End of October means half of Scandinavia ships across to Gotland, the island off the coast of Sweden in the Baltic Sea for the epic Gotland Grand National – 3000 riders ready for 41st edition of Swedish classic enduro.

Billed as GGN 2.0, this year’s race moves home on the island after the previous location, the Tofta shooting range, used for decades was declared no longer available by the Swedish military (it is a training ground and in the current political climate, they need it!).

The will it continue question marks were finally answered in the summer when, after over 100 meetings, consultations, and large investments of time and money, the organisers of the GGN received the green light from the County Board of Gotland.

The new venue has taken a lot of work by the organisers and negotiation to maintain the race in its spiritual home on Gotland. It promises much with fresh dirt which will finally wave goodbye to the horrendous limestone bedrock at the old venue, battered by 40 years and 10s of thousands of riders. The new course, apart from being virgin soil, promises with a bit of everything in terms of dirt type.

Elowson for four?

One thing that remains constant is the name at the top of the billing, three-times winner Albin Elowson. Victor at the 40th edition last year, the Husqvarna Scandinavia rider will begin the race as favourite this year aiming to repeat the win on the new soil.

Last year’s podium had an international flavour with EnduroGP World Championship riders Steve Holcombe and Hamish Macdonald among the entries attracted by the impressive prize money on offer. Both will not race this year but one of the main sponsors of the event, Swecon, is helping bring the one and only Taddy Blazusiak and Sweden’s own Eddie Karlsson to the race for some serious R&D on the Stark Varg in the three-hour cross-country race.

Enduro Junior World Champion and one member of Sweden’s new Junior World Trophy ISDE-winning team, Max Ahlin is racing. 

The Women’s category, racing for equal prize money at this forward-thinking event (5.5K for the winner, 2.5 for second and 1000 for third), features last year’s winner Linnea Akesson, Husqvarna Scandinavia’s Hanna Berzelius and Matilda Huss plus German MX racer Larissa Papenmeier back for another shot at the win.

A total of just short of 3000 riders across the weekend will race the new course with classes for just about everyone from kids to classics and even an EMTB race.

The main race on Saturday is broadcast live on Swedish (STV) using 27 cameras they say around the course and between 09:30-11:00 and 12:15-approx 16:00 including podiums.

You can follow the race live online or via the App – details are all on: www.gotlandgrandnational.se

Photo Credit: Gotland Grand National + Race Magazine + Stark Future + Dary Karina