CALENDARIO FIM SUPER ENDURO 2016SOURCE: ENDURO-ABC.COMRESULTS FROM ENDURO-ABC.COMSTANDINGS FROM ENDURO-ABC.COMPAGINA FACEBOOK FIM SUPER ENDUROA crazy night !
Wednesday, 9 December 2015
What a first event! This 2015/16 SuperEnduro season has started on a great note in front of more than 7 000 spectators in the Atlas Arena in Lodz. Back on an evening full of intensity and surprises…
Surprise
We were waiting a lot from Manuel LETTENBICHLER (D – KTM), Gethin HUMPHREYS (GB – Husqvarna), Tim APOLLE (D – Husqvarna) and Josh GOTTS (GB – TM) in the Junior Class. But these four prospects have been joint last Saturday by three surprises and first of all by Luis OLIVEIRA (P – Yamaha). The Portuguese, EnduroGP specialist, has shown great mastery and calm to clinch a second place (2/2/4). He brings with him South African Blake GUTZEIT (Husqvarna), seen last season on few Grand Prix and who didn’t have to blush in Poland (6/6/3 – 5th overall) or also the Brit Lee SEALEY (Yamaha) who’s threatened a long time his fellow HUMPHREYS for the last place on the podium (3/5/7 – 4th overall). The SuperEnduro pool is really full of talent and promise us some nice races all along the season with seven riders able to fight for the podium!
Luis OLIVEIRA (P - Yamaha)
Injury List
While Cedric TEMPIER (F – Sherco) signed the best lap during the qualifications and could choose the best place in the starting grid, the unfortunate crashed hard directly on the start… Transported out from the track by the emergencies, the evening was already finished for him with an injured knee. The young French passed more tests at the beginning of the week and here is the verdict: torn ACL. The entire SuperEnduro paddock joins us to wish him a good and speedy recovery.
Super Pole powered by Akrapovic
For the third consecutive time, the Super Pole is back. Sponsored by Akrapovic Exhaust, it gathered the eight best time in the qualifier: Jonny WALKER (GB – KTM), Colton HAAKER (USA – Husqvarna), Cody WEBB (USA – KTM), Taddy BLAZUSIAK (PL – KTM), Taylor ROBERT (USA – KTM), Alfredo GOMEZ (E – KTM) and the two 2015 Juniors rivals Ty TREMAINE (USA – KTM) and Andreas LINUSSON (S – KTM). At the end of it, it’s WEBB who set the best time in 46’892 (!) and he scored also a bonus of 3 points just ahead of the king BLAZUSIAK on his land. Winner of the 1 500€ check in 2015, Jonny WALKER scored the third time… No doubt, this very first Super Pole of the season had a lot of success with the riders and the spectators with an already very impressive Cody WEBB!
The Super Pole powered by Akrapovic is back!
Difficulties
How great it is to see Kevin ROOKSTOOL (USA – Sherco) on the series! Unfortunately for him, this first Grand Prix of the season hasn’t been that easy. Impossible for him to find a Sherco in the US, “Rookie” had to go to Costa Rica to make some tests on a 300cc 2 stroke of a friend before making the trip to Europe… where the US guy had to race with… a 250cc 4 stroke! Moreover, he met his team on Friday and they didn’t manage to find the good settings for the start of the qualifying (sprocket problems). But with all the will of Mick SEWARD, “Rookie” grabbed his place for the main event during the Last Chance Heat and will finish in an honorable 13th position overall. While leaving Lodz, the two guys promised to each other that everything will be perfect in Germany in three weeks…
Knock Out but Heroic!
We know how Taddy BLAZUSIAK can be back very quickly on his bike after a crash. But this time, the six-time World Champion had some real difficulties to get back on track after his troubles on the last Heat. Indeed, while Taylor ROBERT went to clinch his second Holeshot of the night, he touched BLAZUSIAK wheel. The Polish went straight into a journalist. He brings with him in his crash one of his rival Colton HAAKER. While HAAKER restart pretty quickly but stuck on the 4th gear, Taddy, K-O, took a lot of time to get up. Then he rode as hell and grabbed some places till another crash in the “Firewood Pit” during Lap 2… and he took again a lot of time to get back on his KTM. Despite this, he managed to score a 7th position that permits him to clinch for only one point the last step of the podium. Just arrived, BLAZUSIAK let his 250 EXC-F to his mechanics and then lost his balance before narrowly catch the shoulder of the organizer Mark BRYGIDER. He will confess a bit later in the night that he was not really himself during this last heat.
Holeshot 100%
Back for a new season, the Holeshot 100% offered again some emotions to the riders as some of them eat the Polish mud…The first corner made by Lodzki Klub Motorowy was a great one and it was clearly the “war” to get out of it with the leadership as the big crash between Colton HAAKER and local star Taddy BLAZUSIAK during the last heat can show. And it’s Taylor ROBERT who was out as the winner after the three races. He’s coming back home with 300 USD. In junior, it’s Portuguese Luis OLIVEIRA who earned the 200 USD by taking the lead in Heat 1 and then taking two second places in the two others. A nice bonus 100% “Spirit of Racing” for an amazing show!
SuperEnduro European Cup
For the very first time in SuperEnduro history, a European Cup is born in Lodz. In partnership with FIM Europe, ABC Communication and the Lodzki Klub Motorowy organized the first edition of the SuperEnduro European Cup! And, after two intense races, it’s Mike HARTMANN (D – Gas Gas) who became the first European Cup winner after an exciting duel with Austrian and Hard Enduro specialist Lars ENOCKL (KTM). Finally, it’s young Polish Jakub LUKASZCZYK who, on the handlebar of his Sherco, climb on the last step of the podium.
Maxxis taking some weight
Last season, SEWC title sponsor were already present on the Championship, equipping US RPM KTM Maxxis team and their two riders Cody WEBB and Ty TREMAINE. This season, the brand from Taiwan is more present than ever with of course the 2015 Junior World Champion Ty TREMAINE who grabbed a very nice 7th position in Prestige. But they equip also the TM Germany team composed by Hungarian giant Kornel NEMETH (10th overall) and young Magyar Norbert ZSIGOVITS (13th overall)! Note also that Maxxis also won the very first SuperEnduro European cup thanks to Gas Gas Germany rider Mike HARTMANN who will be on his land in three weeks in Riesa and will fight, this time, the stars of the Prestige Class!
Kornel NEMETH (H - TM)
