Sponsorship! That has to be my main focus at the moment if I'm going to try to improve on what I achieved this year.
The way I see it, I need to ride as many events as possible, not only to help improve my riding, but to give me a better chance at competing for a top result in the series I enter.
There are plenty of things I can offer potential sponsors (mainly advertising), I just need to find a sponsor who takes an active interest and genuinely wants to help me as a rider as well as gaining the benefits of the sponsorship itself.
At this moment things are still very much undecided for next year, but a loose plan is to compete in as many rounds as possible of the 2015 All Terrain Rally Challenge and the clubman class of the 2015 ET James Welsh Enduro Championship.
I would love to ride in the Rally class in the ATRC - the rules have changed for the class system which opens up a lot of possibilities, but it's something I've wanted to do for a long time. There's scope for riding my 300 in the new <450 rally class which would require a 13L tank and frame mounted fairing but I would definitely want to do the roadbook sections too, so I'd need some basic nav gear. That setup is the best part of £500. Obviously the dream scenario is that I end up with a 450RR 4T that I can use just for the ATRC, but until that happens, I'm still looking at ways to ride in both enduro and rally disciplines.
I could go on about all sorts of plans like International Rallies, Extreme Enduros, Sprints, Hare & Hounds and so on - they are at the back of my mind in case I'm able to get the support I need to go and do them, so I'm keeping all my options open for the next few months. Watch this space!
Friday, 21 November 2014
Saturday, 15 November 2014
Camera angles and winter rally practice
I took the opportunity today to try out some new camera angles while I was out training. I've got to admit it was a hard slog today! The ground was saturated and the grass and mud were like ice. Great practice but hard on the body, it's so intense and difficult to keep up the pace.
My favourite camera angle was when I mounted it on the swing-arm. I'd say I probably need a dry day to get the best out of it, but I like the perspective.
I'd still like to try some alternative camera angles but I haven't yet figured out a reliable way of mounting the camera to either mudguard without drilling holes in them!
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy a few clips of the 300 being put through its paces on a wet winter's day in Wales. Nothing beats a power slide!
My favourite camera angle was when I mounted it on the swing-arm. I'd say I probably need a dry day to get the best out of it, but I like the perspective.
I'd still like to try some alternative camera angles but I haven't yet figured out a reliable way of mounting the camera to either mudguard without drilling holes in them!
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy a few clips of the 300 being put through its paces on a wet winter's day in Wales. Nothing beats a power slide!
Monday, 10 November 2014
Final standings: 2014 All Terrain Rally Challenge
What a season it's been! I've had a brilliant time racing in the All Terrain Rally Challenge in 2014, from the Brechfa rally in March to the Cambrian rally just gone.
I'm very pleased with what I've achieved on what was a new bike to me at the start of the year. In fact, the Brechfa was the first time I rode the 300 EXC "in anger"!
I fought hard and I felt like I rode well and consistently over the 5 Welsh rounds I completed. We had some fantastic competition going in the Rally Lite 2T >249cc class, having to go to the Cambrian with everything hanging in the balance in the ATRC series was a real buzz for all of us!
Unfortunately, I wasn't quite able to clinch the win in the class over the series, I did get maximum points at the Cambrian but it wasn't quite enough! Happily however, it did mean that I managed to climb to 2nd. What an incredibly close finish it was, not only in the event itself, where there were mere seconds separating us at the end of two days of competition and 8 special tests, but in the series overall.
Out of the top 3 in our class, the eventual winner (98 points) had completed 7 rounds and therefore had the benefit of dropping their lowest score. The format of the series is that your best 6 rounds out of a maximum of 8 count towards your final score, so I was at a disadvantage having only completed 5 (96 points), but that makes the 2nd place even sweeter!
Congratulations to my fellow competitors, it's been a lot of fun racing with you this year and I am already looking forward to the ATRC in 2015.
The "winners" for 2014 have been published on the All Terrain Rally Challenge website and the full standings for all classes can be viewed here.
