Coming so soon off the euphoria of the successful running of the ‘Ard Rock Enduro last weekend, the UK enduro scene was greeted this morning with a sad announcement from Steve Parr, the man behind the UK Gravity Enduro Series, where he announced that the remaining two rounds of the UKGA would have to be cancelled due to a lack of pre-entries.
It’s with deep regret and sadness, we have to announce that rounds 4&5 of UKGE are going to be cancelled. I’m truly sorry that it has come to this.
Putting on a series of this size costs so much money and time that it needed rider and industry support, but both were down on previous years. I could go onto blame things here, but I’m not going to, just give you fact.
If the series were to continue, then the series will put itself into debt. I have not taken any money from the series whatsoever since I started work on it in 2017. With no other personal income over that period, there is no way I can pay off any debt. Once I have paid off suppliers from round 3 I will let everyone know what is left and what they can expect to receive as a partial refund.
We could just continue to take your money, but I’m not a crook. Unfortunately, we just haven’t been able to generate enough entries to make the last 2 rounds happen.
This is my fault alone and I will have to carry that burden till the end of my days and never organise another race.
Deepest regret and huge apologies,
Steve Parr
But it doesn’t seem all doom and gloom for UK enduro racing. As well as there being several standalone events (like the recent Ard Rock Enduro, along with Tweedlove and PMBA) today there’s an announcement from BEMBA, the UK’s organisation of British Enduro race organisers, that talks have been progressing to have a national enduro series in 2019. The difference to the UKGE will be that individual races will be organised by a different organiser every round, to spread the burden of work and to allow the local organisers to make the most of their local connections for that particular race.
Here’s what the BEMBA release says:
BEMBA National Enduro Series 2019
The new BEMBA National Enduro Series will be spread over the UK with the final round being the National Championships race. There are plans for races in England, Wales and Scotland with the possibility of including an Irish round.
The events are planned for April, May, June, August and September. July will be kept race-free so as not to interfere with summer holiday plans.
In the same style as the newly formed National Downhill Series, the new National Enduro Series will be run by different race organisers who will each put on their own event and manage all of the different aspects of organisation.
The series proposes a simple two-day format with a full day’s practice on Saturday and racing on Sunday, with no pre-practice allowed.
Discussions are under way to create a Team Championship trophy with mixed gender teams of three and the potential for double series points at the Champs event to encourage riders to take part.
All events will be run as part of the host organiser’s existing plans, taking some of the best events in the country and turning them into one national series.
At this stage, the proposed entry fees are to be confirmed…
This concept has been in the pipeline since 2017 but was never initiated as BEMBA wanted to allow a single organiser the chance to make it happen.
BEMBA organisers in support of the series: No Fuss, Tweedlove, Mini Enduro, WGES, Swinley Enduro, Southern Enduro, PMBA, Welsh Enduro Series, Pedalhounds, Ard Events, Boltby Bash, Manx Enduro and NDH are committed to making the National Enduro Series a big success.
More news when we’ve got it…
