WET WEEKEND TURNS BELGIUM SUPERMOTO RACE INTO SURVIVAL COURSE

Sport » Autosport

Contributor / 2011-10-15 11:26:21

Anthony and Mat Ford-Dunn

After driving through the night from their Murcian base in Spain to the International Superbiker race in Mettet, Belgium the www.supermotoland.com team were met by 3 days of near continuous rain.

It was a shock to the system for the two brothers, Anthony and Mat Ford-Dunn who had left the sun filled skies of Spain to arrive in a grey and wet Belgium. Despite the cold, the brothers got off to a flying start with Anthony Qualifying 5th fastest in his group and then having an easy ride to 5th position in his heat race to secure him a place in the semi finals.

Mat had a tougher time as track conditions deteriorated with the constant rain and sections of the track were turned into a mud bath. ‘I think I spent more time lying in the mud than I did on the bike’ said Mat after he had finished his heat races and was being hosed down. Mat had failed to qualify for the semi finals but had a last chance race on Sunday morning where the top 2 riders would still go through. Mat was confident of a good result but a last minute overnight change to the racing timetable by the organisers without informing all the riders meant that Mat actually missed his last chance race as it had been brought forward.

With his chances of qualification ruined Mat helped Anthony prepare for the semi finals.
Anthony’s 5th position in the heat race had placed him on the second row of the grid for the semi finals. He lined up against some of the world’s best Supermoto racers on a track that was now becoming treacherous with deep ruts forming all around the circuit from the constant rain.

As the start lights went out Anthony charged down the straightaway and into the first of the rutted dirt sections, then before his race had even really begun another rider crashed in front of him and Anthony was stuck in a rut with nowhere to go. ‘Once I got my bike out of the rut and passed the other fallen riders my race was effectively over, there was just no chance that I could make up the ground that I had lost, it’s more like motocross than supermoto.’ said a rather disappointed Anthony.

Now back in sunny Spain the www.supermotoland.com team are preparing for the Final round of the Spanish Championship in Albaida, near Alcoy in Valencia, on the 23rd of October. With both brothers currently holding 4th position in their respective classes, they are well aware that race wins are required to elevate them to a possible 2nd position in the SM elite championship for Anthony and a possible 2nd position in the SM road championship for Mat.