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Four magical days in the NSW Central Tablelands reinstated the Australian 4-Day Enduro as the country’s premier off-road event. ANDY WIGAN
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iKAPTURE & IAN HANCOCK
n 1977, the first team Australia ever sent to the International Six-Days Enduro (ISDE) returned from Czechoslovakia with their tails between their legs, having posted a 100% DNF-rate. It was a damn tough ISDE that year, but the result remained an embarrassment to Australia’s proud off-road fraternity, and it gave the Cessnock Motorcycle Club an idea: to create an event back home that’d prepare our riders and support crew for the notoriously torrid ISDE. And that’s how the Australian 4-Day Enduro (A4DE) was conceived and born – in Cessnock, over the Easter holiday break of 1978. Of the 125 riders who entered, just 43 completed the saturated course, with Victoria’s Norm Watts – father of former WEC and GNCC champ, Shane – the inaugural winner. “The 4-Day”, as it became known, has been a regular fixture on the off-road race calendar ever since, and is regarded as Australia’s premier off-road event. Back in the ’80s, it attracted international greats such as America’s Dick Burleson and Europe’s Joachim Sauer and SvenEric Jonsson, with Mika Ahola, Juha Salminen, David Knight, Joel Smets and Antoine Meo all competing in more recent years. And Australia’s Shane Watts, Glenn Kearney, Stefan Merriman, Jake Stapleton and Josh Strang have all made a point of returning from their WEC or GNCC gigs to race the thing over the years. But the 4-Day isn’t only about the elite, and the fact that the Vets (over 35s) and Masters (over 45s) classes are religiously oversubscribed reinforces the point: if there’s one event each year that Australia’s enduro die-hards will dust themselves off to be part of, it’s the 4-Day. So, late last year, when the Oyster Bay Motorcycle Club finally got the go-ahead from Motorcycling Australia to run the 4-Day in Portland, they knew they were up against it. Aside from facing a tight timeframe, the club was also battling subdued entry numbers in the wake of the 2009 4-Day in Orange – an event that barely satisfied the 4-Day’s minimum requirements for trail and special tests, and left a trail of disgruntled competitors. Indignant at suggestions the Orange 4-Day had even tarnished the event’s reputation, a who’s who in Aussie enduro circles emerged to lend a hand for 2010. And together with the tenacious crew from the Oyster Bay and Central Tablelands Motorcycle Clubs, they built and staged one of the best 4-Days of all time. There might not have been any internationals on the Portland bill, but the depth of talent made picking a winner a tall order. Smart money had Stefan Merriman as the man to beat. A four-time WEC champ, Merriman hadn’t ridden the 4-Day since 2007, and looked like he was prepared to give his left nut to turn the 25
SPORT PICTORIAL tables on young Toby Price, who’d pipped him by an agonisingly small margin for the Outright AORC title last year. Price, who’d just joined the Motorex KTM Off-Road outfit, had missed out on the Outright win at the ’09 4-Day by a meagre 9 seconds. All he wanted was to go one better. The reigning 4-Day champ, Jarrod Bewley, was also new to the KTM squad, and was proving lightning-quick on his new quarter-litre mount. Then there was two-time 4-Day Outright winner, KTM’s Ben Grabham; three-time AORC winner, Honda’s AJ Roberts; reigning AORC E3-class champ, Berg-mounted Geoff Braico; Suzuki’s come-from-the clouds sensation Daniel Milner; Kiwi standouts Jason Davis and Rory Mead; Queensland’s favourite son, YZ450Fmounted Kirk Hutton; and a couple of young guns in the shape of Yamaha’s Ben Burrell and Honda’s Matthew Phillips. But after 1000km and 30 hours in the saddle, it was the KTM team who emerged with a win in the E1, E2, E3 and Vets classes, with Price nabbing the coveted Outright win – surely the most commanding team performance in the event’s 32-year history. But they didn’t do it without a fight to the very end.
