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Snetterton - August 18th & 19th 2007 |
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Written by Tom Luton
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Thursday, 20 September 2007 |
Myself and Richard spent a fair bit of time prepping the bike before this
race as its mid season refresh was seriously due, this involved the heads and
barrels coming off and a full service of the valve gear inc new inlet valves,
brake system overhaul, repair of crash damage still causing hassle after the
accident from Darley Moor, setting up gearing and suspension etc etc.
We travelled up to the circuit on Friday afternoon after some last minuet
machine fettling at Louigi Moto workshop and after an interesting route due to
my Girlfriends creative map reading we arrived slightly later than planned and
found a nice spot at the circuit to set up.
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Read more...
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Borrowed bike sees Cann finish second |
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Written by BBC Somerset
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Wednesday, 11 July 2007 |
 Somerset rider Dominic Cann competed in round three of the Dutch round of the British Ducati Desmodue series.
Keynsham's Louigi Moto racing team have just returned from a 1200-mile round trip to Assen in Holland for what many regard as the event of the season.
The Ducati Club Nederland host the annual Club races to which Ducatisti travel from all over the world to compete at the famous TT circuit.
Dominic Cann, last years race winner and lap record holder at the Dutch Grand Prix track was feeling confident but still riding a borrowed machine while the Louigi Moto team continued to build a new bike.
Qualifying saw championship leader Kyle Hinton, snatch Pole Position from Dominic by just four-tenths of a second.
The pair were a full 5-seconds faster than last seasons Pole time and 3-seconds faster than the rest of the field.
On race day, the weather was a scorching 34-degrees so whilst the riders waited in the pit lane prior to their race, they would get off their machines in order to stand in the shade.
Dominic’s race was almost over before it had even started after a fellow competitor accidentally knocked his bike over and damaged the controls.
"We had to assemble in pit lane 10-mins before the race and it was so hot sat there in our racing gear that we all leant our bikes against a wall so we could stand in the shade for a bit," said Dominic.
"The next thing I know my bike is lying on it's side and the controls are all bent. Luckily nothing snapped off and I was able to ride it."
Dominic Cann chasing Kyle Hinton
The race itself was a cracker as Hinton led from the start and Dominic settled in behind him.
The former teammates were in a different class as they pulled away from the chasing pack by some 6-seconds per lap.
The two were so close in fact that their lap times were never more than seven-hundredths of a second apart as they enthralled the 10,000-strong crowd with some of the closest racing in the history of the series.
Dominic smashed the lap record by almost 5-seconds but failed to overtake Kyle when he had planned. The pair passed the chequered flag with less than half a second separating them.
"That was brilliant fun," beamed Cann. "I'm obviously gutted not to win, especially as I felt I was faster today.
"I had a plan to make a pass at the final chicane on the last lap and was confident I could pull it off. A lap record is good though considering the damage to the bike."
The series now heads to Oulton Park in Cheshire on 7th July, the scene of a double win for the Louigi Moto team 12-months ago.
Dominic will be looking to close the gap to the championship leader and get his title chase back on track on what will be the fourth different bike this season. |
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Lap record is consolation for Cann |
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Written by Bath Chronicle
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Thursday, 05 July 2007 |
Dominic Cann, from Keynsham's Louigi Moto racing team, smashed the lap record, but had to be content with second place in the Dutch round of the British Ducati Desmo Due series.
In what many regard as the event of the season in Assen in Holland, the Ducati Club Nederland host the annual Clubraces to which Ducatisti travel from all over the world to compete at the famous TT circuit.
Cann, last year's race winner and lap record holder at the Dutch Grand Prix track, was feeling confident, but still riding a borrowed machine while the Louigi Moto team continued to build a new bike.
Qualifying saw championship leader Kyle Hinton snatch pole position from Cann by just four-tenths of a second.
The pair were a full five seconds faster than last season's pole time and three seconds faster than the rest of the field.
On race day the weather was a scorching 34 degrees, so while the riders waited in the pit lane prior to their race they got off their machines in order to stand in the shade.
Cann's race was almost over before it had even started after a fellow competitor accidentally knocked his bike over and damaged the controls.
