The first and second round of the Liquorland South African Enduro championship were pencilled down as a double header event for this past weekend with its base at Middleton Dam, just outside of Creighton, a 1h 30min south westerly drive from Pietermaritzburg.
The rolling hills and forests of the Creighton area made for a stunning season opener with Saturday’s course consisting of an approx. 46 km long loop that included three special tests and a slightly shorter route on Sunday. Competitors were heading straight into the timed first special stage, a 2km long grass MX type special test. The rest of the route was set as a regularity stage, allowing competitors to ‘pre run’ special 2, a flowing 7km forest special, and special 3, a 5km grassland special, right at the end of the course.
Straight from the start it was Brother Leader Tread KTM’s Wade Young on board his KTM 300 EXC and his teammate Travis Teasdale on board his KTM 250 XC-F that dominated their respective classes (E2 and E1), with Scott Bouverie on board his KTM 300 EXC who rounded off the highly competitive trio.
“I had a great day’s racing and my KTM 300 was awesome. I first had to get used to the 2-stroke again and loved it. The special tests were awesome and the route was nice and well marked.”, said Young who set the fastest times for the day securing his first E2 (Open) class win for the season.
The second fastest time in the E2 class was set by Brother Leader Tread KTM’s Scott Bouverie who after a troublesome season in 2014 found his rhythm again and impressed with a second place in the E2 class and third fastest time overall: “My bike was great and I really enjoyed being on a 2-stroke again. The route was very enjoyable, I had no problems and rode smooth and steady all day.”, said Bouverie.
The E1 (200cc) class was dominated by Travis Teasdale on board his KTM 250 XC-F machine and it was clear from very early in the race that no other competitor would be able to come close to Teasdale’s times in the E1 class. Teasdale was the fastest E1 rider in each and every special test and therefore secured the E1 class win with a comfortable lead.
Two new riders to the Brother Leader Tread KTM team were racing the highly competitive E1 class, namely Dwayne Kleynhans who finished day 1 in fifth place in class on board his KTM 250 EXC-F and Jarryd Coetzee, KTM’s OR3 Offroad specialist, who finished the day in 16th place in the E1 class on board his KTM 250 XC-F.
Brother Leader Tread KTM’s lady rider Kirsten Landman finished day 1 in 11th place in the Silver class onboard her KTM Freeride 250 R.
The second day and round two of the championship was almost a carbon copy of the first day with Young setting the fastest time once more securing the E2 class win and Teasdale with the second fastest time of the day winning the E1 class. The overall podium was again rounded off by their Brother Leader Tread KTM team mate Scott Bouverie who finished in second place in the E2 class
Day two saw Dwayne Kleynhans in fourth place in the E1 class with Jarryd Coetzee moving up the ranks and finishing day two in 13th place in class. Kirsten Landman finished the second day in 8th place in the Silver class, setting the fastest times on the specials amongst the lady riders.
The team will focus on some regional racing during the next month before they head to East London for the Kei Enduro, the second round of the National Enduro championship taking place in the Gonubie area on 18 April.
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