2025 Sea to Sky Hard Enduro Results: Lettenbichler takes charge in Forest race, day 2 in Turkey
Results from day two at the 2025 Sea to Sky, Hard Enduro World Championship round, where Manuel Lettenbichler took charge in the spectacular Kemer canyons for the Forest race win ahead of Wade Young.
Sea to Sky Hard Enduro famously goes from beach to forest to mountain, physically from sea-level to in the clouds above Kemur. With the messing about on the beach done and dusted yesterday, riders hit hard enduro territory on day two today with the Forest race – although this is still a “sprint” race before the main event tomorrow.
The Pro riders made light work of the course with just over 90 minutes for the fastest rider and a finish time at which many holiday makers on the Turkish Riviera would only just be dusting off their breakfast.
The Forest race course itself is a stunning one in places. Riders faced trails in pine forests, lots of dry rocks on hillsides and in riverbeds but famously also the narrow balance beam bridge over crystal clear waters in a stunning canyon which is notorious for so many riders going swimming.
Fastest rider today was the reigning S2S and HEWC champion, Mani Lettenbichler, who set nearly all the fastest check times all the way up the canyon.
“The track at the Forest Race today wasn't difficult, quite fast, and a bit challenging to navigate towards the end because the singletrack trails all look the same and lead off in every direction. There weren't really any real cruxes today, just a downhill canyon and a climb towards the end – but nothing too wild.
“I think they've cut out a few things for tomorrow's main race compared to last year, but it definitely won't be an easy day. The World Enduro Riders Association (WERA) hasn't felt the need to make suggestions or even intervene regarding the course. But following our boycott, we had our first positive discussions with the promoter and can clearly see that our initiative is having a constructive effect!”
The relentless KTM rider clocked in with a minute advantage over his closest challenger, Wade Young. The South African has form at this event and recorded one of his best results of the HEWC season with second today.
The battle between Mitch Brightmore and Billy Bolt on the beach yesterday continued into the trees and rocks today. Although not physically riding together, the X-Grip Racing rider hounded Young all the way to the finish on the ground but on corrected time got the better of Bolt today by just 13 seconds.
Brightmore and Bolt in third and fourth aren’t far behind and remember the mountain race course tomorrow can be harder for the leader than it is for those a few positions further back. Billy remains unwell and is riding sick FYI.
Despite his time off recovering from a broken wrist, Teo Kabakchiev is back with a bang and finished ahaed of his teammate Mario Roman with the Sherco pairing completing the top six.
From Teo and Mario backwards, the top 10 of James Moore, Matt Green, Graham Jarvis and David Cyprian, were all very close on times and the accumulative overall result come the finish of the race will the one to watch as much as who gets to the top of the mountain in which order.
Sea to Sky Forest race (day 2) results:
Photo Credit: Future7Media | Nicki Martinez + Gian Maria