News
Best ever BEC result for McLaughlin at Natterjack
(Article Posted: 2009-09-28)
Despite Phillip McLaughlin finishing third overall at the end of the opening day’s competition there was delight and frustration in equal measure within the Electraction TM UK team at the end of the final round of the ’09 British Enduro Championship. With McLaughlin claiming his highest ever BEC overall result with a solid third place on day one, behind visiting Frenchman Christophe Nambotin and former World Champion Paul Edmondson, the TM UK team’s youngest member Jamie Paget impressively ended the event as ‘09 Enduro 3 Champion. Disappointingly, a carburetor problem on day two prevented McLaughlin matching his day one result.
But at the end of the opening day’s competition McLaughlin placed a creditable third overall having started the day a she meant to continue placing second on the opening special test. Going on to perform well throughout the day McLaughlin worked hard to keep pace with the riders ahead of him and secured his best result of the season, showing that he is without question one of Britain’s most improved enduro riders. Behind McLaughlin TM UK team-mates Gordon Clarke and Jamie Paget scrapped it out for top honours in the E3 class with Clarke placing just two seconds ahead on his younger team-mate. Joining the TM UK regulars at the Natterjack was Jonathan Pettitt who placed third in the E1 two-stroke class at the end of a hard opening day.
Hopeful of matching his day one result McLaughlin frustratingly picked up a two-minute time penalty after a carburettor problem forced him to stop and make some running repairs early on day two. With the problem fixed Phillip went on to end the day well with impressive special test times on both the motocross and enduro tests. Jonathan Pettitt ended the second day’s competition as the highest placed TM rider with a runner-up result in the E1 two-stroke class. But it was Jamie Paget who had most to be pleased with. Finishing ahead of team-mate Clark, and in 13th overall, Jamie wrapped-up the Enduro 3 Championship class BEC title to bring the ’09 British Enduro Championship to a positive close for the Electraction TM UK team.
Phillip McLaughlin: “The first day went really, really well. I made a good strong start to the day on the motocross test, which was great. I made a stupid mistake on the second motocross test and stalled the bike, which cost me quite a bit of time. But I still managed to finish third overall, which is my highest finish ever. I crashed on the first motocross test on day two, which meant I had to play catch up once again. There was about five seconds covering about four riders. I had a carburettor problem on one of the test, which got worse on the going so I had to stop and fix it. I lost two minutes, which is frustrating. It’s disappointing that the last event of the championship didn’t end as well as it should have, but my speed is good and I’ve made some definite steps forward since the start of the year.”
Gordon Clarke: “The Natterjack is always a tough event, and this year it was no different. Jamie Paget and I were neck-and-neck for the E3 championship so I had to win both days. I started really well on the first day - I had a good enduro test. But then I crashed on the motocross test and lost 20 seconds. I was able to make time up on the enduro test, because I was jumping the steep wall, but then Jamie was quicker on the motocross test. By the end of the day I managed to claw my way back and at the finish was just a few seconds ahead, which was great. Jamie really went for it on day two. We were pretty equal on the enduro test but he was a few seconds quicker on the motocross test. I made a mistake and fell towards the end of the day so I’m a little disappointed to not win the E3 championship, but I had a great event and hats off to Jamie.”
Jamie Paget: “The first day was good. I had a great battle with Gordon – he was taking time out of me on the enduro test and I was beating him on the motocross test. There wasn’t much between us all day. I went for it a bit more on the second day. I managed to win all but one test in the E3 class, which I was really pleased with. I feel like I’ve made some big improvements this season. Competing in the European championship has definitely brought me on, and I’ve changed my training and that’s also helped. No, it’s a great end to the season.”
Results - BEC ’09 Rnd 4, day 1 (overall)
1.Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 2798.2; 2. Paul Edmondson (Suzuki) 2841.48; 3. Phillip McLaughlin (Electraction TM UK) 2807.02; 4. Daryl Bolter (KTM) 2885.39; 5. Tom Sagar (Husaberg) 2886.54; 6. Si Wakely (Husqvarna) 2916.42; 7. Greg Evans (KTM) 2929.46; 8. Aston Bird (Husqvarna) 2932.1; 9. Edward Jones (KTM) 2962.91; 10. Ashley Wood (Gas Gas) 3009.78…12. Gordon Clarke (Electraction TM UK) 3082.91; 13. Jamie Paget (Electraction TM UK) 3084.53; 18. Jonathan Pettitt (TM) 3108.39
Results - BEC ’09 Rnd 4, day 2 (overall)
1.David Knight (Kawasaki) 2037.33; 2. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 2086.8; 3. Paul Edmondson (Suzuki) 2143.92; 4. Tom Sagar (Husaberg) 2154.39; 5. Aston Bird (Husqvarna) 2157.31; 6. Si Wakely (Husqvarna) 2176.01; 7. Greg Evans (KTM) 2184.14; 8. Ollie Moyce (Husaberg) 2221.79; 9. Ed Jones (KTM) 2229.81; 10. Lee Edmondson (Honda) 2246.11…12. Jonathan Pettitt (TM) 2254.49; 13. Jamie Paget (Electraction TM UK) 2276.25; 15. Phillip McLaughlin (Electraction TM UK) 2293.87; 17. Gordon Clarke (Electraction TM UK) 2315.19
But at the end of the opening day’s competition McLaughlin placed a creditable third overall having started the day a she meant to continue placing second on the opening special test. Going on to perform well throughout the day McLaughlin worked hard to keep pace with the riders ahead of him and secured his best result of the season, showing that he is without question one of Britain’s most improved enduro riders. Behind McLaughlin TM UK team-mates Gordon Clarke and Jamie Paget scrapped it out for top honours in the E3 class with Clarke placing just two seconds ahead on his younger team-mate. Joining the TM UK regulars at the Natterjack was Jonathan Pettitt who placed third in the E1 two-stroke class at the end of a hard opening day.
