’08 The Tough One – Knight rises to the challenge

They came, they saw but they couldn’t beat David Knight. Despite Poland’s Taddy Blazusiak, Frenchman Cyril Despres and Britain’s Wayne Braybrook, Paul Edmondson and Tom Sagar all taking to the start of Britain’s premier extreme sprint hare scramble with high hopes of victory, the ‘08 edition of The Tough One was dominated by reigning US GNCC and US Endurocross champion David Knight. Winning the event for a fourth consecutive time Knighter showed exactly why he is the world’s number one extreme competitor having put on a fantastic display of speed, endurance and determination.

But Knighter didn't have things all his own way, and surprisingly his closest challenger wasn’t any of the expected extreme specialists entered into the event. Michael Brown, winner of the Speed Trial competition, not only took up the challenge of competing in The Tough One but also caught and passed Knighter to earned himself £1000 for leading the event at the one-hour mark. Able to weave his way around the technical course with relative ease on his Beta trials bike Michael impressed many with his fluid riding and gritty determination.

But with Michael only permitted to compete up until the one-hour mark it was Knighter that was to dominate, despite the best efforts of Blazusiak, Braybrook and Edmondson. With Taddy making several mistakes during the opening laps the Pole was unable to compete against Knight who was never headed at the front of the Pro class. Proving once again to be the master of Nantmawr Quarry Knight claimed a popular win with Blazusiak and Braybrook joining him on the podium.

Every bit as exciting as The Tough One was the Gas Gas UK Speed Trial event. With Steve Colley hoping to repeat his ‘07 victory the Manxman had a disappointing event only managing to place sixth. With competition close at the sharp end of the class Michael Brown claimed a deserved win ahead of Graham Jarvis and Alex Wigg. With just over one minute separating Brown from Jarvis after one-and-a-half hours of action packed racing there was no doubt that the Speed Trial event was again a great success.

Not to be forgotten were the courageous Clubman riders that took up the challenge of getting the day’s racing activities underway who also provided their own unique style of entertainment with Kevin Harris topping the class. With the course simply too tough for many, Kevin, along with five other riders, managed to complete six demanding laps. With Thomas Hick the runner-up, youngster Joe Deakin showed that bigger isn’t always better as he piloted his 85cc KTM to a deserved third place result.

WOR Event’s Steve Ireland: “It was a fantastic day. Last year’s event was great apart from the weather, but this year we had great weather and great racing. The Speed Trial saw some amazing action and then the main Tough One event was unbelievable. David Knight and Michael Brown put on a fantastic show for the spectators, and both proved just how good they are.

“The buzz inside the quarry was fantastic. Having Taddy and Cyril compete added to the excitement but David Knight was just amazing. Now a four-time winner of the event he showed just how good he is and showed why he is the world’s number one.

“As good as the event was in some ways I’m a little sad because I’m not sure if we’ll return to Nantmawr Quarry for The Tough One in ’09. I’ll have a good think about it in the coming weeks and months but it might be time to find a new home for the event. I’d like to thank everyone who came along and supported the event, the riders, the sponsors, the spectators and especially the WOR Events team.”



David Knight Report
Red Bull KTM Off Road Race Team

Knighter wins ’08 The Tough One

Red Bull KTM Off Road Team’s US GNCC champion David Knight claimed his first race win of the ’08 season by dominating the fourth running of the WOR Events The Tough One race. Already a three-time winner of Britain’s premier extreme hare scramble race Knighter made it four wins from four starts with another impressive victory at the Nantmawr Quarry circuit. Finishing alongside David on the podium were Taddy Blazusiak and Wayne Braybrook in second and third places respectively.
 
Despite the much hyped and highly anticipated battle between KTM’s two extreme stars Knight and Blazusiak it was UK trials rider Michael Brown who provided the biggest challenge to Knight’s dominance. Winner of the Speed Trial event Brown earned a place in the main The Tough One race and, able to cross the event’s technical terrain much quicker on a trials bike than all other competitors on their enduro machines, he worked his way past Knight to earn himself £1000 for leading the race at the halfway stage of the race before stopping.
 
Despite becoming one of a number of riders to fall on one of the tyre sections early in the race Knight had things pretty much all his own way in and around the Nantmawr Quarry from the one-hour mark onwards. Second off the start David was soon past Wayne Braybrook and quickly started opening up a healthy lead while his eventual closest rival Blazusiak made several small but costly mistakes on the opening laps. Comfortably ahead as darkness started to fall David maintained his lead to come within little more than 25 seconds of lapping Blazusiak.
 
