We are very excited to announce that we are having a 8 race series.
2/15 The Grizzly Run 3-5 Mile lap Extreme hare scrambles Winchester, TN
3/15 The Groundhog 3-7 Mile lap Extreme hare scrambles Young Harris, GA
4/25 The Spring Chicken 5-7 Mile lap Extreme hare scrambles Gardendale, AL
NEW DATE! 6/20 The Sasquatch 40-50 Mile lap. Extreme GPS guided event Winchester, TN
8/1-2 Battle of the Goats 5-15 Mile lap. Extreme hare scrambles Brushy Mountain, NC
9/5 Saddleback Extreme 10-15 Mile lap. Extreme hare scrambles Bedford, KY
9/19 The Nite Squatch 35 Mile GPS guided loop. Event at night Winchester, TN
10/17 The Cliffhanger at Hollytree 3-5 Mile lap Extreme hare scrambles. Event at night Hollytree, AL
10/17-18 Series Ending Awards Party/ after the Cliffhanger, plan to stay up late!
Each of these events we believe will offer something unique and challenging and the combination will be a series that will test the skills, stamina and determination of the most hard core extreme enduro enthusiasts.
We are very happy to be partnering with some established events and some new venues. Details on each event will be posted soon, in the mean time get off the couch and get ready!
SEER Racing is announcing a NEW e-Moto class in their hard enduro series!
The new class will be introduced at their season’s final, the Cliffhanger Extreme on October 29, 2022, at the Trials Training Center in Tennessee. And continued in the 2023 series.
SEER’s race directors Gary Barr and Derek Bratcher can’t wait to see electric dirt bikes on their hard enduro course: ‘Their advanced technology makes them light, quiet, and more powerful than you would expect. We believe that e-Moto bikes are quickly gaining popularity and will even grow more in the future.’
Wheel Size and Age limit
For the series, you will need a bike with a minimum rear-wheel size of 16 inches. That’s the only requirement, otherwise the class is open format, like the other SEER classes. Well, and being 16 years or older, which is standard for all SEER events.
The e-Moto class will start behind the Bronze and Iron riders and stay on the same course. The most difficult sections of the challenging trails will be bypassed.
4h Race Course
Worried that you will not make it around the SEER course on one battery? You are going to have four hours for the eight-mile course. If you conserve your bike’s battery (and your own!), you should be able to complete multiple laps. But if your battery gets low, simply stop at one of the checkpoints and take the ‘easy out’ route. No problem.
Remember, the main reason they are popular is because they are simply fun to ride!
Ready to try something new? Come and join us with your e-Moto bike at the Trials Training Center on October 29.
Manuel Lettenbichler wins Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, follows in father’s footsteps Lettenbichler claims his first Red Bull Erzbergrodeo title seven years after his father Andreas achieved the same feat. The duo are now the only father/son combo to have won the revered Austrian hard enduro race.
Manuel Lettenbichler performs during Red Bull Erzbergrodeo in Eisenerz, Austria on June 19, 2022
Eisenerz (AUSTRIA) – Manuel Lettenbichler of Germany has beaten 1,200 competitors and a mountain called the Iron Giant to triumph at the 26th edition of Austria’s iconic Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. Of the 500 riders who qualified for Sunday’s main event, just eight mastered the 35.2km course within the four-hour time limit, with Lettenbichler leading the whole way. In second place was Spanish rider Mario Roman, with Canada’s Trystan Hart third.
Held in the Austrian mining town of Eisenerz and first launched in 1995, the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is a holy grail for hard enduro riders and takes place around the gravity-defying Erzberg mountain, a functioning mine producing more than two million tons of iron ore per year.
The Iron Giant is also the world’s largest human-made pyramid, creating an unrivalled challenge in offroad motorsport. After a three-year wait since the last edition in 2019, thousands of riders – a mix of amateurs and professionals – made the pilgrimage back to the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo to try and master the race, which is the centerpiece of a four-day hard enduro festival that draws tens of thousands of fans.