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Knighter’s Protégé
Toby Price
Having run second by just nine seconds at last year’s 4-Day, the new Motorex KTM Off-Road Team signing was determined to go one better this year. But he started behind the eightball with a Day 1 crash costing him half a minute. The tough-as-nails 21-year-old then put his head down and rode like a seasoned vet for three days. He’d amassed a 30-second lead over Stefan Merriman going into the final moto, where he schooled the boys on one of the sweetest grasstracks of all time.
Winner, E2 & Outright
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The Slop King
Stefan Merriman
With injury or circumstance preventing the four-time world champ from contesting the 4-Day since ’07 – and after losing the AORC title so narrowly to Price last year – Merriman came to Portland sporting a serious race face. The Ballard’s Wellard Yamaha rider dominated the slick conditions in the early going, with precise throttle control and clever lines, but handed all the time he’d gained, and more, back to Price after smacking a pine tree on Day 3. And it was just too tall an ask to claw back that time in the final moto.
2nd, E2 & Outright
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Mr Fitness
Jarrod Bewley
Categorically Australia’s fittest rider and reigning 4-Day champ, Bewley knew the 4-Day wasn’t going to break him physically, so he focused on the E1 class-win and let the Outright placing fall where it may. The New South Welshman rode a faultless event, appearing more relaxed, focused and comfortable with his bike and team set-up than ever before. And the results flowed. He dominated the E1 class, while his third Outright on a course that rewarded horsepower was very impressive.
Winner, E1; 3rd Outright
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Daniel Who?
Daniel Milner
Last year, the knockabout young Victorian won the Expert class at the AORC, but he was hardly on too many team managers’ radars. This year, the Christensens rider is suddenly – and consistently – mixing it with the Pro-class frontrunners, despite needing insulin jabs all day to keep his blood sugar in check! Looking fast and smooth on one of the few Suzuki’s in the field, Milner’s 4-Day cemented his genuine arrival on the off-road scene. It showed he now has raw talent and the temperament to apply it.
3rd, E2; 4th Outright
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The Wily Old Fox
Ben Grabham
Grabbo has been more focused and dedicated to his training than ever before, and it has paid dividends this year for the vet of 13 consecutive A4DEs. Riding the powerful KTM 530 with incredible finesse, he posted his sixth 4-Day class-win – his first A4DE podium since 2003. After a great final moto battle with Husaberg’s Geoff Braico, Grabham finished fifth Outright, just two seconds off fourth. The desert racer is officially back in the bush!
Winner, E3; 5th Outright 26
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The New Dad
Kirk Hutton
With his first son born just days before the event, the sleep-deprived five-time A4DE classwinner was lucky to get through the event, let alone fight for a podium in the premier E2 class. But that’s exactly what he did. Looking much more comfortable aboard the YZ450F than his big-bore WR450F AORC mount, King Kirk threw caution to the wind around the grasstracks and was consistently in the top-five Outright. He finished just four seconds off a podium in E2 and a very commendable sixth Outright.
4th, E2; 6th Outright
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That Junior
Matthew Phillips
Having focused on winning Junior Aussie MX titles in recent years, the Tasmanian only made a last-minute decision to race the 4-Day. His hold-it-on grasstrack speed was staggering, and he did more than hold his own in the enduro tests. And on Day 3, he posted the second best time Outright! Phillips won the E1 final moto and finished seventh Outright – just eight seconds adrift of Milner in fourth! Not bad for a 16-yearold in his first 4-Day!
2nd, E1; 7th Outright
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Geoff Braico
After years aboard KTMs, the reigning E3 AORC champ switched to Bergs for 2010 and looked to pose the biggest threat to Grabham for the E3 class win. But the Sutto’s Husaberg rider found himself in the shadow of a rejuvenated Grabham for the first three days, and despite staging a hum-dinger of a battle with Grabham to win the final moto, Braico couldn’t peg back enough time. Still, his second in class was his best 4-Day finish, as was his 9th Outright.