Hopeful of matching his day one result McLaughlin frustratingly picked up a two-minute time penalty after a carburettor problem forced him to stop and make some running repairs early on day two. With the problem fixed Phillip went on to end the day well with impressive special test times on both the motocross and enduro tests. Jonathan Pettitt ended the second day’s competition as the highest placed TM rider with a runner-up result in the E1 two-stroke class. But it was Jamie Paget who had most to be pleased with. Finishing ahead of team-mate Clark, and in 13th overall, Jamie wrapped-up the Enduro 3 Championship class BEC title to bring the ’09 British Enduro Championship to a positive close for the Electraction TM UK team.
Phillip McLaughlin: “The first day went really, really well. I made a good strong start to the day on the motocross test, which was great. I made a stupid mistake on the second motocross test and stalled the bike, which cost me quite a bit of time. But I still managed to finish third overall, which is my highest finish ever. I crashed on the first motocross test on day two, which meant I had to play catch up once again. There was about five seconds covering about four riders. I had a carburettor problem on one of the test, which got worse on the going so I had to stop and fix it. I lost two minutes, which is frustrating. It’s disappointing that the last event of the championship didn’t end as well as it should have, but my speed is good and I’ve made some definite steps forward since the start of the year.”
Gordon Clarke: “The Natterjack is always a tough event, and this year it was no different. Jamie Paget and I were neck-and-neck for the E3 championship so I had to win both days. I started really well on the first day - I had a good enduro test. But then I crashed on the motocross test and lost 20 seconds. I was able to make time up on the enduro test, because I was jumping the steep wall, but then Jamie was quicker on the motocross test. By the end of the day I managed to claw my way back and at the finish was just a few seconds ahead, which was great. Jamie really went for it on day two. We were pretty equal on the enduro test but he was a few seconds quicker on the motocross test. I made a mistake and fell towards the end of the day so I’m a little disappointed to not win the E3 championship, but I had a great event and hats off to Jamie.”
Jamie Paget: “The first day was good. I had a great battle with Gordon – he was taking time out of me on the enduro test and I was beating him on the motocross test. There wasn’t much between us all day. I went for it a bit more on the second day. I managed to win all but one test in the E3 class, which I was really pleased with. I feel like I’ve made some big improvements this season. Competing in the European championship has definitely brought me on, and I’ve changed my training and that’s also helped. No, it’s a great end to the season.”
Results - BEC ’09 Rnd 4, day 1 (overall)
1.Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 2798.2; 2. Paul Edmondson (Suzuki) 2841.48; 3. Phillip McLaughlin (Electraction TM UK) 2807.02; 4. Daryl Bolter (KTM) 2885.39; 5. Tom Sagar (Husaberg) 2886.54; 6. Si Wakely (Husqvarna) 2916.42; 7. Greg Evans (KTM) 2929.46; 8. Aston Bird (Husqvarna) 2932.1; 9. Edward Jones (KTM) 2962.91; 10. Ashley Wood (Gas Gas) 3009.78…12. Gordon Clarke (Electraction TM UK) 3082.91; 13. Jamie Paget (Electraction TM UK) 3084.53; 18. Jonathan Pettitt (TM) 3108.39
Results - BEC ’09 Rnd 4, day 2 (overall)
1.David Knight (Kawasaki) 2037.33; 2. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 2086.8; 3. Paul Edmondson (Suzuki) 2143.92; 4. Tom Sagar (Husaberg) 2154.39; 5. Aston Bird (Husqvarna) 2157.31; 6. Si Wakely (Husqvarna) 2176.01; 7. Greg Evans (KTM) 2184.14; 8. Ollie Moyce (Husaberg) 2221.79; 9. Ed Jones (KTM) 2229.81; 10. Lee Edmondson (Honda) 2246.11…12. Jonathan Pettitt (TM) 2254.49; 13. Jamie Paget (Electraction TM UK) 2276.25; 15. Phillip McLaughlin (Electraction TM UK) 2293.87; 17. Gordon Clarke (Electraction TM UK) 2315.19
