Hard Enduro Series Germany: Sonny Goggia conquers the German Juniors in series opener
The 2024 DOWATEK Hard Enduro Series headed to Reetz for round one of the season where an international contingent joined the Germans and Italian Sonny Goggia claimed the win.
Marking the fifth appearance in Reetz, round one of the 2024 Hard enduro Series Germany saw nearly 140, a large number of spectators also gathered at the track at Mühlenberg. Exciting races and a strong field of riders, which even featured some last-minute top riders signing up for the season opener.
The international entry was headed by Hard Enduro World Championship regular Sonny Goggia, who was recruited by the FB Factory Racing Team and will participate in several races of the series. Also on the start line was British extreme enduro rider, Charlie Frost, supported by K&P Zweiradtechnik.
These two drivers faced a highly motivated field of regulars in the HESG, which was unfortunately decimated by some injuries including defending champion Marc Wulf, Milan Schmüser and Fynn Hannemann all absent.
Nevertheless, the excitement was high to see how Felix Bähker would now perform on the KTM, and whether Leon Hentschel had succeeded in transitioning to the Beta in the off-season, plus promising Junior Henry Strauss.
ACE Bikes Prolog Award
The day kicked-off with the ACE Bikes Prolog Award, where it quickly became clear that this season would be a good one. Despite a runtime of over 3 minutes, the time gaps throughout the field were extremely close.
The prologue was largely conducted in the form of an enduro test, but it included some tricky technical sections. Victory and defeat were decided here by tenths with Felix Bähker leading, but Goggia arrived and bettered him by 0.078 seconds.
The top 10 finished within just 10 seconds of each other.
Victories by Goggia and Bähker in the group races
Sonny Goggia was learing to ride sand with each lap and eventually managed to win the first group race ahead of Leon Hentschel and Louis Richter.
The second race was dominated by a duel between Henry Strauss and Felix Bähker. Bähker, the Junior Champion of 2023, had to fight hard to defeat the 15-year-old Strauss. Although Bähker briefly took the lead, Strauss countered and ultimately prevailed.
The starting grid for the final was set with 25 participants from each group qualified for the main race.
Fight for position in the final
The final was held over a time distance of 55 minutes plus one lap, starting in pairs from the respective positions of the group races. Thus, Goggia and Strauss were the first away on the shortened but significantly more challenging lap.
Goggia emerged as the leader after the first lap, closely followed by Strauss, Hentschel, Bähker, Frost, and Lenny Geretzky. Geretzky was the first to fall behind the high pace being set, after his injury at the end of last year, he is still not back to 100% fitness.
Strauss had not only set his sights on winning the Auner Junior Award but challenged Goggia for the overall, taking the lead at one point. However, a stumble on a rocky ascent allowed Goggia to reclaim the lead and eventually pull away. Bähker also lost ground at the same section, allowing Hentschel past.
The final results was Sonny Goggia ahead of Henry Strauss and Leon Hentschel. However, due to the bonus points from the ACE Bikes Prolog Award, the standings were still very close.
The daily victories in the classes went to Goggia (Pro), Strauss (Juniors), Korber
(Seniors), Igl (Amateurs), and Täuber (Women). In the Luminus Energie HESG Kids, who also had their opening race in Reetz, Linus Albert (85ccm), Constantin Richter (65ccm), and Melvin Gohlke (50ccm) emerged victorious.
The second race of the season starts on April 27-28 in Crimmitschau.
Registration and more information: www.hardenduro-germany.de
Photo Credit: Michel238pic | Michel Kuchel