In one of the toughest editions ever, Lettenbichler battled against the mountain and runner up Roman for two hours, 58 minutes, the only rider to finish under three-hours. Riders had a total of four-hours to complete the course, made up of 27 arduous checkpoints. Lettenbichler described the “unbelievable” feeling he had at checkpoint 26 out of 27, knowing that victory was his.
“When I cleared Lazy Noon, I was like ‘oh man, how sick is this’, Lettenbichler said.
“Literally the last push wasn’t too difficult, and it was an unbelievable feeling. I’ve been on the go for a couple of years and now to win it, I’m over the moon.
“It means so much that both my dad and I have won this race. Probably for the next couple of years not many people will do that, it’s such a cool story.”
Lettenbichler’s win wasn’t without challenges, as he struggled through checkpoint 22, named ‘Highway’, paving the way for his rivals, and allowing Roman to draw close.
“The Highway almost killed me. I was the first guy in there and there were literally no lines [to ride], I had to dig some lines and put some trees up, because it was really difficult, and I made it a little bit easier for the rest. The race almost killed me in this point, I was so done afterwards,” Lettenbichler concluded.
Manuel Lettenbichler seen during the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2022 in Eisenerz, Austria on June 19, 2022
In comparison to Lettenbichler’s start to finish win, second placed Roman produced a fightback after falling backward at the mass start, which saw the first 50 riders released into the race at once. The Spaniard drew within meters of Lettenbichler in the closing stages but couldn’t overhaul his rival in a race he described as the “hardest edition ever”.
“It was super tough, I had a miss at the start with crazy dust and I started to lose a lot of positions, about 20 or so. Then I tried to take it easy and do my own pace and I started to over-pass one-by-one. Then I was watching the leader, who was maybe 20-meters away, but second place was all I could do,” Roman conceded.
“The toughest thing today was finding surprises because we walked the track, we thought that we knew all the sections, but then when we were riding, we didn’t recognize some new sections. That was hard because we couldn’t find the good lines and that was difficult for the first riders.
“I think for sure this was the hardest edition ever, even if only one year there were only five people that finished, I would say that today not many people will get to the finish in time.”
This year’s race marked the first time that the famed event was part of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Of the 1,200 contenders that lined up for the qualifying prologue, only a small portion were professionals chasing the world championship, the rest amateurs. The prologue narrowed the field to 500 qualifiers for the start of Sunday’s main race. In 2022 just eight riders saw the finish line, all of them professional.
Among the finishers was Michael Walkner, who was the only Austrian to finish his home event. South Africa’s Matthew Green was the final rider across the line, the 20-year-old was the only FIM Junior Championship rider to see the chequered flag.
The hard luck story of the day was five-time Red Bull Erzbergrodeo winner Graham Jarvis (GBR), who encountered mechanical problems that saw him stranded on the start line for an hour. Despite the 47-year-old veteran making his way through 21 of the 27 checkpoints in the time he had left, he was unable to finish within the time limit.
The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship now moves to Italy for Red Bull Abestone from July 9-10.
Participants perform during the Red Bull Erzberg Rodeo in Eisenerz, Austria on June 19, 2022.
The Second Round of the SEER Hard Enduro Series took place in Young Harris, Georgia at the Rockcrusher Farm. The weather was absolutely perfect for the 4-hour day of racing and 161 riders lined up from 17 different states.
I found myself on the second row in the Silver 35+ class with 18 other classmates. A punctual on-time start sent the Gold class off the line at 10 AM and promptly one minute later we were heading into the 4.5-mile course starting in the pit area with an exceptionally well-designed Endurocross section.
The features were technical but wide enough for multiple line options and side-by-side racing. We quickly went into the woods and onto the freshly cut, extremely tight, off-camber single track.