2014 All Terrain Rally Challenge Rally Lite 2T >249cc class:
2nd Ioan Whittick
I'm very pleased with what I've achieved on what was a new bike to me at the start of the year. In fact, the Brechfa was the first time I rode the 300 EXC "in anger"!
I fought hard and I felt like I rode well and consistently over the 5 Welsh rounds I completed. We had some fantastic competition going in the Rally Lite 2T >249cc class, having to go to the Cambrian with everything hanging in the balance in the ATRC series was a real buzz for all of us!
Unfortunately, I wasn't quite able to clinch the win in the class over the series, I did get maximum points at the Cambrian but it wasn't quite enough! Happily however, it did mean that I managed to climb to 2nd. What an incredibly close finish it was, not only in the event itself, where there were mere seconds separating us at the end of two days of competition and 8 special tests, but in the series overall.
Out of the top 3 in our class, the eventual winner (98 points) had completed 7 rounds and therefore had the benefit of dropping their lowest score. The format of the series is that your best 6 rounds out of a maximum of 8 count towards your final score, so I was at a disadvantage having only completed 5 (96 points), but that makes the 2nd place even sweeter!
Congratulations to my fellow competitors, it's been a lot of fun racing with you this year and I am already looking forward to the ATRC in 2015.
The "winners" for 2014 have been published on the All Terrain Rally Challenge website and the full standings for all classes can be viewed here.
2014 All Terrain Rally Challenge Rally Lite 2T >249cc class:
2nd Ioan Whittick
Tuesday, 28 October 2014
RallyMoto raise £200 for Wales Air Ambulance at the Tarenig Rally
I'd like to say a big thanks to the RallyMoto club for helping me raise a fantastic £200 for Wales Air Ambulance by including an optional donation on the entry system for the recent Tarenig Rally.
Most importantly, I'd like to thank everybody who donated, it's great to see how well supported Wales Air Ambulance are in the off-road community and people have been very generous.
Here I am at the Cambrian Rally accepting the cheque from Robert 'Burt' Hughes from RallyMoto. Many thanks to Alex from TBM for the picture!
Most importantly, I'd like to thank everybody who donated, it's great to see how well supported Wales Air Ambulance are in the off-road community and people have been very generous.
Here I am at the Cambrian Rally accepting the cheque from Robert 'Burt' Hughes from RallyMoto. Many thanks to Alex from TBM for the picture!
Monday, 27 October 2014
Video: Ceri Hare & Hounds
A lap of the course from Sunday's Ceri Hare & Hounds forming round 1 of the MWTRA Winter XC Forest Challenge. Filmed on board the Wales Air Ambulance EXC:
Fundraising total - Wales Air Ambulance EXC
The project has now finished and I've raised: £682.
Thank you once again to everybody who was donated and supported this project throughout the year, I really appreciate it.
The goal of this project was mainly to raise awareness and I think in that respect it has been a great success! On the fundraising side, the total raised didn't reach the goal of the approximate cost of 1 Wales Air Ambulance mission, but is a great amount nonetheless.
Thank you once again to everybody who was donated and supported this project throughout the year, I really appreciate it.
The goal of this project was mainly to raise awareness and I think in that respect it has been a great success! On the fundraising side, the total raised didn't reach the goal of the approximate cost of 1 Wales Air Ambulance mission, but is a great amount nonetheless.
Sunday, 26 October 2014
Race report: MWTRA Winter XC Forest Challenge round 1
I was quite excited and looking forward to this one, I'd never done a Hare & Hounds event before, so I had no idea what to expect!
This event was the first of a 3-part series which the MWTRA club run over the winter. I'd entered the Sportsman and plan on completing all 3 rounds to keep my fitness up, ready for the new season in 2015.
