Tonfanau Easter Sunday (and strange year beginning!)

[KatieMsidecar]

I was marshalling, as my bike is not ready and money is a bit tight, and I forgot to pick up a programme, so forgive me not knowing everyone's names and the fact I didn't get lap times.

Sidecars were a bit traumatic! Kenny Howles had brake problems in practice and had a collision with Mark Berry and Adam Illman at Paddock Bend. Mark and Adam only suffered a little and the fariring was gaffer taped back together, but Kenny's passenger got trapped under as Kenny's new MR Equipe outfit flipped, and he was taken to hospital with chest pains.

Terry Howse was in the programme but didn't make an appearance, so it was a reduced field of 4 out for the first race. John Shipley and Ian Cunliffe led away with Lewis Blackstock and Haydon in hot pursuit followed by Charlie Morphet and Paul and Mark and Adam. Lewis managed to pass John and took the win. Charlie Morphet had a horrendous accident on the Finish straight, but for the life of me I can't remember whether it was in the first race or the second. I was watching Paddock bend and knew nothing of the outfit flying towards me on the grass until just before Paul the passenger shot past the marshal post barrier. I saw Charlie was on his feet, but Paul was motionless resting on the grass in the recovery position which he had landed in. The paramedics were across the track to him within a few seconds, and soon Paul's eyes were fluttering. There was a lot of mud, fibreglass and occasional bits of metal off the track. Charlie's outfit was a terrible mess, and obviously something had broken but I am not quite sure what had gone wrong.

Later Paul visited the commentator's hut and said he had a bit of a headache! Very glad he recovered so quickly.

The second race was won by Lewis, with John second and Mark third. The last race was led from start to finish by John, with Lewis slowing and Mark bringing up the rear. Kenny had tried to come out for the last race with a stand-in solo boy as a passenger, but it seems the outfit wouldn't start.

Very oddly, I was awarded the Sidecar Merit Award, for being a marshal rather than racing! That makes two prizes this year so far, without a bike and with a new passenger who has yet to get on the outfit! What a strange year it is turning into!

Marianne

[InkyAnn]

Ouch - GWS to those who had incidents! Congrats on your prize Marianne