With over 1000ft of vertical elevation to the property we climbed and dropped several zones allowing for the race order to sort itself out before the first trail split dividing the Gold/ Silver riders from the Bronze/Iron class at what was referred to as Hill 10.
Upon arrival at hill 10, the Gold class was still working their way through the loose rocky ravine, requiring multiple riders to immediately realize that some teamwork would be the only way to clear out of the first special test.
As several of the Silver riders from the 16-34 class had now joined our row the first 15 of the silver class riders were watching the mid and last of the Gold class riders and preparing to team up with their fellow classmates to work our way up the now deteriorating section.
A spring was hiding under the rocky valley and with each Gold Class rider through produced more mud on the roots and rock faces. By the time I and the early Silver class riders were finally attempting the most technical section of this hill the race promoter Adam McCluskey and a few other course workers had arrived to add reinforcements to the section workers to try and clear the bottleneck.
Roughly an hour later I crested the top of the section at Hill 10 and I set off down the single track once again stopping to catch my breath at the extremely steep downhill drop off next to Hill 10.
The trail sections put all of the classes back on the same path for the next few miles of Climbs and Descents as we crossed the property heading to the next split at the section known as Grahams Gorge. I have filmed the Race Recap for Adam for several years but this was my first time getting to ride the property on course and I was definitely looking forward to making it up and out of all the slimy shelves of rocks in Grahams Gorge.
I took my time to regain my composure before each technical spot to make sure I could conserve my energy and that played out better than I expected. Only needing to give one “second attempt” at the large center rock section which was probably the slickest place on the entire track.
After exiting the Gorge, the trail continued to climb up several very steep and moderately technical switchbacks as we summited the property for the second time in the first lap leading us onto the Downhill Mountain Bike section which was a fast-flowing relief allowing you to bring the heart rate down while covering some distance on the way back to the Starting check. I stopped in the pit area next to the Endurocross to grab a quick bite of a Granola Bar, swapped my goggles and gloved, and went back out for Lap two refreshed.
I made it back to Hill 10 and 3/4 of the way up the section before the 4-hour time limit ended my day. Nick Fahringer won Overall, followed by Quinn Wentzel and Jeremiah Burkhart. I finished 5th in the Silver +35 and definitely enjoyed getting to finally race this property. This is my 5th time racing a SEER event and each race I have attended has been exceptionally well executed.
Winner Nick Fahringer & Race Organizer Adam Mc Cluskey
As The American Hard Enduro Videographer for the AMA Series and several SEER events in the past, I have seen this sport and community grow leaps and bounds, and I can tell you that this SEER Series is doing everything right. I highly recommend trying one to anyone who is remotely interested. The class formats, sectional splits, and 4-hour time limit allow every level of rider to explore their skill set on a variety of terrain and trail. You will be challenged, you will get your money’s worth of riding, and you will find out exactly where your limits are!
Hope to see you at the next SEER event! May 28, the Nightmare Extreme!
Text: Blake Terry – American Hard Enduro
Photo Courtesy: Greg Nolf, Jared Pettinen, Carly Short
SEER’s 2022 Hard Enduro Series started with Round 1, the Covid Crusher 3.0, on April 2 at the Hollytree Offroad Park in Alabama.
Video Highlights Covid Crusher
Summary
-) 4-hour multiple-lap hard enduro in North Alabama
-) 150 racers traveled from 22 US states to the race
-) 6-mile course with multiple checks and challenging sections like Nico’s Valley and Copperhead Creek
-) Ryder LeBlond won, followed by Nick Fahringer and Quinn Wentzel
Covid Crusher 3.0
What Did The Course Look Like?
The Hollytree Offroad Park in Alabama showed itself from its best side! The course offered a lot of grip, and the single track parts held up very well. It rained three days before the race, which helped to keep the course dust-free.
The racers had to conquer a 6-mile course spiked with gnarly sections. The race took place on the hills forming the Hollytree valley. Riders came back down to cross the valley twice each loop, which made it easy to follow for spectators.