I spent most of Saturday getting the bike ready after the Cambrian rally the week before. I changed the air filter and chain link, then tightened the chain, checked my bolts and spokes, re-fitted the dust seal from the left hand fork which had popped out and adjusted my controls on the bars. The weather was pretty wet on Saturday so I knew it would be a bit of a slog on Sunday, but I was just keen to go and have some fun.
Sunday arrived and for once I didn't need to be up early! With the clocks going back overnight and a late start of 12pm, I didn't need to get to Ceri until 10am for scrutineering. Unfortunately, although I'd had plenty of sleep, I woke up with an ear infection and felt pretty rough! Oh well, an extra little challenge for me throughout the day then, as long as it didn't affect my balance too badly.
The sidecars and quads had already been round when we got there and our race set off at 12 for 3 hours. It was a strange experience for me having to do a mass start with everybody having to place both hands on their helmets before the flag dropped!
The course was great, very challenging with a lot of technical riding and a fairly rough track in general when it wasn't weaving through the trees and snotty bits. I was trying to pace myself so I didn't tire too early and it seemed to work well. I felt good and came in to refuel on laps 3 and 6, stopping quickly in between for some new goggles. When I got to the bottom of the last uphill climb, I realised I would arrive almost exactly on the cut-off for another lap. I decided that I'd had a good day and didn't want to ruin it by pushing my luck, so I took a breather with some other like-minded riders and set off a couple of minutes later to ride straight into the finish.
I really enjoyed the course, it included exactly the kind of tricky stuff in the trees I enjoy and some varied trails. I wasn't sure how I'd fare fitness-wise against the regulars, but I did reasonably well and was pleased with how I rode.
The results were being displayed live thanks to the transponders being used as usual by MWTRA, which means I already know that I finished 7th in the Sportsman after completing 8 laps. The eventual winner had completed 9 laps so I think that was a pretty good day at the office! Looking forward to the next round now at the end of November in Colstey, thanks everybody involved for their efforts.
This event was the first of a 3-part series which the MWTRA club run over the winter. I'd entered the Sportsman and plan on completing all 3 rounds to keep my fitness up, ready for the new season in 2015.
I spent most of Saturday getting the bike ready after the Cambrian rally the week before. I changed the air filter and chain link, then tightened the chain, checked my bolts and spokes, re-fitted the dust seal from the left hand fork which had popped out and adjusted my controls on the bars. The weather was pretty wet on Saturday so I knew it would be a bit of a slog on Sunday, but I was just keen to go and have some fun.
Sunday arrived and for once I didn't need to be up early! With the clocks going back overnight and a late start of 12pm, I didn't need to get to Ceri until 10am for scrutineering. Unfortunately, although I'd had plenty of sleep, I woke up with an ear infection and felt pretty rough! Oh well, an extra little challenge for me throughout the day then, as long as it didn't affect my balance too badly.
The sidecars and quads had already been round when we got there and our race set off at 12 for 3 hours. It was a strange experience for me having to do a mass start with everybody having to place both hands on their helmets before the flag dropped!
The course was great, very challenging with a lot of technical riding and a fairly rough track in general when it wasn't weaving through the trees and snotty bits. I was trying to pace myself so I didn't tire too early and it seemed to work well. I felt good and came in to refuel on laps 3 and 6, stopping quickly in between for some new goggles. When I got to the bottom of the last uphill climb, I realised I would arrive almost exactly on the cut-off for another lap. I decided that I'd had a good day and didn't want to ruin it by pushing my luck, so I took a breather with some other like-minded riders and set off a couple of minutes later to ride straight into the finish.
I really enjoyed the course, it included exactly the kind of tricky stuff in the trees I enjoy and some varied trails. I wasn't sure how I'd fare fitness-wise against the regulars, but I did reasonably well and was pleased with how I rode.
The results were being displayed live thanks to the transponders being used as usual by MWTRA, which means I already know that I finished 7th in the Sportsman after completing 8 laps. The eventual winner had completed 9 laps so I think that was a pretty good day at the office! Looking forward to the next round now at the end of November in Colstey, thanks everybody involved for their efforts.
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