The race itself was a cracker as Hinton led from the start and Cann settled in behind him.
The former teammates were in a different class as they pulled away from the chasing pack by some six seconds per lap.
The two were so close, in fact, that their lap times were never more than seven-hundredths of a second apart as they enthralled the 10,000-strong crowd with some of the closest racing in the history of the series.
Cann smashed the lap record by almost five seconds, but failed to overtake Hinton when he had planned.
The pair passed the chequered flag with less than half a second separating them.
"That was brilliant fun," said Cann.
"I'm obviously gutted not to win, especially as I felt I was faster today.
"I had a plan to make a pass at the final chicane on the last lap and was confident I could pull it off.
"A lap record is good though considering the damage to the bike."
The series now heads to Oulton Park in Cheshire on Saturday, the scene of a double win for the Louigi Moto team 12 months ago.
Cann will be looking to close the gap to the championship leader and get his title chase back on track on what will be the fourth different bike this season. |
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Cann held up by ten pence screw |
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Written by BBC Somerset
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Sunday, 27 May 2007 |
 Somerset rider Dominic Cann competed the British Ducati Desmo Due motorcycle championship.
The second round of the Ducati Championship was held at Mallory Park in Leicestershire.
The event got off to a good start as Dominic was one of only three riders to circulate under 62 seconds and therefore ensuring his 9th consecutive front row start, a new Championship record.
Race one did not go according to plan however. On lap six of ten, a 10p screw that held the exhaust silencer had worked loose and left the exhaust dangling dangerously close to the rear wheel.
Rider safety is always paramount and Cann was black flagged and forced to retire from 3rd place.
Cann rode to a solid 3rd place finish in race two, whilst Kyle Hinton and Geoff Spencer finished both races in 1st and second places respectively.
Hinton now leads the series on 135 points, with Cann back in 5th place with 78 points.
Assen in Holland is next, and the scene of Cann’s first victory of 2006.
Cann will be looking to repeat this result and get the defence of his title back on track. |
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New sponsor saves Cann's season |
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Written by Bath Chronicle
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Saturday, 26 May 2007 |
Swindon furniture manufacturer PNG Woodworking Ltd have stepped in to save local British motorcycling champion Dominic Cann, following the surprise departure of a major sponsor just three weeks into the season.The Keynsham-based Louigi Moto squad found themselves minus one bike and unable to continue the defence of their title after a the sponsor's withdrawal.
"None of us could believe what was happening," said Cann.
"Out of the blue, we found ourselves a bike down.
"We had no real options and it was looking like the team would have to sit out the rest of the season."
However, a visit to the workshops by fellow Ducati enthusiast and Swindon businessman Paul Gilpin looks to have saved the team from certain disaster.
Gilpin said: "I'm a customer at Louigi Moto and was passing by when I thought I'd pop in to say hello.
"The guys were looking a bit sorry for themselves, to be perfectly honest, and when they explained the news I could soon see why.
"I know how much effort they all put in down there and as I follow the progress of the race team closely, I'd hate to see their talents go to waste."
The next issue facing the team was the lack of time available to build a new machine with just two weeks before the next race meeting.
They were subsequently offered a bike by fellow Ducati racer Richard Thirkettle.
Cann said: "Richard's bike is very good, but it was set up completely different to how we run our bikes normally.
"It took three of us six hours to get the bike to our spec and I felt much more comfortable on it after that."
The second round of the Ducati Championship was held last weekend at Mallory Park in Leicestershire.
And the event got off to a good start, with Cann claiming his ninth consecutive front-row start - a new championship record.
The first race one did not go according to plan, however, as a 10p screw that held the exhaust silencer had worked loose on the sixth lap, leaving the exhaust dangling dangerously close to the rear wheel.
Cann was black-flagged and forced to retire from third place.
In race two, Cann rode to a solid third-place finish behind Kyle Hinton and Geoff Spencer.
Hinton now leads the series with 135 points, with Cann back in fifth place with 78 points.
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Written by Bath Chronicle
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Thursday, 19 April 2007 |
Reigning British Ducati DesmoDue champion Dominic Cann, from Somerset, kicked off his 2007 title defence at Brands Hatch on Sunday with two third-place finishes.It was the first time since October that all 60 competitors were in attendance, making for a tense atmosphere.
