Kellett takes historic win but is pushed all the way! 2023 Weston Beach Race – Race Report, Results & Highlights

The local boy makes history! Somerset rider Todd Kellett, who comes from Langport, less than an hour away from the seafront at Weston, brought home the winner’s trophy for a record sixth time in the Solo class at the 40th Anniversary Weston Beach Race. At the age of 26, it’s difficult to see how many more he might be able to get, but he had some close competition and there will always be a challenger to the King!

Words: Ben Rumbold –  Feature Image courtesy of RHL Activities – Other Images: Visit Weston unless noted otherwise

It was fitting that such an historic milestone should be reached on such a landmark day for the event, which more than survived a clash with the MXGP at Matterley Basin on the same weekend. There was anger at the date clash, which was caused by a move from the other camp because Weston is set nearly 18 months in advance and based around tidal patterns, and for sure there might have been some worries that it would mar the celebrations. It did mean that plans to bring former winners Shaun & Willie Simpson, Stefan Everts, Jeffrey Herlings, and many others to the party did have to be shelved, but in terms of attendance the team at RHL Activities must have been delighted with the success of the event and proof that it can even withstand a clash with the British Grand Prix.

The first lap carnage is all part of the Weston experience. You didn’t expect this to be easy, did you?!

The reports for the Youth Races can be found here: 40th Anniversary Weston Beach Race – Youth Classes battle through the sands! – Dirt Hub

And the Quad & Sidecars report can be found here: Steve Atkins is first Quad home at Weston on a 4×4! Williams & Green win Sidecars, Oliver Sansom first in Quad Solos – Dirt Hub

On the Sunday afternoon, it was the turn of the Solo class to hit the beach. The dunes had been stacked just that little bit higher and the incredible start of the race again made me wonder at the sheer amount of machinery on track all at once. Hundreds of bikes churned past and this time it wasn’t long before the big red #1 came flying into view! Pictures show that it was close between Billy Bolt, Ashley Greedy, Kellett and his teammate Milko Potisek, but the Todd-father was holding court again with the Frenchman in tow and trying to learn about these weird beaches that have water on them!

“The only similarity between Weston and the French Beach Races is that the sea is in the background,” were the words from both Dragon’Tek/Monster Energy Yamaha boys before the race, and Bolt was back for the first time since 2019 and unsure of where he would come out on his factory Husqvarna. He certainly helped to bring out the fans though!

Billy Bolt gives another rider a faceful of sand on his way to a great podium finish.

Quietly in the background during the build-up was the only other previous winner in the race, Welsh Darjen GASGAS charger Ashley Greedy. He came out on top in 2019 when Todd couldn’t make it, and you could visibly see the drive to chase the hot favourite straight away, just in his riding! His bike was noticeably louder, he was jumping noticeably further over the dunes near the finish, and his best lap time was notably the best of anyone, nearly five seconds quicker than Todd’s best, and two laps later into the race too!

Ashley Greedy launches over a dune at least a foot higher than most others. Ash was spectacular on Sunday.

Kellett started to drop Potisek as Greedy passed the Frenchman on the second lap. He was truly after the leader, whilst the scrap between Potisek and Bolt was one for the ages! Time and again the pair swapped places and several times charged down the main straight in unison!

Behind them, Jamie Roper made a good start but dropped to an eventual 14th, while Tommy Alba and Neville Bradshaw looked almost inseparable just outside the top ten, Bradshaw leading the Over 40s category on a 2002 250cc Yamaha! Sadly, she expired on the last lap, handing the win in the class to Derek Bawn, ahead of Nev and Derry Milling.

The Ladies class was won by Emily Hall, who said that she “only fell off once, but had no idea I was top lady!” She did suffer a second fall, out of the porta-cabins after collecting her trophy, but I said I wouldn’t mention it… She was joined on the Ladies podium by the professional-looking Factory Image Racing Team riders Zoe Zembrzuski and Katie Walker, and hopefully next year they will be separated by class on the timing system so that we can tell their story through the race.

Ladies Podium: 1st Emily Hall, 2nd Zoe Zembrzuski, 3rd Katie Walker. Image: RHL Activities/Steve Milner MX

Sion Talbot was another Welshman tackling the sands well, but Sam Nunn, in his debut for Chambers Racing, moved forward steadily into a solid 5th, which he kept to the flag just 8 minutes shy of Potisek. Alex Walton put in a stunning late charge into 6th, passing Talbot in the final half an hour! Declan Whittle, Ricky Wiggins, and Nunn’s teammate Ben Franklin rounded out the top ten with stirring rides.

Sion Talbot brought his Darjen Engineering KTM home in 7th place.

Todd said on the podium that “I think people just want to see someone beat me!” Well it’s natural to enjoy a bit of a surprise, and Greedy looked like he had it in his locker. With 45 minutes to go and pit-stops all done, Ash the Bash was suddenly just 16 seconds back of Todd and we had a race on our hands! The team, who had hand-made an eye-catching conical metal tank especially for the event, must have given Kellett the hurry-up, as he pulled away by nearly a minute in the next two laps, ultimately finishing 78 seconds clear of Greedy.

It’s the first lap and all to play for! The top contenders hit the fresh dunes led by Billy Bolt #57, Todd Kellett #1, Milko Potisek #32, Ashley Greedy (far right), #19 Brad Thornhill who came home 88th, and #74 Ryan Cox, who finished 58th.

Potisek got into his stride to set his best lap on his final circuit, but he had already been lapped by his teammate and finished a minute down on a delighted Bolt, who just got lapped by Kellett on his last lap but was safe for the podium!

“I’m well happy to have been fighting with Milko, and I could see the crowd going mad for us! What a race!” said a happy Billy as the kids clamoured for some goodies. “I really was after Todd,” said Greedy, “I want people to know that when I won it was no fluke and I will have him one day soon, but he pulled away at the end and I’m happy to have pushed him hard.”

Todd acknowledged that Greedy “rode really well, he just wasn’t going away! It’s amazing to win the sixth one and I’m only 26 so let’s see how far I can take this. I nearly didn’t ride after a big crash last week so my back is sore and I’ll get ready for the start of the French Championship in a couple of weeks’ time. The crowd were awesome and I have to thank them for getting behind me.”

Can anyone beat him? Well, “Sergeant” Milko is signed up for the next two years and for sure Greedy has his sights set on the local boy. You get a feeling that Billy will also be back. Either way, the race is a spectacle, and it deserves its place as one of the great parties that helps round off the off-road season beautifully. Here’s to another forty years!

Results