David’s next event will be the third and final round of the Indoor Enduro World Cup in Genoa, Italy on Saturday, February 2.
 
David Knight: “It’s great to start the year with a win, and to continue my unbeaten run at The Tough One. I’ve been working hard since Christmas, and have probably ridden more than I did all of last year, so I knew I was ready for the race. A lot of people have been quick to shoot me down because of a few disappointing results at the end of last year. I wanted to win to show them that I’m ready for ’08.

“I was pretty relaxed fitting my wheel at the start, although I knew a good start would help I wasn’t too worried about getting away first. It took a bit of a gamble using a trials tyre but it worked out OK. I wouldn’t say it was a huge amount better than an enduro tyre but in a few places it was really good, like when I had to change line to get around someone.

“I got held up behind Wayne Braybrook a bit off the start but it didn’t take too long to get past him and the few Expert riders that were ahead of me. I pushed on hard to try and make the most of the clear track. When Michael Brown caught me on the trials bike I wasn’t going to give up without a fight and ended up colliding with him. I knew there was no way I could keep up with a trials bike out there so I just tried to stay ahead of him for as long as I could. It was good having him in the race. I’m pleased he got the £1000 for leading at the end of the first hour but it was right that he wasn’t allowed to finish the race – it’s so much easier on a trials bike and The Tough One is an event for enduro bikes, that’s what makes it tough.

“I just tried to build up as big a lead as I could after the hour and then backed it down a bit, just to make sure nothing stupid happened. There were a lot of places where you could make mistakes so I went for safer lines. Early on in the race I went over the bars crossing the tyres. I got mud all over my gloves, which made things tricky for a while.

“I’ve been training and working hard in since Christmas so to win shows that things are hopefully on track for a good season. I want to get the Indoor Enduro World Cup wrapped up in a couple of weeks and then focus 100 per cent on my preparations for the US GNCC series. It’s getting harder and harder for me to do occasional extreme races now that my main goal is the GNCC championship, but it’s great to have won.”

David Knight

Results – WOR Events The Tough One, Pro class
1. David Knight (Red Bull KTM Off Road Race Team) 14 laps
2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 14 laps
3. Wayne Braybrook (Gas Gas) 13 laps
4. Paul Edmondson (Suzuki) 13 laps
5. Tom Sagar (KTM) 12 laps
6. Paul Bolton (Honda) 12 laps
7. Cyril Despres (KTM) 12 laps
8. Gordon Crockard (Gas Gas) 12 laps
9. Greg Evans (KTM) 11 laps
10. Juan Knight (Gas Gas) 11 laps



Team KTM Racing Report
Knighter invincible at the 4th edition of "The Tough One"

David Knight celebrates his KTM's (pictured right) took his revenge on fellow KTM factory rider Taddy Blazusiak at the weekend taking a victorious fourth edition of the extreme Enduro Sprint Scramble rightly named "The Tough One".

Blazusiak, who stole victory from the Manxman at the legendary Last Man Standing in the USA in the closing stages of 2007 was second at this challenging event held in the at Nantmawr Quarry near Oswestry (Shropshire U.K.). The stage is now set for a great rematch between these two talented riders at their next mutual encounter.
 
More tempting challenges
The organisers slipped a few more features into this year's challenge and along with the quarry terrain, riders were confronted with more log sections, lorry beds, definitely more rocks and hills and downhill sections described as "just plain scary". Adding to the attractiveness of the event, spectators who braved the weather and the mud got to see more of their heroes on the circuit because entry was limited to 50 riders.
 
Knighter leads at first lap
Knighter got away well in the first lap followed by Wayne Braybrook and Taddy in fourth place, setting the stage for the rest of the event, which started one hour earlier than in previous years. Darkness closed in at 5.00pm leaving the masters of extreme Enduro to negotiate their way through the closing stages with the aid of bike and helmet lights. But Knight, fresh from GNCC successes in the USA, was determined to hold onto The Tough One title and had no trouble walking away with the prize money and congratulations from team-mate Taddy, who finished second. Extreme specialist and former Hells Gate winner Wayne Braybrook was third.

Taddy Blazusiak in action at the Nantmawr Quarry.