PiCTURES: Tidal surge hits coast but can't stop motocross action on Skegness beach

In spite of the overnight storms, crowds flocked to the coast for the 2021 AMCA Skegness Beach Race.

Following an enforced break last year due to the Covid pandemic, the event attracted a very big entry and was watched by one of the largest crowds seen so far in its 11- year history

The action culminated in Sunday’s big main race, which resulted in a great win for Cabscreens Crescent Yamaha star Dan Thornhill.

As usual, though, the first race of the weekend was the Clubman Sprint contest, which was of a 1.5 hour duration. Phil Roberts' circuit did not featuring a big opening sand dune to confront the riders, but meant that they could immediately engage full race mode right from the off.

Taking the win in this one was Jack Beniston whilst Sean Smith was the first Veterans rider home.

So with the action underway, it was now the turn of the Tysers Quads/Sidecar class to entertain and that’s just what they did!

A superb entry of 85 Quads and 6 Sidecars started the event which was of a two-hour duration and quickly

developed into an epic contest.

Sheldon Seal was to be the first rider home with Jonny Kelly and Kevin Meenagh from Northern Ireland next up. This was the first year that the Skegness event featured a separately scored class for the big 4x4’s Quads as Simon David proved victorious.

Only entering the event at the very last minute, Sidecar aces Alun Davies/James Ferguson were at Skegness hunting for another win and that’s just what they achieved! This was to incredibly be the Welsh crews 9 th Skeggy victory, what a simply tremendous achievement! .

So with day one done, the scene was set for the big Visit Lincs Coast BID main three-hour sand event, only for the tidal surge to throw a major spanner into the works.

Overnight a strong wind had whipped up a raging North Sea causing it to storm up the Skegness beach thus leaving parts of the circuit flooded. This was a freak occurrence which had previously never affected the event. Undeterred though, track curator Phil Roberts and his crew along with the AMCA Events team rolled up their sleeves, manned the machines and got to work repairing the damage.

Digging trenches and gulley’s the water was eventually routed back to the sea but the going was now

naturally extremely heavy in some patches. Most importantly though the race had been saved although the

intended start time had been pushed back and the duration of the contest cut to 2.5 hours.

Following a gruelling and epic contest, it was to be Dan Thornhill from Gloucestershire who was to take home the

very nice £1,000 winners cheque. Well done to everyone at AMCA Events for getting the event completed in style.

The questions now remain, will Dan Thornhill be back to make it a hat-trick and will the incredible Davies/Ferguson

be looking to score their 10 th Skegness win in 2022. The best way to find out is make sure you are there for another fantastic Beach Race weekend at the popular Lincolnshire seaside venue.

The event was back supported by Visit Lincs Coast BID, Magna Vitae Trust and East Lindsey District Council with sponsorship from Tysers Motorsport Insurance, Datatag Security and Dunlop Tyres .