About Us
The UK’s Premier Motorcycle Enduro
Date: 25/26 August 2012 (Bank Holiday Weekend)
Location: Vale of Neath, South Wales
This year sees the 11th running of one of the UK’s hardest and longest Enduro events. Consisting of 4 separate races, Dawn to Dusk begins with a standalone 2 Hour Youth Event on the Saturday, then progresses as dusk falls to the gruelling 24, 12 and 6 hour solo and team enduro events. There will also be some shorter skill-shootout events to warm you up on the Saturday details TBC.
Over 500 riders and up to 5,000 spectators, teams, family members and other supporters are expected to descend on the mountainside course of “Walters Arena” in the upper Neath Valley over the 2012 August Bank Holiday weekend.
With classes for riders ranging from complete novices to experienced national and indeed international teams, it’s a truly inclusive event where ordinary weekend warriors can find themselves in the company of Pro riders. Few events (if any) in the UK off-road calendar can offer such a sense of achievement and satisfaction (or for that matter exhaustion !) as competing in the 6, 12 or 24 hr races of Dawn to Dusk.
Please note – An ORPA race licence is included in the Entry fee – no seperate ACU/AMCA licence is required
The course
Set on a recalimed and landscaped former opencast mine, the course will be around 16-18 miles in length, with the initial night time stage for the 24 hour race being cut to about 6-8 miles of unlit course. The “night” section is also used for the Big Bike rally - and good lights, whether bike or helmet mounted are the key to fast progress. Going is primarily hard and shale/loose surfaces are common, it’s working history means the site generally drains well, though there are a number of wet, muddy and boggy sections, as well as streams to ride through!
The Youth race on the Saturday uses a specifically designed 5 to 6 mile “short” course with many of the more extreme sections omitted for obvious safety reasons.
Other attractions
Aside from the excellent racing, there will be a large marquee (including BAR) for meeting, greeting, eating, drinking etc - plus of course rider briefing and the all important presentation of silverware and prize money. With stalls for food, drink, spares, tyres and riding gear all on hand, plus village stores, petrol stations and pubs nearby it’s not too far from civilization either….(though it can seem like it!)
A bit of history…
The event was 1st run in 2002 as a 12 hour event and continues to be headed by 4 time Paris-Dakar veteran Nick Plumb, more recently it has gained the 6 and 24 hour classes and this year sees the first running of the Touratech sponsored “Big Bike” class as (a non-points scoring) part of the “UK Big Bike Rally challenge”. The event has grown from strength to strength over the years with entries doubling since its inception.
A number of well known racers have taken part over recent years, including many British champions. Other notable entrants have included the Legendary Desert Racer Cyril Despres and fellow Dakar veteran Alfie Cox. More recently comedian and all-round bike nut Ross Noble has tried his hand and has indeed said he’ll be coming again this year! Charley Boorman raced in Dawn to Dusk in preparation and training for his assault on the 2006 Dakar.
Enquiries info@dawntodusk.co.uk
