The W.A. Hard Enduro Series Round 1 - The Toodyay Terror.
Held at the beginning of April, it was almost a certainty that the Graham Jarvis Invitational was going to be a race in a dust bowl. But the 32 riders that entered the event didn’t whine and moan about it. They just made the best of an epic opportunity to ride with the legend.
But for pity’s sake, can it rain now please! I don’t care which side of the bunting you are on, none of us need another lungful the likes of what we ingested in Bridgetown!
WHES has lined up the most amazing calendar of events for the 2023 season and the opening event, Toodyay Terror, has to be one of the best hard enduro circuits on the calendar! The terrain is about as abrupt as you’d want it to be if you are on anything other than a trials bike and it is awesome for spectators.
It is located less than 45 min from most parts of Perth; a sweet little jaunt out along Toodyay Road (grab a coffee and a sweety at the Gidgee Bakery) with only one left turn to remember onto Morangup Road.
Spectating a natural terrain race doesn’t get any easier. You can negotiate the entire circuit loop in not much more than your best pair of jandals, with a couple of bottles of Evian in your fanny pack.
And, after the last battered Gold Class competitor drags his or her sorry arse across the finish line, the barbeque goes on, the beers and burgers come out and the sun slips away among the Salmon Gums. Toodyay Terror is a great day on or off the bike.
Last weekend’s socials were flooded with those of the flock out doing a collective rain dance and it seems the gods of Hard Enduro have considered their efforts with a modicum of empathy and compassion.
There is some rain forecast for this weekend (25% of 6mm), but will it come in time? If it doesn’t, the Terror will be dry. But it will be grippy, which will bring up the pace a little.
Bronze and Silver Class are racing 2.5 hours + lead lap with Bronze kicking up the first dust at 8:30 am. Gold Class is pushing longer and harder: guns are drawn at midday for them, and they will be out there for 3 hours. Silver launch at 12:30 to add to the obstacles Gold must contend with.
So, what will we expect to see?
Unfortunately, few eastern states riders will be over here sticking their thorns in our side. The AHEC’s Mother of Mayhem is on the week after the Terror, so the likes of Matty Broderick and Josh Ibrahim are staying close to home.
What we do know, however, is that Rieju Australia rider Sam Rogers (supported by MotoMax of Osborne Park), who finished third at Toodyay in the last round of 2022, will be amongst it to see if he can go two steps higher up the podium. With WRD Rider and 2022 Champion Darren Rudling fighting an injury (he should probably still be sidelined for) I very much doubt that he will keep Side Show Bob in his box.
Sam’s aspirations may become an actuality, or will they only be an apparition?
Last year’s event winner, Neil Price, is an unexpected entry. I thought the Pricey would be tied up this weekend with the TDN (Trials Des Nations), happening just across the valley. But he has assured me he will be on deck! So that makes two trials legends going bar to bar. Unfortunately, Mark Atherton can’t make it the Toodyay Terror Trials Trifecta, as he is too busy sipping Peronis on the international circuit in Spain.
No doubt a swarm of eyes and airhorns will follow WRD Junior Academy Rider Jakob Petrig. Jakob just finished 11th overall (half a second off the top ten!!) in Expert class at the Preston Sprint. Not half bad for a rider that has done virtually no enduro racing in the sand. A massive credit to the commitment and tenacity of this young gun.
But, as much as I am keen to see the furore at the front of the pack, I am more keen to see what comes of the Silver class riders stepping up to Gold, and the Bronze riders stepping into Silver.
Or, for that matter, the “No Class” riders having a crack for the first time.
What sort of terror will play out at Toodyay? Grab your sombrero, a sturdy pair of jandals, an air horn and come find out.
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