Ryder LeBlond Gold Section
What Was The Race Format?
The race started at 10 am CST, with SEER’s traditional dead-engine start in rows by classes. In its third year, SEER’s track manager Derek Bratcher mixed up new single track sections, reversed trails, and included the already famous segments ‘Nico’s Valley’ and ‘Copperhead Creek’ which were extended. Both are creek beds with huge rock drops which need careful navigation.
SEER extended their race format from three hours to four hours race time. The extra hour pushed some riders to their maximum capacity, but most of them loved the extra possibility to make up places. Luckily the Bronze and Iron riders got a little ‘break’ when bypassing the hardest sections, while the Gold/ Silver racers found their ultimate contest on gnarly terrain.
Checkpoint Nico’s Valley
Who Came To Race?
Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Wisconsin – you name it! 150 racers from 22 states traveled to North Alabama, which is our new record. More than half of the field are returning hard enduro fans, they have suffered on SEER’s hand before, and are coming back for more 🙂
Racer From Up North
How Was The Weather?
The weeks leading up to the race were dry, it only rained in the last days before the event. Race morning was a bit chilly, in the 30s, and some racers found a sheet of ice on their bike seats. By race start it had warmed up into the 50s. The sun did not come out until late into the race. The cloud cover kept the temperatures in the 60s, perfect for a day with some pushing and pulling on a bike!
Race Morning
Was The Course Spectator Friendly?
Hollytree Offroad Park offers a great base for a course with a clover like shape. All racers made it back to the pits twice during one lap. Nico’s Valley and Copperhead Creek were the most interesting spots to watch, both within a few minutes walking distance from the pits. The checkpoints were located in those sections.
Spectators
Who Were The Overall Winners?
2022 SEER champ Ryder LeBlond secured another spot at the top of the podium! SEER riders Nick Fahringer and Quinn Wentzel gave him a good challenge, finishing in 2nd and 3rd.
Read SEER racer’s Mark event recap for the international hard enduro info page www.hardenduroraces.com View the original article HERE
What’s your name?
Mark Myers
How old are you?
30 years
Where are you from?
Fort Lauderdale, Florida but originally from Johnsonburg, PA
When did you get into the sport of hard enduro and when did you ride a dirt bike for the first time?
My first hard enduro was at the Covid Crusher 2.0 this season. I first rode a dirt bike when I was about 5 years old.
What bike do you ride?
This season I was lucky enough to ride my dad’s bike, which was a 2021 Husqvarna TE 300i
What team do you ride in (if any)
No Team Affiliation
How many hard enduro races have you entered (roughly, doesn’t have to be 100% accurate)?
-All but 2 of the SEER Events. Unable to make those due to prior engagements. I did sign up for 2 other AMA races, but those Sunday races make it harder to get to.
If possible, what would you characterize yourself as? Beginner, weekend warrior, ambitious amateur, semi-pro or pro?
Weekend Warrior, living in South Florida I don’t get the opportunity to ride very often. So when SEER hosts an event, I try my best to get there!
What race are you going to talk about and what year did you do it?
The Cliffhanger, I watched it in 2020, but I raced it in 2021 and it did not disappoint.
What was the race format like – how many days, hours or races did you have to do to finish/win the race?
It was a 4 hour race, and you had to get to as many check points as possible within that time frame.
What excited you the most about this race? Was it the terrain, the grip, the camaraderie, the organization, the weather, your own performance or something entirely different?
I was very excited for this race because it was the season finale of the SEER series. It came down to this race in series points for the championship. That made it very exciting. I always love the camaraderie at the SEER races. The weather turned out beautiful for this race, and I was excited to see how I would perform at this race considering that they were going to make this more difficult. All in all it was an absolutely amazing time.
What kind of tires/mousse/tubeless/tube did you use and why? More importantly – would you recommend your setup or did you learn that something else would have been better?