2nd, E3; 9th Outright
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Berg’s Hope
The White Piston
Jehi Willis
With fellow Husky rider, Chris Hollis, competing overseas this year, reigning E3 class winner, Victorian Jehi Willis, and young Luka Bussa spearheaded Husky’s 4-Day efforts. Feeling at home on his TE250 and enjoying the tests, the “semi-retired” Willis delivered some good results, but lacked the outright speed to match it with the top three in the E1 class. Still, 15th Outright in the stacked field of talent ain’t bad for a part-timer!
5th, E1
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Legend 10 The Geoff Ballard GB can’t remember exactly, but he reckons he’s done all but a few of the 4-Day’s 33 events since 1978. The timeless vet – sorry, master – simply loves everything about the sport and continues to show-up plenty of younger competitors in the Outright stakes. What did Australia’s most decorated enduro rider think about the 2010 4-Day? “Mate, there hasn’t been a Six-Days with 10 special tests. And I’ve been to a few! Portland was a fantastic event.”
Winner, Masters 30
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The Master’s Apprentice
Josh Ballard
Having posted solid – but not stellar – results in his past few seasons in the Pro ranks, the 20-year-old decided he needed to give up fulltime work and train his guts out (often with teammate Stefan Merriman) if he was ever to make a go of it. And it’s obviously done the trick. Josh bettered several more fancied names in the premier E2 class, but the final moto was his crowning glory. Cheered on by his old man standing (and getting roosted!) trackside, Josh nailed the holeshot and held off the entire field for several laps before finishing fifth.
7th, E2; 13th Outright
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Kiwi 12 The Jason Davis There’s never been any doubts over the Kiwi’s speed, but he has also earned a reputation for recklessness and crashing in recent years. Thanks to his experience in the AORC and the indispensible advice of Pacific Ink Coastal KTM team manager, Damian Smith, Davis has come on in leaps and bounds this year by marrying his natural speed with a fresh dose of consistency. An intriguing character to interview, too!
5th, E2; 8th Outright
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Boss 13 The Brad Williscroft Since 1998, the now KTM team manager has claimed eight 4-Day class wins, but never the Outright. Twice, Ben Grabham beat him to it by the smallest of margins, and the other time ... well, Williscroft got lost when he looked a shoe-in for the Outright. But something tells us KTM team’s haul of four class-wins this year – plus Toby Price’s Outright – might have more than made amends for Bradley. It was the most dominant team performance in the event’s long history.
Winner, Vets
DisappointED 14 The AJ Roberts Never comfortable with his bike set-up, the three-time Outright AORC winner had a 4-Day he’d rather forget. He could never get into a rhythm on his CRF450R and his confidence was shot by Day 2. He resigned himself to the fact the individual race was over for him, and that he was racing simply to help the Queensland Trophy Team result. Then, to add insult to injury, a jammed rear brake squashed any chance of what looked like being a podium finish in the final E2 moto.
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9th, E2
Grom 15 The Ben Burrell
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Now a regular fixture in the Ballard’s Wellard Yamaha team, 16-year-old Ben Burrell was contesting his first ever 4-Day. His earlyseason form in the AORC confirmed he had the speed to run with the leading wolfpack, but the 4-Day revealed a few deficiencies in experience. And his crash in the final moto didn’t help. Still, with names like Ballard and Merriman in your corner, the down-to-earth and likeable kid will do whatever it takes to be on the podium next year. You watch!
6th, E1 33
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The Import
Chris Power
Kiwi Chris Power and his brother, Karl, flew over and were greeted by what seemed like their type of riding terrain – loamy pine forests, limitless grasstrack and lots of rain. Unfortunately, the course dried out and Chris couldn’t quite cut it with the E2-class elite. But with the consistency of Rory Mead, Jason Davis, Adrian Smith and Wayne Neilson joining the Smith brothers, the Kiwis can be proud of their runner-up finish to NSW in the Senior Trophy Teams.
