International Six Days Enduro
Bringing the 2011 edition of the FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) to a spectacular close the final day motocross races, held ten kilometres outside of Kotka, saw Finland claim victory in the World Trophy team competition, France top the Junior World Trophy team category and France also win the Women’s Cup class.
With thousands of enduro fans enjoying an action packed day, the best weather of the six-day event helped ensure a memorable end to what was a challenging week for all competitors.
With all six of their team riders performing faultlessly during the final day motocross races Finland secured a dominant victory in the World Trophy team competition, finishing an eventual thirty minutes ahead of Spain.
Never looking like doing anything other than winning the World Trophy class the home nation returned to the top of the results sheets for the first time since 2006, also ending France’s three-year strangle hold on the category.
With Spain claiming the runners-up position, the US were the third nation to stand on the end-of-event podium. Sweden claimed an eventual fourth place result with The Netherlands fifth and Germany – the host nation of the 2012 ISDE in sixth.
Starting the sixth and final day with a healthy advantage at the top of the Junior Trophy class France’s four-rider team made no mistakes to claim an eventual hard fought thirteen minute winning advantage.
Helped by strong final day performances by Mathias Bellino (Husaberg) and Roman Dumontier (Yamaha) France were followed home by Sweden and Great Britain. Team USA finished in an eventual fourth position ahead of Australia in fifth and Spain in sixth.
With a massive one-hour and twelve-minute winning margin France secured a deserved victory in the Women’s Cup competition, helped by a final day winning performance from team rider Ludivine Puy (Gas Gas).
Leading since the start of the event the three French women claimed a fourth consecutive victory for the national team. Host nation Finland claimed the runners-up position with Australia third.
In the Enduro 1 class Finnish World Trophy team rider Eero Remes (KTM) maintained his dominance of the class, easily setting the fastest time in the E1 category during the final motocross race. Leading from start to finish Remes cruised to victory while countryman Matti Seistola (Husqvarna) topped the second E1 race. Runner-up to Remes in the main E1 race was Juha Salminen (Husqvarna), with Portugal’s Paulo Felicia (Yamaha) third.
The fastest rider in the E1 class on all but one day of the eighty-sixth ISDE Remes claimed a near two-minute winning advantage in the final results. With four Finnish riders placing inside the overall top five, Remes was followed home by seven-times World Champion Juha Salminen. Third overall in E1 went to Spain’s Lorenzo Santolino (KTM) with Finns Antti Hellsten (KTM) fourth and Matti Seistola (Husqvarna) fifth.
US World Trophy team rider Kurt Caselli (KTM) rounded off a fantastic week on day six by leading the main Enduro 2 class motocross race from start to finish. Initially pushed hard by Australian Toby Price (KTM), Caselli eased away from his rivals to claim a comfortable win.
Portugal’s Luis Correia (Yamaha) claimed the eventual runners-up spot on day six finishing ahead of Price, David Israel (Honda) from Chile, France’s Mathias Bellino (Husaberg), Italy’s Denny Philippaerts (Beta) and Finn Jari Mattila (KTM).
Dominating the Enduro 2 class throughout the six-day event Kurt Caselli (KTM) placed close to two-and-a-half minutes ahead of his nearest rival in the overall E2 classification. Portugal’s Luis Correia, helped by his strong final day performance, claimed second, while Spain’s Cristobal Guerrero (KTM) rounded out the podium places in third. Despite injuring his foot earlier in the week Toby Price secured fourth with fellow Australian Matthew Phillips (Yamaha) fifth.
Spain’s Ivan Cervantes (Gas Gas) was the rider to beat in the Enduro 3 class on the sixth and final day as the World Trophy team rider quickly worked his way to the front of the main E3 motocross race before securing the win.
Finn Valtteri Salonen (TM) lead the opening laps of the main E3 motocross race, eventually finishing five seconds behind Cervantes and just ahead of countryman Marko Tarkkala (Husaberg).
Taking a healthy three-minute Enduro 3 class advantage into the final day motocross race Marko Tarkkala did all he needed to do to secure the overall Enduro 3 class victory.
Finishing just over three minutes ahead of his closest rival Ivan Cervantes having taken the lead of the E3 class on day one, Marko was joined on the podium by another Finn – Valtteri Salonen (TM) who claimed third. Fourth went to Britain’s Jonny Walker (KTM) with Sweden’s Jonas Karlsson (KTM) fifth.
2011 International Six Days Enduro Day 6 Results:
(Finland – Aug. 8-13 – Results after Day 6)
World Trophy
1. Finland 17.11:11.66
2. Spain 17.41:54.43
3. USA 18.05:34.86
4. Sweden 18.20:34.23
5. Netherlands 18.33:29.28
Junior Trophy
1. France 10.47:34.11
2. Sweden 11.00:47.31
3. Great Britain 11.05:16.50
4. USA 11.34:06.87
5. Australia 11.41:28.41
Women’s Cup
1. France 10.57:22.32
2. Finland 12.09:48.28
3. Australia 17.01:38.41
4. Sweden 17.06:49.49
5. USA 24.00:00.00
