We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on his Woldridge / Helyar Honda in time for our Joe’s Bar Goldrush Beach Cross and Rounds 3 & 4 of the BXUK MCF British Beach Cross Championship on 23/24th June, then Ramsgate in October

Photo courtesy of Dave Stewart

This years Margate Beach cross event will be the sixth year we have organised it. The event has two sides to it, the stand alone Monarch of Margate event title in all classes – Adult Solo open (A & B) plus classes for Elite Youth Quad (12 – 16 year olds), Adult Open (A & B) but it also incorporates rounds one and two of the MCFederation sanctioned six round BXUK British Beach Cross Championship held over three weekends. In 2011 the championship attracted even more riders from all across Northern Europe and was won by Frenchman Cyril Debouck in the Quad Class and in the Solo class another Frenchman Arnauld Degousee.

Due to local support there will be rewards and awards for Kent based riders more to be announced next week but lots to go for.

More news and event features emerging daily and entries are still open but note the event has a capped number in each class so to avoid disappointment enter today and be a part of this annual event which attracts tremendous media coverage and profile for riders and our sport alike.

Entries can be downloaded here or by texting the event and your name address to Entry secretary Gaynor on 07718 208640. Other event information from Tony on 07774 434468

With two days of racing it promises to be yet another great weekend…and spectators are again able to watch free from the Margate Promenade. We’ll be announcing more details and updates over the coming weeks so keep checking back plus you can now follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

All Terrain Events/QRA promoted the 2011 BXUK Monarch Of Margate Beach Cross, the sixth time the event has been staged by the organisers and this year incorporated rounds one and two of the 2011 MCF ATE British Beach Cross championships on the golden sands of Margate’s main beach on the 12th 13th March.

Competitors travelled from all across the UK and over twenty from France and Belgium to make the 6th Margate Beach Cross weekend a truly International occasion. Multi British Quad champion Paul Winrow looking very comfortable back on a Winrow Racing Honda this season and last year’s King of Margate, French sand specialist Jerome Bricheux put on a fantastic display of wheel to wheel Quad racing action, joined in three and four way battles by another Frenchman Ceril Debouck and Britain’s Jason Macbeth until mechanical gremlins struck Macbeths weekend.

The two groups of Quads Pro and Expert and two groups of Solo, each group having three fifteen minute plus races on each day put on a great display for the thousands and thousands of spectators who lined the promenade all weekend. The venue provides an aphis theatre style viewing of the action. The organisers achieving high praise and appreciation once again by local businesses and traders, for waking up the town and kick starting the resorts year.

The Solo classes were packed with European visitors, some very much at home in the soft, dry Margate sand. Frenchman Arnauld Degousee, who was beaten down two second from victory only twice in the Solo Pro class out of his six outings. The first time was on Saturday by fellow countryman Cedric Tosatto and the second on Sunday, after a very exciting battle with British rider Matt Bayliss. The top Brit over the two days though was young charger Dean Simes who was up on the footrests trying every second to get on terms with the French riders to fly the Union Jack flag but couldn’t quite do it.

In the Pro Quads last years Margate victor Bricheux was dominant all weekend and was only beaten by mechanical problems. A broken chain on the Saturday and mechanical failure on the Sunday, both times disaster struck whilst leading, handing victory to the calm, Professor Winrow, who had pushed Bricheux all the way. But the mechanical nightmare on the Sunday handed second spot to the smooth styled Cyril Debouck and Bricheux third overall.

Expert Solo class winner was yet another display of French Beach Cross domination with the flamboyant Eric Croquelois leaving the Day brothers from Dover, Ewan and Aston to battle it out for second and third. Ewan being the only rider to stop Crouquelois total class supremacy when he beat him in the sixth and final race of the weekend to the joy of the Margate crowd.

In the Expert Quad class an elated Daniel Bloomfield took overall victory after a gruelling two days of racing. Young Laurence Stopps worked hard at Bloomfield all weekend but had to settle for 2nd overall and Isle Of Wight resident Paul Bennett was over the moon with third step on the podium in the Experts.