10th, E2
for Outright 17 Battle E2 – Final Moto start With three days’ trail-time and countless special tests behind them, Price had what looked like an unassailable lead over Merriman for class and Outright honours by Day 4. But with fourth through seventh Outright separated by a just 15 seconds as they headed into the final moto, the boys were all racing for the big picture. A fired-up Josh Ballard claimed the holeshot and led for a few laps, before Price imposed his presence and romped away for the moto, class and Outright win.
Moment 18 The Jemma Wilson Reigning Women’s AORC champ, Jemma Wilson came into the final moto with a mere 100th of a second advantage over 17-year-old Jessica Gardiner. The two diced for several laps to the cheers of a very vocal crowd, before Wilson tucked the front-end through an off-camber rut and stepped off the bike, with her inaugural 4-Day aspirations disappearing with it. Gardiner narrowly missed going down with her, before claiming an emotional victory in her first ever 4-Day. Alison Parker finished third – her ninth 4-Day podium.
Winner, Women’s
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Gun 19 Young Jessica Gardiner
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After Gardiner had pressured Wilson into a mistake (all caught on Jess’s helcam), and then inherited the lead in the final moto, she put her head down and cut some very fast lines around the massive grasstrack. According to team boss, Geoff Ballard, too fast! Like a trackside father-figure, he gesticulated for his young charger to take it easy and bring home the win. The aggressive Gardiner spearheads a new breed of young female enduro racers.
Comeback 20 The Ben Grabham
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For a guy who’s supposed to be the desert specialist – having won the Australasian Safari, and the Finke and Hattah Desert Races multiple times – Grabbo’s 4-Day performance was somewhat of an enduro revival this year. Fit, focused, driven, and having a ball as the ‘elder statesman’ in the new KTM team line-up, Grabbo doesn’t look like he’s set for any early retirement. He even had time to admire the style of his own shadow!
Winner, E3 35
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Team 21 The Bewley, Price,
Williscroft, Grabham
While the rest of the off-road pit paddock was cutting back budgets and letting riders go at the end of 2009, KTM went in hard and picked up both Price and Bewley, creating what is arguably the strongest team line-up in Australian off-road history. And the boys didn’t disappoint at the 4-Day. Collectively, they claimed wins in E1, E2, E3 and Vets classes; the Outright win; the Trade Teams win; and laid the foundations for NSW’s Senior Trophy Team win. Ready to race, alright!
The CoursE
22 Rick Braico Before the event, the Course Director explained, “We’re making the course so riders have an honest day’s ride. When they get off the bike, they’ll be tired, but it won’t be impossible. It’ll be what a 4-Day is supposed to be: a tough endurance race that most riders can finish, with those who do feeling a real sense of accomplishment.” And that’s exactly what was delivered. Not to mention the mouth-watering grasstrack finale Geoff Ballard designed. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Rivalry & Respect
23 Merriman & Price While Price (#2) and Merriman (#21) didn’t exchange a whole lot of small talk or pleasantries during the event, they both displayed admirable sportsmanship when it was all over. Merriman rode through the pain caused by his Day 3 crash, but never made excuses. The laconic 37-year-old was gracious in defeat and wished Price luck for his trip to the Portuguese round of the WEC the following day. Similar congratulations were exchanged between the boys, with Daniel Milner (#56) and Kirk Hutton (#6).
22 MORE ONLINE… For more results, racing action, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage of the 2010 Yamaha 4-Day Enduro, check out www.transmoto.com.au
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THE 4-DAY ON DVD... Kinda weird that the A4DE has been considered Australia’s premier offroad event for 32 years, but that there has seldom been much of an effort to capture quality footage of the thing. That all changed this year when Transmoto commissioned Nothin’ But
Shorts International – a production company who’ve shot everything from the WRC to Crusty Tours to MotoGP to surfing events worldwide – to produce a broadcast-quality DVD. That finely crafted specimen comes for free with Transmoto Issue #2, on sale July 14. 37