I’m going to be 100% honest, my brother set up my bike for me and I believe he had some sort of Matis tire on the front and rear. I think that the rear tire was set up on a type of tubless/mousse combination. The front tire was just tubless.
Was there anything bike setup-wise that you discovered to work great and that you’d like to share?
One thing that is an absolute must have for these races is some type of bark buster for protecting your hands, and a grab handle for moving the bike around when it’s stuck.
How tough did you find the track physically and mentally?
The track was definitely a challenge. Although the obstacles were challenging, they were doable.
Was the track easy to follow (markings or GPS) and was the difficulty level of the track what you expected, easier or harder?
It was fairly easy to follow, although there was one time that I missed a turn and ended up on part of the Gold/Silver course. It was my mistake though, I didn’t do that the first lap around.
Where did you stay during the race, was it a good choice and would you do it again? (camping, hotel, private etc.)
We stayed in a camper at the TTC hook up site. Always a great experience, and would gladly do it again.
What result did you get and are you happy with it?
I ended up 6th in my class, but I ended up winning the series championship in the Bronze 16-34 class. During the race I did run into some trouble with my radiator. I was able to get back to the pits to fix it and continue racing. I am very happy with it definitely all things considered.
Did you feel like you got a good value for your money at this race?
Yes, I feel that these races are a good value.
What would be your best piece of advice, to a person who is considering entering this race for the first time?
Train as much as possible and get as much seat time as you can. Keep moving.
What (if anything) would you like to see changed in the event to improve it?
For the series finale, I would like to be able to race in the morning, and then watch the pros (Gold) race at some point separately, or vice versa. That would have been pretty cool to see, but not really sure if there is a way for this to happen.
Finally, would you do this race again and recommend it to other riders?
I would love to do this race again and I would recommend this race to other riders. It was a great experience!
Thank you Mark for riding this review! We are always excited to hear from our racers!!
After SEER’s round 4, the River Monster GPS in June in Virginia, the series continued with a hard enduro race on Labor Day weekend in Kentucky. 2021 was the 4th time having the Saddleback Xtreme (SBX) event in Bedford.
Quinn Wentzel came to the race with the overall series lead, challenging the rider with the most wins in 2021, Ryder LeBlond.
Saddleback Xtreme 2021
What Was The Race Format?
The Saddleback Xtreme, SEER’s round 5, took place north of Louisville, Kentucky. The race time was the SEER standard of three-hours. The goal of each racer was to complete as many laps, and/ or reach as many checks as possible in the given time. Racers had four opportunities to get scored on the 13 mile lap. In a SEER race, a rider gets scored at the last checkpoint he/ she reaches. You do not have to complete an entire lap to get scored. You just have to make it to a checkpoint 🙂
Saddleback Xtreme Start 2021
The Saddleback club acquired 800 new acres of property this year, so the start was moved to a new location. Racers lined up in rows based on their classes. After a dead engine start, riders looped through a grass track, before they entered the woods. An enduro cross section was added into the second lap.
Saddleback Xtreme 2021 Enduro Cross
Who Came To Race?
120 racers from 20 different states such as Colorado, Texas, and Maryland travelled to race the SBX. They all came highly motivated to tackle the course and see how far they will make it.
Saddleback Xtreme 2021
What Did The Course Look Like?
During race week, the remnants of hurricane Ida dumped rain in the area. The wind and sun dried up the top sections but the bottoms where still wet. Bikes churned up the dirt and brought the moisture out which made the off camber sections tricky.
Saddleback Xtreme 2021
The trails provided plenty of rocks, ravines, boulders and creek beds. Gold and Silver riders got to tackle the hardest sections. After a check point they were sent into Good News ravine. Between very gnarly sections, racers enjoyed flowing single track. But overall there was not much time to recover from the difficult parts! Past another check they had the Hulk ravine waiting, and if they made it to another split, Alex’s hill was the one to conquer. Bronze and Iron class bypassed the most technical sections but still got pushed to their mental and physical limits!
