This Is Guernsey

Hamish Moriarty takes to the air on Saturday while competing in the MX2 class. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin, 0537486)

IT WAS almost a Pearce family whitewash in the adult classes of the second round of the GK&MC motocross season.

There was some close racing on an unseasonably dry track at Pleinmont, with brothers Brett and Jake Pearce entered in alternate classes for a change.

The older Jake, a normal entrant in the premier MX2, suffered a nasty leg injury in the close season that required surgery.

Returning to racing for the first time since his surgeon had given him the all-clear, he elected to ride in the adult open class to gain strength and stamina following his enforced lay-up.

It was evident from the start of the meeting that his pace had not been adversely affected, as early tussles in the first and second races with normal class leader Anyon Robilliard saw Jake take the leading position and the eventual wins.

In the final race of the day, Robilliard’s superior stamina shone through and he took a comfortable win to halt Pearce’s march.

Fifteen-year-old Brett made things look a little easier in the MX2 class with near-perfect riding displays.

He has really gelled with his KTM250cc four-stroke machine after only two events on it and now appears to be unstoppable.

He took wins in all the races, which puts him on a high before he travels to Spain this week for training to mount an assault on the English National Championship later this year.

In the youth classes, Riley King was victor in the first auto race, with Joshua Lambourne taking the other two wins.

Although Lambourne appears to be faster than King, he became his own worst enemy in the races when unforced errors saw him on the floor on more than one occasion.

In the 65cc junior class, Jersey’s Connor Hamon once again showed all the Sarnians in his class how to ride, winning all the races.

Locals Bradley Matthews and Louis Waddingham rode consistently to take second and third respectively, but it was Jordan Palmeri who deserved a special mention for showing great promise in only his second meeting on a bigger bike with gears and riding on the complete circuit after two seasons on an auto machine on the small circuit.

In the 85cc classes, Jerseyman Matthew Rayson dominated all the small-wheeled races.

Luke Lesbirel took all the race wins in the big-wheeled class, but he didn’t have an easy time in securing them, with great pressure being applied by his younger brother, Aaron.

In the youth open class, Jess Dray once again managed to take all the wins from Eloise Boucher.

The next round of the 2008 season, which is kindly sponsored by Holeshot, takes place at Pleinmont Point on Saturday 1 March, with racing from 11am after a 10am practice start time.