FOUR Jersey motorcyclists tackled freezing temperatures, strong winds, tough competition and snow at Donington Park over the weekend, all emerging with credit from the British Motorcycle Racing Club event.

Luke de la Cour was the top performer of the quartet when, on a damp track, he managed to get pole position for the first race in the BEMSEE Powerbikes class. He was rightly proud of this and said: ‘This is a wicked circuit, a real big boys’ circuit and pole position is a good as it gets.’ He went on to record excellent placings of 8th, 7th, 5th and 9th in his four races.

Nick Daghorn and Rob Currie were also competing in the Powerbikes class. The first race was a strictly Jersey affair with both racing each other for seven intense laps. Riding close to each other at 140 mph, they passed each other six times during the race, with Daghorn finally getting the better of Currie as they crossed the line three seconds apart. Currie, riding the Jersey Telecom GSXR, said: ‘When you have had such a fantastic battle like that, it doesn’t matter what position you finally finish in. That’s what racing is all about.’

Currie took the advantage in the next three races, beating Daghorn by 22 seconds in race two and had his best ever placing of 11th in the last race.

With all riders having to learn the circuit, the task was made much harder by the constantly changing weather. The low temperatures meant grip was at a premium, the constant snow showers made tyre choice difficult and the very strong winds sometimes made the motorcycle take a different route to that desired by the rider. Daghorn commented: ‘It feels like we have had four climates in a day!’

In the four races Daghorn finished 19th, 23rd, 14th and 15th, with Currie getting 21st, 16th, 12th and 11th.

Steve de la Cour, Luke’s father, rode his Kawasaki ZX-6R in the DynaPro MRO Supersport 600 class, where he recorded two 13th positions and a 16th.

Currie is sponsored by Jersey Telecom, Bikers, Condor Ferries and Nigel Biggar and Partners.