Day 1 of the International Six Days of Enduro saw highs and lows for the motivated British team. The demanding day consisted of two laps with three tests, mostly held in woodland which was not dissimilar to that of the U.K. The first Enduro Test was close to the paddock and the riders reached it just ten minutes after leaving the startline, tight and twisty in places and already ‘cut up’ with roots and small rocks - it was a tricky place to gain time.
Sadly, it was on this very first test of the day that Joe Wootton, riding for the British Trophy Team, suffered a nasty fall. We can now confirm that he has broken his tibia and fibula and he will be on his way home to receive surgery as soon as possible. A devastating blow for the young Welshman.
The third test of the lap, the Cross Test, saw the riders gain altitude and as the chilly wind, rain, and hail set in many of the riders reported that they couldn’t feel their hands!
The weather certainly added to the challenge for the ten British team riders, and despite the parallels with U.K riding conditions, they were glad to complete the day’s riding and make it back to the paddock and into the team tent for some food.
Current World Enduro Junior title leader, Jamie McCanney, put in GB’s strongest performance throughout the day, finishing 4th Overall and 2
nd in the E1 class.
David Knight was the next quickest in the Trophy Team, finishing 23
rd Overall and 9th in the E2 class. Tom Sagar and Jack Rowland also clocked consistent times for the team but Jamie Lewis fell victim to a crash, which left him with burns to his arm after it made contact with the exhaust pipe. GB Trophy team are currently 7th in the rankings.
In the Junior Team it was Lee Sealey who put in the quickest time, despite saying he “didn’t feel fast” during the day. Cornwall’s Josh Gotts was next up, backed up by Rob Johnson and ISDE rookie James Dent, who said he “rode like a donkey” before settling in and feel better on each and every test. GB Juniors are currenly 5th in the rankings.
Tomorrow the riders will take to exactly the same tests, hoping that the overnight rain won’t have left the lines too ‘cut up’. All the riders are keen to keep their good start going and build on their success day after day.