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KTM & Husaberg take one and two at Top Trail Rider Enduro Series
Motorex KTM off-road rider Chris Birch and Husaberg off-road rider Karl Power, dominated at round four of the Top Trail Rider Enduro Series held at Whangarei on the North Island over the weekend, with Birch taking the outright win and Power coming in second.
Riding the 250 EXC-F Chris Birch took on the E1 (Enduro 1) class convincingly winning the round with his only class competition coming from local rider Damien Neild.
Birch’s fast times also scored him his second outright win for the series, after he took out the opening round earlier in the year, whilst placing runner up to Karl Power at the second round when he endured a flat tyre.
Commenting on his win at the Whangarei Birch said, “The track was flowing muddy farmlands with two special tests ridden five times throughout the course of the day. The best part of the race was the special test that dipped in and out of a creek and zigzagged up and down a hillside. I managed to find some good lines in this test which let me gain several seconds each time through.
“One of the creek crossings cut out badly and the course needed to be changed to a different crossing, this worked to my advantage as I spotted a little kicker in the grass that let me jump the whole crossing. This saved me at least six seconds and a greater advantage for the overall win.”
Taking second outright at the event was Husaberg rider, Karl Power who entered on board the 450 FE in the E2 class.
“I had a pretty good run all day with my only class competition coming from Mitchell Neild who kept me honest. Mitchell and his brother Damien are the local heroes of Whangarei, so Chris and I caused a bit of an upset beating them both, said Power.
“I beat Mitchell by one second for the E2 class so it was very close, and I was 20 seconds off outright taken by Chris Birch, but on the last special test I secured exactly the same test results as Birch, so I was consistent with my form all day.”
Birch and Power teamed up twice over the weekend, also taking on The Power Adventures Two Man series at Woodhill Forest, near Auckland. Both racers rode the all new electric start KTM 300 EXC finishing second overall after running out of gas, something they would rather not admit to as it cost them both the win.
Birch and Power will again compete in the Top Trail Rider Enduro Series on the weekend of June 6, for the penultimate round. Racing results will be posted at www.ktm.co.nz and www.husaberg.com.au
