Preview – KTM New Zealand Extreme Enduro Series, Rd1

Round one of the KTM New Zealand extreme series is set to kick off with ‘The Value Cars Nutbuster’ extreme enduro near Christchurch in New Zealand’s South Island on the 28th of September.

Competition is looking stiff with New Zealand’s number one Hard Enduro rider Chris Birch (KTM) looking to take first blood in the series.

He will come under a barrage of fire from last year’s winner Sean Clarke as well as the rest of the KTM/Husaberg Offroad team of Jason Davis, Freddie Milfrod-Cottam, Mike Skinner, Liam Draper and multi time NZ and Australian trials champion Jake Whitaker.

Other likely threats to Birch’s triumph include Mitchell Neild, Kelly Paterson, Warren Laugesen, Greg DeLautour, Jim Lowe-Pattie, Adrian Smith, Mike Davis and Kevin Archer.

The event will see riders push and shove their way through native forest, logs, bogs, creeks, waterfalls and steep hills in a GNCC style format where riders start three at a time with the pro’s tackling four laps of the gnarly track nestled in the South Islands southern alps.

Comments have been made by many of the competitors in previous years that the terrain is very similar to that, they have ridden in Red Bull Romaniacs so “Birchy” should be right at home in the South Island tere ferme!

New Zealand KTM Extreme Enduro Series

Round 1: Saturday September 29 – Nut Buster Hard Enduro, South Island

Round 2: Sunday November 17 – Riverhead 100, Riverhead Forest

Round 3: Saturday December 7 – Tokoroa EnduroCross, A&P Show

Round 4: Saturday February 8 – Te Puke EnduroCross, A&P Show

Round 5: Sun/Mon April 20-21 – No Way in Hell Extreme, Oparau