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Photo - Paul Whibley:
From Bren, a guy Whibs has met up with over there and who is giving him some support.
Another note from Paul Whibley.
Whibs is campaigning the 2004 season with HONDA RACING FAST EDDY:
If you would like to send Whibs your support he is @ paulwhibley@hotmail.com
The WEC in Serres, Greece was a tough event. Tough because of the demanding track
and tests that had been set out by the organizers but also tough on me
through lack of preparation. I will get to the prep. part soon, first
though the course.
There were two cross tests, one of which was very tight and twisty around
the infield of a race car circuit. The other was a nice natural test around
some hills with lots of cambers and technical bits. The third test was an
Enduro test which weaved its way up a stream, crossing maybe twenty times,
then climbing up through some trees and then weaving its way back down a
ridge along some rocky downhill trails.
Now the prep. part. I wasn't expecting great results from this race as I'm
still not 100% after compressing two vertabrae. Also this was my first
Enduro on the CRF450. So lack of time on the bike in Enduro tests was going to
count against me when I'm up against the worlds best.
At the moment I have
no practice bike. I have been practicing on my race bike. All bikes were
loaded into the big truck prior to the 6 day.
So while the truck was in
Poland for the 6 day I had no bike to practice on, therefore I hadn't ridden
my bike for three weeks prior to the Greece WEC. I did manage to fit in one
club MX on a borrowed 450 before we left for Greece. Also not riding the 6
day left me feeling a bit behind the 8 ball as everyone else was in test
(race) mode already and I hadn't done an Enduro since July. There had been
a lack of testing as well. I didn't get my 450 to WEC race trim until three
days before the start of the event. So testing was shall we say, limited. I
struggled with the changed power characteristic.
Anyway I did finish. I managed to finish 9th on Saturday, improving through
the day as I became accustomed to the bike. On Sunday I finished 6th, I
was happy with this considering everything.
The highlight of the weekend for me I guess was in the cross test. There
was a small eroded gully and when we walked it I talked with Knighter
about the possibility to jump it. It would be 3rd or 4th gear but the up
ramp was dodgy and the run up was dog legged. We decided it was possible.
So come race day I held it on and jumped it, just...... I got a bit side-ways
going through the s bend, hit a kicker on the up ramp and got really out of
shape. I nearly came off big time. I talked to Knighter and Ahola after
the race and I think I was the only one who jumped it, out of the whole
field. Several journalists and people who had witnessed or heard about the
jump talked to me after the race and congratulated me on my ballsy effort.
Off to Germany in a couple of days for the last round and then heading back
to NZ about a week later.
Thanks to everyone for the emails of support. I
read them all and try to reply but I am a bit of a muppet at typing.
See
you all soon.
Paul