The 30-year-old web designer qualified his Keynsham-based Louigi Moto/OD2 Racing Ducati in second place, 0.27secs behind his 2006 teammate Kyle Hinton.
2005 champion Geoff Spencer was third, with fellow Lincolnshire rider Tim Pritchard on the Ultimate Finish Ducati completing the front row.
The first of two ten-lap races quickly turned into a four-way battle between the front row from qualifying.
Hinton led the first four laps, with Pritchard, Spencer and Cann swapping positions and paintwork in a bid to head the pack.
Eventually, Spencer got to the front while Pritchard fell out of second place on lap eight, directly in front of Cann who had to take avoiding action so as not to run over the stricken rider.
Things went from bad to worse as a back marker repeated the exact same accident a lap later.
Cann was forced to settle for second place, only to be passed by Hinton right on the finish line. Spencer took the race win by 3.6 seconds over Hinton, who was 0.03 seconds ahead of Cann.
"I couldn't believe that the only two riders to crash out of the race, did so right in front of me. I was lucky not to run over Tim and then Kyle grabbed second place from me right on the line," said Cann.
Race two was a similar affair until around half distance when Pritchard dropped off the back of the group.
Cann struggled to keep up with Hinton and Spencer, who were on lap record pace for the remainder of the race, eventually pulling out an eight-second advantage over the Somerset ace.
Hinton went on to take his first Ducati DesmoDue victory and is now joint series leader with second-placed finisher Spencer on 65 points, with Cann in third overall on 52 points.
"I feel a bit weird really as I've come away with some solid points, but I'm disappointed at being beaten," added Cann.
Tom Grzelinski, from Bath, riding the Louigi Moto development machine, charged through the pack to take 16th and 15th places from 26th on the grid following a huge crash on Friday.
The next round will be held at Mallory Park on May 20. |
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Dominic Cann at Brands Hatch |
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Written by BBC Somerset
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Wednesday, 18 April 2007 |
The reigning British Ducati DesmoDue Champion, from Weston-super-Mare, kicked off his 2007 title defence on Sunday 15 April.
It was the first time since October 2006 that all 60 competitors were in attendance, and the tension was being felt by all.
"Several of the guys have been impressive during pre-season testing but none of the front runners have really crossed paths, so none of us really knew how we'd match up - you could cut the atmosphere with a knife," said Cann.
The 30-year-old web designer qualified his Louigi Moto/OD2 Racing Ducati in second place, just 0.27s behind his 2006 team-mate Kyle Hinton.
2005 champion Geoff Spencer was third, with fellow Lincolnshire rider Tim Pritchard on the Ultimate Finish Ducati completing the front row.
The first of two 10-lap races quickly turned into a four-way battle between the front row from qualifying.
Hinton led the first four laps, with Pritchard, Spencer and Cann swapping positions and paintwork in a bid to head the pack.
Eventually, Spencer got to the front whilst Pritchard fell out of second place on lap eight directly in front of Cann, who had to take avoiding action so as not to run over the stricken rider. This also handed Spencer a two-second lead.
Things went from bad to worse as a back marker repeated the exact same accident a lap later.
Cann was forced to settle for second place, only to be passed by Hinton right on the finish line.
Spencer took the race win by 3.6 seconds over Hinton, who was 0.03 seconds ahead of Cann.
Race two was a similar affair until around half distance when Pritchard dropped off the back of the group, later remarking that he wasn't prepared to risk another crash in the pursuit of a race win.
Cann struggled to keep up with Hinton and Spencer who were on lap-record pace for the remainder of the race, eventually pulling out an eight-second advantage over the Somerset ace.
Hinton went on to take his first Ducati DesmoDue victory and is now joint-series leader with second-place finisher Spencer on 65 points. Cann is third overall on 52 points.
"I feel a bit weird really as I've come away with some solid points but I'm disappointed at being beaten," said Cann.
"To be honest, the other guys were just faster today. I rode my best and finished third twice. I guess you can't win every race."
