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Guinness World Record tumbles
at biggest Le Minz 24 Hour Scooterthon yet
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September 9, 2008 - There is nothing
quite like it in Australia or indeed the world, and the 2007 High
Roller Energy Le Minz 24 Hour Scooterthon has been hailed as a
resounding success by entrants and organizers with the biggest field
of competitors ever taking part.
While rain threatened in the lead up to the event, the Gold Coast
turned on some of its best weather for the grueling endurance race,
with clear sunny skies throughout the day and cool, crisp conditions
at night.
The Parklands Go Kart track was transformed into a temporary motor
racing circuit, with giant High Roller Energy cans creating a
spectacle for interested, and somewhat intrigued visitors.
The capacity field of 25 scooters were off to a flying start, with
the individual riders heading the pack. The opening laps were
processional as riders tested the limits and cornering abilities of
their machines, with the tight undulating circuit providing an
interesting challenge with a number of technical corners.
Minutes became hours for riders and teams as the enormity of the
task set in, with well over 1500 laps of the 660 meter track still
in front of them. The teams enjoyed a strong start, and local
scooter dealers were on the pace early with their strategy favoring
longer stints on their respective machines.
Riders were free to pit to change or refuel at any time, but the
first mandatory break after the three hour mark was a welcome
breather and provided everyone with a chance to refocus.
Daylight quickly became scarce, and the headlights were flicked on,
followed by flood lighting. Mental focus was a major factor in
maintaining rhythm for the riders overnight and a handful of small
spills kept everyone on their toes.
A scorching pace saw the current Guinness World Record approach
mid-morning, and the mark was easily eclipsed by young Jake Dolan on
a TGB 101S, the individual rider winner, who clocked up an
incredible 1178.76 kilometers at the event’s midday finish. Jake’s
name will replace former record-holder Julio Languillier as the
rider to complete the longest distance on a 50cc scooter over a
24-hour period.
The 18-year-old rode with a maturity beyond his years, holding his
own towards the end of the event and receiving a huge cheer from the
crowd as he greeted the waved Australian flags to signal the end of
the iconic 24-hour event.
“It’s pretty hard to put in words how it feels, it was so hard and I
will definitely be aching for days to come,” said Dolan.
“I just tried to get into a rhythm, and ride fast and consistently,
there was no point in battling for position if it was going to risk
having a slide,” he said.
“The bike was great, and was very reliable, it was fun to ride and
comfortable, even over such a long distance. The weather was a
bonus, it was pretty cold at night but at least the rain stayed
away.”
For his efforts, as well as a spot in the hallowed book of Guinness
World Records, Jake also earns himself an awesome new Motostik.
And while Jake took the spoils for the individual riders, it was a
local team from the Gold Coast’s Scooter Shop that took the team
victory and overall event honors.
Peter Whitehead, Peter Heran and Ron Funk made a formidable trio,
holding off the CAPA Stuntriders by a small margin. The Scooter Shop
team completed 1831 laps, with the CAPA team close behind on 1829, a
good indication of the close and even nature of the competition.
Whitehead said the 24 Hour had been an extremely tough physical
challenge and said fatigue played a big part.
“As a team we were able to take breaks off the bike, so I can only
imagine how tough it would have been for the guys going it alone,”
he said.
“Every bone in my body is aching, it was a lot of fun but very very
testing, the TGB held up well over such a long distance.”
Funk completed the final stint for the Scooter Shop, and said he was
struggling to concentrate as part of his ride during the late night
and early evening.
“I was seeing stars there for a while, it was hard to keep focusing
but I had good support from the guys.”
“The scrapes and scratches are only temporary,” he said, holding out
a bandaged arm. “The glory is forever!”
Event Organizer Mark Petersen said the High Roller Energy Le Minz 24
Hour Scooterthon had been the most successful yet, and praised the
efforts of all involved.
“It was a great event to be a part of and everyone had a lot of fun,
the support from the local dealers has been fantastic,” said
Petersen.
“It was great to see young Jake break the world record, we were
confident that it would fall with the perfect conditions, and he has
done a great job to hold off Dale (Corser) to take the individual
win.”
“There was some spirited competition between the teams and it made
for a very interesting event which saw a lot of spectators come
along to check out the action.”
In total, 8 manufacturers were represented at this weekend’s event -
Arqin, TGB, Yamaha, V Moto, Peugeot, Aprilia, Bug and Daelim.
The event was strongly supported by local media, with Hot Tomato
hosting live crosses throughout the weekend and Channel 9, NBN and
Channel 10 coming along to capture the action as well. Gold Coast
Bulletin journalist Ben Dillaway immersed himself in the event,
forming Team Bulletin, with a full account of his experience.
More info,
click here
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