Day 3 recap – New Course and New Special Tests

Day-three of the International Six Day Enduro, in Morelia, Mexico, kept Team USA’s three trophy teams and eight club teams on their toes while new trails and two new test locations gave the riders some fresh terrain to ride on.

“It’s nice to have something new to ride on,“ said US Trophy Team rider Nathan Woods. “The (Day-one and day-two) trials were getting pretty blown out, but it was nice to see something different. We still had a couple of tests that were the same and the trail sections where more difficult but it was nice to see something new.

“We still need to pick it up as were half way through this thing and we still have a way to go to get on the podium.” Wood’s statement made reference to the US World Trophy Team’s fourth place position, which is the same position they were in after Day-one and Day-two, that is 5 minutes and 55 seconds behind Finland, who are in third place in the World Trophy division. France and Italy are in first and second respectively, with France having a 5 minute and 27 second lead over Italy, who in turn have a 2 minute and 30 second
advantage over Finland.

In the Junior World Trophy division Team USA is still in fifth place, the same position they sat in at the end of Day-one and –two as well. US junior team rider Taylor Robert said, “We’re still in striking distance of third place. That’s only a minute and 32 seconds away. Second place is only something like 2 minutes and 42 seconds further away than that.
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“I had my best day so far were I finished seconded fastest American behind Kurt (Caselli.) That moved me up from 16th to 12th in class. That’s what it’s going to take to get on the podium.” Spain leads the Junior World Trophy Division, followed by Sweden, who is in second and has a time handicap of 2:56.77, followed by third place France, who is 4:04.36 back of Spain.

The US Women’s World Trophy team continued their climb up the leader board where they have moved up one position each day up from their fourth place finish on Day-one. They now sit in second place 14 minutes and 13 seconds behind France. Sweden is in third place 4 minutes and 35 seconds behind the US.

Day-three’s advancement for the US women’s team came at a cost as Kerrie Swartz was unable to finish the day within her allotted time leaving Amanda Mastin and Nicole Bradford’s scores to overtake Sweden. Swartz said, “I just had a terrible day. First I lost my rear brake and I just couldn’t make it down the hills safely. Then once I got that fixed I bent my front rotor and then had no front brakes. Technically I think I ‘houred’ out twice but I made it into impound and I’m ready to start Day-four.”

Bradford said, ”It wasn’t the best day for either Kerrie or myself. My test scores were nothing to brag about. I kept crashing in the tests. But I guess we got the job done.”

Mastin had here best day of the week where she finished 3rd overall in the women’s division good enough to move up from 8th to 5th on class. Mastin said, “Day three was my best, and the teams, so far. I personally had zero problems and I moved up 3 places overall to 5th.”

Team Tony Agonis Memorial was the top placing US club rider team where the riders of Fred Hoess, Wally Palmer and Andrew Delong continue to be in fourth place. The US team of GoFasters.com, with its three rider
team of Brian Sperle, Jordan Brandt and Nolan Irwin, are one place back in fourth.

All 32 American riders that started Day-three made it into impound

Story and Photos by: Steve Berkner , gofasters.com