RUST magazine: Rust#3

hampered by
backs, the battle
was between
llino with Bellino
to take the title
of France...
’
Junior Jack Rabbits: EJ
The Junior class is insane. It’s usually bursting at the
seams with fearless talent who have yet to suffer any
nasty injuries; and this year there were a lot of really
gifted riders who didn’t even get a sniff of the podium.
It’s hard to make your mark as an Under 23 here in EWC.
The favourite ahead of the season was Italy’s Giacomo
Redondi - the Beta rider having placed runner-up for the
last three years in EJ. He was odds-on for the number
one spot, but he’d reckoned without Jamie McCanney.
The Manxman is one of the most promising riders to
have emerged in the last few years and was gunning
for another title since winning the Youth Cup in 2013.
But little did Redondi and McCanney know that there
was another rider eager to get right into the mix. Steve
Holcombe seemingly came out of nowhere. Signed to
Beta Boano, Steve took off like a rocket, taking podiums
and wins at an alarming rate of knots. If he’d gone to the
first round of the season in Chile he would have pushed
the two favourites for the title. As it was, Jamie didn’t
have much trouble fighting off Giacomo, who seems
destined for the ‘bridesmaid’ spot. On the podium at
every race except the season finale where he just
needed a handful of points, Jamie put in a superb
display all year long. His riding style is fascinatingly
smooth and precise, and he’s not a rider who looks
fast until you see the results sheet! Around the paddock
Jamie keeps himself to himself but he’s grown in confidence
and certainly come a long way since the days
when he’d stand atop the podium staring at his shoes.
Young Guns Go For It: EY
The Under 20 class, where youngsters are restricted
to using 125 2-strokes, is my favourite class. It’s hearton-the-sleeve,
all out, emotionally-charged madness.
These kids are so thrilled to be in the EWC that they
never miss an opportunity to show what they can do.
EY is the breeding ground for future talent and it’s where
some of Enduro’s brightest stars have been discovered.