The next round will be held at Mallory Park in Leicestershire on Sunday 20 May. |
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Dominic Cann to defend title in 2007 |
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Written by BBC Somerset
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Monday, 02 April 2007 |
The Weston-super-Mare motorbike rider is currently reigning champion of the British Ducati DesmoDue series. Find out how he's feeling about his next challenge in 2007.
Louigi Moto/OD2 Racing, the 2006 British Ducati DesmoDue Championship-winning team from Somerset, have returned from a three-day pre-season test at the Guadix circuit in southern Spain.
Reigning champion Dominic Cann topped the time sheets with an impressive 1:31.715 - some two seconds faster than his nearest rival Tim Howard, who finished third in the 2006 series.
"We're off to a flying start, but need to keep our feet on the ground," the 30-year-old from Weston-super-Mare said.
"All three DesmoDue champions are competing in the top class this year and it will be really tough defending our title, but it's good to make such a positive start.
"We're under no illusions after this test as my two main rivals were not riding here.
"I guess we'll find out how well we've prepared when we race for the first time at Brands Hatch."
Rich Llewellin of Louigi Moto and Charles Dudley of OD2 Racing are the owners of the team, which now consists of three riders.
Dominic has signed for a third successive season and he is joined by two new team-mates: 31-year-old Australian Tony Perrin from Twickenham has been drafted in to ride the #12 machine in an expanded squad, which also includes 34-year-old novice Tom Grzelinksi from Bath, on the #27 development machine.
 | | Tony Perrin with Dominic (right) |
Rich Llewellin said: "I'm really pleased with the guys' progress in Spain. It was a new circuit for all of them but we came away on top and more importantly as a tight-knit crew."
Charles Dudley added: "The boys are under no pressure from Rich or myself, as we know they put 110 per cent effort in every time they ride.
"We're delighted with the team dynamic and really looking forward to another successful season."
All three riders will compete in the highly competitive 620cc class, in a series that has seen tremendous growth since its inception in 2005.
Almost 70 riders will line up across two Championship classes, starting at Brands Hatch in April.
The 2007 season will see events run across the UK and once again at the TT circuit of Assen in Holland, an event that saw the team take first and third places in 2006. |
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Cann heads Ducati pre-season test times |
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Written by Bath Chronicle
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Saturday, 17 March 2007 |
The Somerset-based 2006 British Ducati DesmoDue Championship winning team Louigi Moto/OD2 Racing has recently returned from a three-day pre-season test at the Guadix circuit in southern Spain.Reigning champion Dominic Cann topped the timesheets with an impressive time of 1:31.715, some two seconds faster than his nearest rival, Tim Howard, who finished third in the 2006 series.
"We're off to a flying start, but need to keep our feet on the ground," said 30-year-old Cann.
"All three DesmoDue champions are competing in the top class this year.
"And that means it will be really tough defending our title, but it's good to make such a positive start.
"We're under no illusions after this test, as my two main rivals were not riding here.
"I guess we'll find out how well we've prepared when we race for the first time at Brands Hatch."
Rich Llewellin, of Louigi Moto, and Charles Dudley, of OD2 Racing, own the team which will field three riders in 2007.
Cann has signed for a third successive season and he is joined by two new teammates.
Twickenham-based 31-year-old Australian Tony Perrin has been drafted in to ride the number two machine in the expanded squad.
And the third bike will be ridden by 34-year-old novice Tom Grzelinksi, from Bath, who will ride the number 27 development machine.
Louigi Moto boss Llewellin said: "I'm really pleased with the guys' progress in Spain.
"It was a new circuit for all of them but we came away on top and, more importantly, as a tight-knit crew."
And Dudley added: "The boys are under no pressure from Rich or myself.
"We know they put 110 per cent effort in every time they ride.
"We're delighted with the team dynamic and really looking forward to another successful season."
All three riders will compete in the highly competitive 620cc class, in a series that has seen tremendous growth since its inception in 2005.
Almost 70 riders will line up in two championship classes, starting at Brands Hatch next month.
The 2007 season will see events run at several circuits around the UK and, once again, at the TT circuit of Assen in Holland, where the team took first and third places in 2006. |
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