The Youth Quads were unfortunately not well supported due to a last minute clash of dates but the two lads that did venture to Margate with their families were more than capable of being mixed in with the Adult Expert class after assessment and showed many adults the way home. 1st overall in the youth class was Joe Sharpe with Leon Patmore 2nd.

To conclude the weekend the Solo and Quad class Teng Tools Dash For Prizes finals were over three laps and produced an exciting conclusion to the event. Bricheux was struggling to get his machine out on track in time so jumped on Antony Barrett’s machine just in time to make it to the line. The flag dropped and he was out front with Winrow and Debouck snapping at his heals. When once again the gremlins struck Bricheux and he was sat in the middle of the track with the crowds growns in disappointment dubbing over the sound of the other machines still going.

Winrow picked up the quality Teng Tools socket set, Debouck the Rip N Roll Goggles and Laurent Solinski the Pro Clean cleaning products.

The solo class Teng Tools Dash for prizes was a two horse race as the other solo competitors were feeling satisfied with the amount of racing they had and sat it out. So the two riders, Brit Bayliss and Frenchman Degousse. It was close but 1st place and the Teng Tools Socket Set going to Matt Bayliss and 2nd winning the Rip N Roll Goggles was Arnauld Degousee.

“I am very proud of what our sport and event has achieved this weekend. Not just for producing outstanding racing on the beach to watch, but we have made such a huge difference to the town, the businesses and the residents who always receive the event with open arms. The smiles and comradery throughout the event and in the paddock between the different Nations and disaplines, was superb all weekend which just leaves me, on behalf of the event team, to say THANK YOU to everyone who has attended the event and whichever side of the promenade you have been, you have all helped make this event the success it has been, excellent THANK YOU” stated Event/Race Director Tony Nash.

Thanks must go to all marshals led by Jon Rootes and his Kent Quads team. Plus Dave Kinnear. Roy Barton, Stumpy. Steve and Gaynor. Paul Oughton. Moose Pittaway. Todd Taft. Tim Lessey. Richard Belle, Karl Pilcher, BXUK resident photographer Jenny Nye, medics, supporters and all the riders and their families.

Plus a big THANK YOU for the help and support from the following;

• Anderson Tyre Services
• Andover IT
• Banana Planet
• Cromwell Trucks
• Influx Mobile
• Lighthouse Bar – Harbour Arm, Margate
• Kent Messenger Group
• Margate Town Partnership
• MC Federation
• Ovenden Plant Hire
• Pro Clean
• Quadzilla
• RNLI
• Sands Cafe – Margate
• Smiths Court Hotel
• Teng Tools
• Thanet Area Scooters
• The Jet Works
• The Mechanical Elephant, Margate
• TT Bike Centre
• Wooldridge Demolition

For a list of the lap times click for 2011 Class Results

Next rounds of the MCF ATE BRITISH BEACH CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS

2^nd 3^rd July at the GoldRush beach cross weekend at Ingoldmells, Near Skegness.

22^nd 23^rd October and the Ramsgate Rumble Beach Cross weekend at Ramsgate, Kent.

The BXUK crew will be there Friday evening from 7:00pm so come along and join us.

With two days of racing and spectators able to watch free from the Margate Promenade it promises to be another great weekend. We’ll be announcing more details and updates over the coming weeks…and keep an eye on our Countdown Clock at the top of each page.

Please note all times subject to change!

Currently available as a PDF file (you’ll need Acrobat to read it) but we are also formatting it to appear on the page directly as part of the Margate Beach Cross revamp. This should be available from Tuesday 9th March.

Saturday saw some great racing – the weather stayed dry (although one racer didn’t!) and the spectators were out in force. Sunday will see the final races and the “Dash For Cash” event plus the final trophy presentations.

And if you have any good gossip feel free to tip us off!

The downside appears to be the temperature which looks to be sitting at around 4 – 6 degrees. Hopefully that will be wrong however it may be worth wrapping up warm and bringing a hat and some gloves!!