack of the day.
For the second round in a row, all riders completed at least one correct course.
