Reigning A4DE winner, Toby Price, put about twenty seconds on the field today at the 33rd annual Yamaha Yamalube Cycra GYTR Australian 4-Day Enduro (A4DE), being held at Koumala (near Mackay, QLD).
Price, of the Motorex KTM Off-Road Racing Team, won all six special tests to extend his lead of Championship E2 and Outright to 21-seconds.
To watch a video compilation from the day (including action footage and interviews with several top riders) go to our Results & Pics page.
To follow the event ‘Like’ the Facebook page by clicking here.
“It all went fairly well,” Price said. “I had a few tests there where I made a few little mistakes, but I got through pretty good.
“I opened up that little bit of a lead, but that’s basically just one crash really, that could bring that all unstuck.
“There’s still another big full day tomorrow to go riding and plus you’ve got the final moto on the fourth day, so anything can happen.”
Closest rival, Chris Hollis (Ballard’s Yamaha), sits second in E2 and Outright.
Third in Outright today went to Hollis’s teammate, 18-year-old Tasmanian, Matt Phillips.
Phillips was fourth after yesterday’s Day 1, but strong times today moved him ahead of fellow Yamaha racer, Daniel Milner (from Victoria), who is now in fourth.
Phillips also extended his lead of Championship E3 ahead of Motorex KTM’s, Jarrod Bewley. Honda rider and Queenslander, Nick Beattie, from the Sunshine Coast, is third.
“Most importantly, all I wanted to do was stay on and be fit and healthy and ready for the next couple of days,” Phillips said.
“I really enjoyed myself and had a couple bad tests, but I came back and to gap Jarrod today was excellent, I’m really happy about that.
“I can’t make any mistakes to let him catch up, because he’s a great rider, and he will.”
Still ahead in Championship E1 is Ballard’s Yamaha racer, Stefan Merriman.
Merriman, 38, from Nelson Bay (NSW) managed to maintain a two-second lead on Husqvarna’s Alex Salvini, despite Salvini putting in faster times in all six tests.
Salvini, from Italy, suffered a sore ankle after multiple crashes Day 1, but certainly was back on form today, laying down several top-three Outright special test times.
“We had good, nice trails, a little bit tougher than yesterday, which was nice,” Merriman said.
“I was just a little bit slow today, I lost a few seconds to Alex Salvini, but hopefully tomorrow I can try and get a little bit more of an advantage.
“I need a bit of an advantage before the final motocross... Salvini is a GP motocross rider, so he’s going to be fast there.”
Third in the class is now held by 10-time Queensland Enduro Champion, Kirk Hutton (YZ250F). Honda’s AJ Roberts was penalised today for dropping trail time, and fell back into seventh place in class.
In the Master’s, five-time winner of the class, Geoff Ballard (Yamaha) managed to slip in front of A4DE rookie, James Deakin (KTM).
Ballard now has a four-second lead heading into Day 3.
And in Veteran’s, local rider Matt Dumigan maintains his advantage over Brad Williscroft (KTM) and Damian Smith (Husqvarna).
Williscroft and Smith are both strong on the MX track, but Dumigan, who is a member of the Gum Valley Motorcycle Club (who are running the event) is also an accomplished motocross rider - battle at Sunday’s final motocross will be more exciting than ever in this star-studded class.
Another battle not worth missing will be between Yamaha’s leading ladies: Alison Parker, Jessica Gardiner and Jemma Wilson.
There was a shake up in the class today, after several of the ladies incurred penalties for being late into one of the controls.
Jemma Wilson, from Brisbane, was one of the hardest hit, slipping from the lead into fourth place.
Jess Gardiner (Ballard’s Yamaha) took the lead, ahead of Alison Parker (Yamaha) and Natasha Cairns (KTM).
And in Outright, TM rider Josh Green moved up one place to fifth, followed by Jarrod Bewley (sixth), Merriman, Salvini and teammate, Bartosz Oblucki (ninth). Queenslander, Nick Beattie, moved into 10th Outright.
Day 3 of the 2011 Yamaha Yamalube Cycra GYTR Australian 4-Day Enduro (A4DE) kicks off tomorrow from Parc Ferme (at the Koumala State School).
The final motocross event will be held Sunday at the Gum Valley Motocross Complex (off Turnor’s Paddock Rd, racing from 9am).
The Gum Valley Motorcycle Club would like to thank the sponsors for this year’s A4DE: YAMAHA, YAMALUBE, CYCRA, GYTR, KTM, HUSABERG, HUSQVARNA, PIRELLI, JJ RICHARDS, PAYNE PRINT, SNAP FITNESS, ENDURA, BALLARD’S OFF-ROAD, CITY FITNESS (MACKAY), MACKAY TOURISM, LEGRA, CARDNO BOWLER, BOWLER GEOTECHNICAL, TERRASCAN, FLEXI HIRE, CHANNEL SEVEN, MACKAY REGIONAL COUNCIL, MACKAY CONVENTION BUREAU, MOTORCYCLING AUSTRALIA and QUEENSLAND EVENTS.
The dirt bike media have also really gotten behind the event. Our industry media partners are: TRANSMOTO MAGAZINE, DIRT ACTION, FULLNOISE.COM.AU, EATMYDIRT.COM.AU and MCNEWS.COM.AU.
The 2011 Yamaha Yamalube Cycra GYTR A4DE will be held at Mackay (QLD) from July 7th to 10th (www.a4de.com)
Classes of competition include: Enduro 1 (100cc-150cc two stroke and 150cc to 250cc four strokes), Enduro 2 (175cc to 250cc two stroke and 275cc to 450cc four stroke), Enduro 3 (290cc to 500cc two stroke and 475cc to 650cc four stroke), Veteran All Powers – Rider must have turned 35 years before 1/1/11, Masters All Powers – Rider must have turned 45 years before 1/1/11, and Women All Powers.
ENDS
Media: Leigh Hutton (Director, Shooting Star Media) - 0400 465 101
RESULTS
A4DE Day 2 (progressive) Champ E1
Stefan Merriman YAMAHA
Alex Salvini HUSQVARNA
Kirk Hutton YAMAHA
Champ E2
Toby Price KTM
Chris Hollis YAMAHA
Daniel Milner YAMAHA
Champ E3
Matt Phillips YAMAHA
Jarrod Bewley KTM
Nick Beattie HONDA
Veteran’s
Matt Dumigan YAMAHA
Brad Williscroft KTM
Damian Smith HUSQVARNA
Master’s
Geoff Ballard YAMAHA
James Deakin KTM
Trent Lean SUZUKI
Women’s
Jessica Gardiner YAMAHA
Alison Parker YAMAHA
3. Natasha Cairns KTM
Outright top-10
1. Toby Price E2
2. Chris Hollis E2
3. Matt Phillips E3
4. Daniel Milner E2
5. Josh Green E2
6. Jarrod Bewley E3
7. Stefan Merriman E1
8. Alex Salvini E1
9. Bartosz Oblucki E2
10. Nick Beattie E3
Stefan Merriman - E1
Toby Price - E2
Matt Phillips - E3
Back to Home |
