Husqvarna UK rider Si Wakely has made an encouraging start to the '10 Metzeler ACU British Enduro Championship having finished third in the competitive Enduro 1 four-stroke class as well as fourth overall at the Muntjac Enduro aboard the exciting new TE 250.

The most demanding season opener for the last 15 years the Diss MCC organised Muntjac Enduro was savaged by bad weather with heavy rain bringing the event to an early close after the special test and course became heavily rutted. Always one of the best rounds of the championship the extreme weather this year made for a hugely demanding event.

Switching to the E1 class following two years aboard a 450 in the Enduro 2 class Si battled his way through the BEC season opener without problems or mistakes to claim his well-deserved result in the E1 class behind Paul Edmondson and Daryl Bolter. With even the smallest of mistakes proving costly at the Muntjac Enduro, and with just four special tests deciding the results for the Championship class front runners, Si got off to a great start by posting the fifth fastest time on the day's opening test. Backing that up with an overall fourth fastest time on the second test Si then secured his overall fourth place result by completing the two final tests in style.

Following his impressive ride at the Muntjac Enduro Si's next outing will be the opening round of the British Enduro Sprint Championship, held in Gloucestershire on March 27/28.

Si Wakely: ‘The speed with which the special test and course cut up was unbelievable. It was obvious it was going to be a wet and muddy event because of the heavy rain but after just one-lap the test became a mass of ruts and mud. The first test was really difficult, there weren't really any lines to follow and every corner was covered in slippery, sandy, mud. I just didn't want to make any major mistakes. I was expecting things to be close between the top riders like it was last year, and right from the first test it was. I'm just pleased that I was on the pace and didn't make too many big mistakes. The second test was pretty good considering the conditions. But by the time we got the to back-to-back tests the ruts were bottomless in some corners. It was just one slot all the way around. The time controls were pretty tight, which meant you had to really push on right from the start of the event. I just pushed as hard as I could on the last two tests and didn't make any mistakes. It was really close at the top of the E1 class so I'm pleased to have finished third in E1 and fourth in the overall results. It's a great start to the season.'

Results - Muntjac Enduro, Championship class

2010 Metzeler ACU British Enduro Championship, Rnd 1

Championship class

1. David Knight (KTM) 1398.07

2. Paul Edmondson (Suzuki) 1417.27

3. Daryl Bolter (KTM) 1429.28

4. Si Wakely (Husqvarna UK) 1443.86

5. Tom Sagar (Suzuki) 1448.69