Saddleback Xtreme 2021
Was The Course Spectator Friendly?
Yes, the course had plenty of spectator friendly sections worth watching. The enduro cross was right next to the parking lot, which made it a cool attraction. The temperature was in the low 60s in the morning and reached the upper 70s by mid race. Perfect conditions to watch and cheer at a SEER race!
Saddleback Xtreme 2021
Who Were The Winners?
Saddleback Xtreme 2021 Gold/ Overall Podium
Overall/ Gold Podium: Ryder LeBlond, Quinn Wentzel, Jackson Davis
Silver 16-34 Podium: Greg Nolf, Alex Aebersold, Gregg Murray
Silver 35+ Podium: Thad Huff, Jeffrey Hagewood, Michael Manuel
Bronze 16-34 Podium: Austin Millwood, Alex Workman, Brandon Blakely
Bronze 35+ Podium: Kevin Wolfel, Tim Sizemore, Matt Adams
Iron Podium: Tim Johnson, Hunter Scott, Gage Wiley
SEER series podium leading up to the final round: Ryder LeBlond, Quinn Wentzel, Jeremiah Burkhart
Saddleback Xtreme 2021 Iron Podium
Thank you!
Special thanks to the SBX team for their months of hard work to put this race together! As always, a race would not be possible without the countless volunteers. We really appreciate your time and efforts!!
The 2021 SEER series presented by Pandora’s continued with round #4, the River Monster GPS on June 19, 2021 at the Kairos Resort in Virginia.
SEER River Monster GPS
Racer’s Feedback
Racer’s feedback after round #4, the River Monster GPS at Kairos Resort in Virginia: ‘Wow Kairos is incredible. Toughest hill climbs I’ve ever done. Creek beds that seem to never end. Descents that make your tail pipe pucker.’
SEER River Monster GPS
Who Came To Race?
After SEER had to drop their 2020 GPS race, we were happy to see over 100 racers from 17 different states mount their GPS devices and come to the Kairos resort.
SEER River Monster GPS
Race Clips
Race clips from the River Monster GPS provided by Travis Jackson. The GPS race at Kairos Wilderness Resort had a 26 mile course and an 8 hour time limit.
Who Won The Race?
Gold 1. Quinn Wentzel 2. Stephen Edmondson 3. Jeremiah Burkhart 4. Jackson Davis 5. Drew Kirby
SEER’s next round is the Saddleback Xtreme in Bedford, Kentucky on September 4, 2021. We promise you will find 12 very challenging hard enduro miles! Sign up now!
The 2021 SEER series presented by Pandora’s continued with round #3, the Nightmare Extreme on May 15, 2021 at Hale Mountain in Alabama.
SEER Nightmare Extreme
What Was The Race Format?
The Nightmare Extreme starts at dusk and finishes in the dark. After the inaugural year in 2020, SEER’s track director Derek Bratcher used the course in reverse direction, and added plenty of new, challenging sections like Timo’s Hole and Nightmare Creek.
SEER’s standard race format is three hours of race time with multiple checks: This time there were three splits where Gold/ Silver riders stayed on the main course and Bronze/ Iron riders continued with scaled down sections.
The start of the race was on top of a hill, about 1 mile from the parking area. The start format was LeMan style, which usually adds an interesting twist to the procedure ;o)
SEER Nightmare Extreme
How Was The Weather?
SEER’s good weather luck strike continued for the night race: Blue skies, sun and warm temperatures while racers inhabited the parking areas, and scouted out the start area as well as some of the nearby sections. With the clear skies, it was not before 8:00 pm CST until the woods turned totally pitch dark. It cooled off some, but stayed pretty warm.
SEER Nightmare Extreme
Was The Course Spectator Friendly?
One of the check points, also the finish/ lap tent, was within walking distance from the parking area. If you liked to hike, you could be at the start area within 20 minutes, at the top of a hill. Some side-by sides found their way to watch the fun LeMan style start of the race.
