Spa

The Team travel tomorrow to Spa for the second round of the FIM European Classic Series, to be held on Saturday, from 20.00 hrs to midnight.

Peter Linden, Hugh Brasher and Cormac Conroy need to build on the Team’s 2nd place at Paul Ricard to stay in the hunt for this year’s championship, in the face of the strong performance by Team Force at round 1, and at Mettet.

The Team will test at Spa on Thursday the 3rd of July to be prepared for Friday’s practice and qualifying.

For those that don’t know, Spa is only 3 hours from Calais.

See you there!

Also, have a look on the ECS website: http://www.europeanclassicseries.eu/en/node/133

Motogiro d’Italia Centenary

Team members Roy Hood and Russell Benney, supported by Phill Haynes and Lida van Ham completed the 100th edition of the Motogiro d’Italia last week.

The 1000 mile event started at Misano Circuit, and circumnavigated Imola, Alba, Genova, Florence, Bologna and returned to Misano.

Despite the range of conditions, from 38 degr. C to torrential rain, Russell completed the event on his 1956 175cc Moto Morini in equal 10th place, and Roy finished 35th on his 1955 Gilera 150cc, after suffering a failed generator and broken clutch cable.

The organisation was, let’s say typically Italian, but despite this everybody enjoyed themselves.

The scenery (particularly the Mediterranean coast and Apennine Mountains) was fantastic.

The people were very friendly and the hospitality offered by the villages that the Giro passed through was overwhelming.

To be recommended!

Phase One at the Moto Giro d’Italia

Roy Hood, Phill Haynes, Russell and Lida head for Misano tomorrow for the start of the 100th Moto Giro. Roy and Russell have been talking about competing in the giro for years and at last it’s come to fruition.

The event is run on a unique course of 1600 kms (1000miles), over 6 days and the eligible bikes are machines of 175cc or less, built up to 1957. Roy will compete on a 1957? 150cc Gilera and Russell on a 1955 175cc Morini tourismo.

Roy’s machine is newly restored and will be competing in its first giro whereas Russell’s bike has a couple of giros under its belt in the hands of well known veteran Harry Long.

This year’s event starts near Misano on the Adriatic coast, strikes north west, almost to the French border and then returns south east, following the Mediteranian, almost to Pisa before going inland once more to return to Misano.

Phill and Lida will be in support, helping with any repairs or mechanical work and organising logistics.

In truth, it should be a good jolly with a lot of back ache.!!

2nd at Mettet 4 hours, Belgium 17th/18th May

Cormac Conroy and Stéphane Mertens produced another marvellous rostrum position for the Team. The race was held in glorious conditions over 2 legs of 2 hours each, both in daylight.

The main competition came from current World Endurance Superstock champion Gregory Fastre, who was partnered by ex World Endurance Champion Richard Hubin, on the Team Force GSX 1100 Suzuki.

Team Force won both legs and the race overall, 3^rd place was achieved by Peter Coppens and Christian Govaert.

Sweatshop Phase One had a trouble free first leg finishing in 2^nd position, 70 secs behind Team Force. The Team chose a strategy of Mertens-Conroy-Mertens with approx. equal stints.

The second leg produced a hard stopping dice between Fastre and Mertens, all through the firsts stint. Mertens came out on top at the end of the rota and pitted with a 1 second lead. During the battle Stéphane Mertens broke his own record with a time of 1.11.4 seconds.

This rota was definitely the highlight of the meeting, involving three or four exchanges of the lead.

By the 80^thminute the Team had slipped behind Team Force by 20 seconds, with Cormac Conroy circulating steadily in the 1.15/16 second area.

At some point during the second leg the teams development alternator failed and during the final rota a misfire set in, eventually causing Mertens to stop to have the battery changed.
Despite Mertens putting the hammer down he could only manage third place at the end of race 2.

This race was not part of the FIM European Classic Series, but proved again that the main competition for the title is coming from Team Force on the GSX 1100 Suzuki.

Spa is next on the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th of July and the Team will have to come up with something special to beat them.

The Team wishes to thank all its sponsors for their valuable support.

Results:

1. Hubin/Fastre Morena Suzuki 187 laps

2. Mertens/Conroy P&M Kawasaki 182 laps

3. Coppens/Govaert Ducati TT1 181 laps

4 Senechal/Frerad Suzuki GSX 179 laps

5. Ruiz/Atisy Suzuki GSX 179 lap

6. Blain/Blain Kawasaki Z1000 176 laps

7 .Morlon/Hernandez BMW RS 172 laps

8. Unverzagt/Unverzagt Suzuki GSX 167 laps

9. Walschaert/de Winter Yamaha XS 164 lap

10.Rene/Rene Martin Kawasaki 163 laps

Fastest lap: Gregory Fastre 1min.11.1secs

Photographs by Jacco Dijkhuizen

Simon Andrews

Today we received the news that Simon Andrews succumbed to the injuries he sustained from his NorthWest 200 crash last weekend.

Simon was involved with the Phase One Shell Endurance Academy Team in the early 2000s, and in more recent years Phase One team members have rubbed shoulders with him during his Honda TT Legends races.
Simon will be remembered for doing everything at 100%.

Our sympathies are extended to Simon’s family and friends.

Photograpy by Dave Martin