A SHORTENED course was prepared for Sudbury Motor Cycle Club's Youth Hare and Hounds Enduro after the main adult event at Foxborough Quarry in Sible Hedingham.

The conditions were just as bad as for the older riders - very muddy, slippery and stamina sapping although the rain held off for the event, which was sponsored by G H Motorcycles and G & B Aggregates.

It was a dead engine start, with the competitors running a few yards to their machines and first away was Will Belton followed by Morgan Plaskett, Cullen Hawkins and Jemma Sargeant.

Unluckiest rider was Billy Sargeant, who was making his debut in this event but fell half way round the first lap and was forced to retire.

First round on lap one was Belton, though, followed by Evan Herbert, with Hawkins in third with a big gap between him and the next two riders Plaskett and Archie Peters.

End of the next lap it was still Belton, but on the next lap, he came off at one of the corners and lost the lead, with Hawkins taking advantage, having also passed Herbert.

Belton was not finished, though, and as a resident of Sible Hedingham, he had village pride at stake.

Within two laps he was leading again and Herbert, who had regained second place, was close on the tail of the leader.

As the time went by, though, Belton pulled away and even had time to come into the pits to re-fuel and keep the lead on his way to taking the victory.

When the hour was up the chequered flag went out, with Belton having completed 21 laps.

Second was Herbert on 16 laps, third was Hawkins on 15 laps, fourth Plaskett on 13, fifth Sargeant on 12 and sixth Peters on 11 laps.