Yamaha takes three class wins and manufacturers trophy
author: Adrian Bac
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Marc Torlage
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Yamaha’s riders once again rose to the challenge to take on the country’s best enduro riders on a fifty kilometre loop that was widely applauded for its layout and technicality.
In hot and dry conditions, riders had to complete four laps, which included three special stages, to post their fastest time during those special stages without incurring any penalties during the regularity sections, in order to be classified as a finisher. The fastest cumulative time combined with the least penalty points would ultimately be determined as the winner.
A big difference with Enduro Racing is that riders ride against the clock individually, and have no benchmark as to how fast their opposition are riding until the posting of final results by the race organisers. This forces the riders to ride as fast and smoothly as their abilities allow, without making any mistakes, in order to achieve their best possible result.
Proudly Bidvest Yamaha’s Jade Gutzeit had to once again face up to his arch rival, New Zealand import Chris Birch (KTM), who has settled in South Africa to race the 2011 National Enduro Championship. Chris has beaten Jade to the last three Roof of Africa victories, and, in the first 2011 WFO Regional Enduro in KZN, beat Jade once again by a total of 12 minutes, so Gutzeit definitely has his work cut out for him as he attempts to defend his 2010 National Enduro Championship.
With both riders entered into the E1 (or Open) class, Jade powered his Proudly Bidvest Yamaha YZ 290 F around the Lesotho lowlands to record a strong second place finish in the race, a mere 61 seconds behind eventual winner Birch. With Gutzeit still nursing niggling injuries to his foot and thumb, and consequently putting in a “cautious” ride, this result is particularly pleasing and it appears that the gap between the two riders is closing.
Gutzeit’s team mate, Louwrens Mahoney put his Proudly Bidvest Yamaha YZ 250 onto the third step of the E1 class podium. Mahoney was however kicking himself for only realising that he had already started the second special stage once he was already some way into the stage, which cost him some time.
Mr Price Yamaha’s Marc Torlage put a fantastic ride together to take a convincing victory in the E2 class (for 200cc two strokes and 250cc four strokes) on board his YZ 250 F, ahead of former National Enduro Champion Altus De Wet (KTM). Brad Van Aswegen (Kargo Yamaha YZ 250 F) showed his true potential by taking the third step of the podium in the E2 class, followed closely by 17 year old Scott Bouverie on his Mr Price Criterion Yamaha YZ 250 F).
Defending 2010 National Enduro Masters Champion, and Marc’s Dad, Denzil Torlage picked up where he left off in 2010 by taking the Masters Class victory convincingly.
In the Silver Challenge (for junior and club riders) 16 year old Blake Gutzeit (yes that is Jade’s younger brother) rode to an extremely convincing 25 minute victory over Dricky Morkel (Leo Racing Yamaha). This was Blake’s first National Enduro and also the first time he had ever ridden in Lesotho, making his class victory even more impressive.
The sterling efforts by these Yamaha riders contributed to Yamaha once again being awarded the Manufacturers Trophy for the event. That is now three National events down for 2011 and three Manufacturers Trophies proudly displayed in the Yamaha trophy cabinet!
The second round of the 2011 Liquorland National Enduro Championship will take place in Montagu in the Western Cape on the 16th April 2011, where, once again, Yamaha will enter the battle field confident of victory.
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