Wade Young wins Sea to Sky qualification Forest Race at round six of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship in Turkey ahead of Mani Lettenbichler and Billy Bolt.

Round six of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship saw competitors get down to business early on Friday morning in Kemer, Turkey for qualification at Sea to Sky. The Forest Race marked the first points-paying outing for riders, following yesterday’s Beach Race opener.

A demanding 45-kilometre course, ridden in a time trial format, it took nearly two hours for the front runners through some of the best forest trails of the region.

Making his return to the FIM HEWC for round six following injury, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt wasted no time in getting up to speed and won Thursday’s Beach Race over Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler and Red Bull Leader Tread’s Wade Young.

That resulted in Bolt leading the field out early this morning for the Forest Race 30 seconds ahead of Lettenbichler and a determined Young one minute later.

Former winner Young has a strong record at Sea to Sky and quickly closed in on the two leaders, catching them early to take the race lead. Riding out front, Young was never challenged and claimed the day win by a 3:11s margin. Under HEWC rules for qualifcation races that also meant a tally of three championship points for the GASGAS rider.

Despite also working his way past Bolt, Lettenbichler didn’t match the pace set by Young but kept a comfortable rhythm to finish second and secure two championship points.

A promising return to hard enduro from Bolt saw him keep Young and Lettenbichler within range and eventually take third place and the final championship point on offer.

Sherco Factory Racing’s Teodor Kabakchiev took fourth, finishing just under 30 seconds behind Bolt with David Cyprian in fifth ahed of the goat, Graham Jarvis.

Saturday, October 12, marks the final day of racing at Sea to Sky and the all-important Mountain Race where riders start with their wheels on the shoreline of the Mediterranean Sea before racing head-to-head to the finish line located on the summit of the nearby Olympos Mountain, some 2,365m above sea level on a 65-kilometre course.

Provisional Forest Race Results - FIM Qualifying (top 10):

1.⁠ ⁠Wade Young (GASGAS) 1:44:22.97

2.⁠ ⁠Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 1:47:34.17

3.⁠ ⁠Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:49:01.61

4.⁠ ⁠Teodor Kabakchiev (Sherco) 1:49:30.25

5.⁠ ⁠David Cyprian (KTM) 1:51:27.16

6.⁠ ⁠Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 1:51:42.41

7.⁠ ⁠Vaclav Nedved (KTM) 1:52:59.96

8.⁠ ⁠Alfredo Gomez (Rieju) 1:54:00.17

9.⁠ ⁠Francesc Moret (Sherco) 1:54:36.38

10.⁠ ⁠Thomas Scales (GASGAS) 1:54:46.96

Full results: iridehardenduro.com

Photo Credit: Future7Media | Nicki Martinez