SEER Nightmare Extreme
What Did The Course Look Like?
Since it had not rained a lot in the area over the course of several weeks, the course was pretty dry. Some spots stay wet, due to little creeks, but the majority was holding up very well. No many deep ruts or worn out trails. The majority of the racers completed multiple laps due to the great conditions.
SEER Nightmare Extreme
Who Came To Race?
After a hurricane in 2020 passing by, SEER was able to double their race entries from the previous year. There were 80 racers from 15 different states putting on bright lights and heading off into the night!
SEER Nightmare Extreme
Who Were The Winners?
SEER’s race director Gary Barr got to hand out the prize money and the cool plaques at a nightly awards ceremony to familiar faces. The current leader of the SEER championship, Ryder LeBlond, secured another spot on the top of the podium. This time he had 2020 champ Nick Fahringer closing in on him, but Ryder finished a few minutes ahead of him. 2020 vice-champ Quinn Wentzel completed the podium in third.
The next round is our premiere hard endure GPS race at Kairos Resort in Virginia, on June 19, 2021. We promise this is going to be a very scenic, +30 miles single-lap course. Don’t miss it!
New venue, new classes & new date for the Bootlegger Extreme!
After having to postpone the race due to severe weather conditions in the area, the 2021 SEER series presented by Pandora’s continued with the Bootlegger Extreme on the Easter weekend (4/3/2021) in Sequatchie, Tennessee.
Official Highlights Video
What Was The Course Format?
The new course at the Cove Farms offered 3.5 hrs race time with multiple checks: 3 splits where Gold/ Silver stayed on the main course and Bronze/ Iron continued with scaled down sections.
NEW classes: With an increasing number of participants in each class, especially in Silver and Bronze, SEER decided after round #1 to split them up. Riders were divided by age: Silver (Bronze) 16-34y/ Silver (Bronze) 35+. This round, the younger age groups started first, next round it will be the other way round, 35+ goes first.
Bootlegger Extreme Race Start
How Was The Weather?
After severe conditions in the weeks leading up to the race, the elements showed themselves from their best side on the Easter weekend: sunny, chilly in the morning, but warm during the race. We couldn’t have asked for a better weather for racers, spectators and volunteers alike!
Bootlegger Extreme Kristina Zmuda
Was The Course Spectator Friendly?
NEW venue: Cove Farms in Tennessee is located right next to the famous Trials Training Center, host of Tennessee’s Knock-Out race. A huge rock within the start area made for an interesting spot to watch. Not only spectating kids loved it, watching racers jump over it and cheering for them 🙂 One of the Gold/ Silver vs. Bronze/ Iron splits was within a few minutes walking distance and gave a chance to watch racers making their way up the rocks.
Bootlegger Extreme Start Rock
What Did The Course Look Like?
The track was about perfect: mostly dry but not dusty – just right for lots of steep drops, rocky ravines and various obstacles along the course. Challenging, but not impossible. Many racers were able to do multiple laps due to the great conditions.
Bootlegger Extreme Pat Smage
Who Came To Race?
Another enormous turn-out at our 2nd hard enduro of the year: With 185 starters we tied our record from the 2021 Covid Crusher. It continues to be a well-traveled group, riders from 20+ states were finding their way to Tennessee.
Bootlegger Extreme Race Morning
Who Were The Winners?
Overall winners: Once again, 19 year old Ryder LeBlond showed his talent, skills and fitness, followed by 11x National Trials Champ Pat Smage and another young shooting star, Jordan Ashburn. Defending champ Nick Fahringer was hot on their heels but got a hole in his gas tank and ended in 4th.
The images are photo courtesy of Patsy Davis. Check out her race pictures on Smugmug
Thank You and See You At Round #3
The next round is our premiere race at night, SEER’s Nightmare Extreme on Hale Mountain in Alabama on May 15, 2021. Get your lights out and let’s have some fun in the dark!
