The state of Enduro GP?

Most people - I included - would agree that the World Enduro Championships has suffered from many strange decisions over the last few (well more) years.

Though, they seem to come from the one man and his organisation that has a stranglehold on it.

I assume there's been some shenanigans at Portugal? There certainly seems to be some strange things happening at various events, that means the goal posts keep getting changed.

But, Eddies post is puzzling - unless it's changed this year, 'his' event is a GNCC style event / Sprint event combo, I think. Something very Far from a traditional World Enduro event.

Is he pushing for the World Enduro Championships to be all run like his event? If so, I would never be a supporter of such a thing.

Or, is Eddie pissed off because he can't run such an event?

"Unless the sport follows my rules" ?????

It will be interesting to see what this really is all about.

I do think it's time for the FIM to re-take the reigns from ABC, and bring it back to Enduro Racing - though it's a hell of a lot more organizing / effort to put such a thing on than a 'closed course' GNCC / Sprint type event.

How are Indian's involved?

I agree with all the things you say Bearuno.

Another thing to consider that sounds like Paul is well informed is that because his son Jack races for the CH sherco racing team in the GPs. I'm all for traditional enduro rather than all this high speed motocross style tests i'm seeing in the recent years. The Finland race earlier in the year is a good example of proper enduro, good to see all these talented riders having to work hard for it and make them human in making mistakes.

The comment on unless the sport follows my rules probably means should run with rules how they were years ago maybe but you never know what hes trying to say unless he says more on it. Also the Indian's comment wouldn't be directly aimed at Indian's themselves as such but just using an analogy that the Indian's are bad/dumb. I know, not the best way to express that.

Lets get the FIM involved and take charge before it gets ruined and its credibility tarnished.

The fact that KTM & Husky have pulled out and are backing their riders in WESS, that brings the world of Extreme & regular Enduro together, says everything IMO... Eddy knows the sport, and While Hawkestone last year was OK, it was pretty much a glorified MX test. Great for the fans, to an extent, but without the meat of a proper enduro, not much of a challenge for the riders.

philG wrote:

The fact that KTM & Husky have pulled out and are backing their riders in WESS, that brings the world of Extreme & regular Enduro together, says everything IMO... Eddy knows the sport, and While Hawkestone last year was OK, it was pretty much a glorified MX test. Great for the fans, to an extent, but without the meat of a proper enduro, not much of a challenge for the riders.

I literally was just reading a thread on Taddy Blazusiak competing in this WESS and that's the first time i've heard of anything about WESS. I like what I see and hope Enduro GP see that and change things. It is a big change and a massive undertaking but it's what the sport needs.

The WESS Series is a bit of a ????????.

It's mainly made up of events that Red Bull have backed. Events that have been built up by / in and of themselves, some for many, many years.

A 'series' made up of these events has been proposed for a few years now, with arguments going back and forth as to what it will do to each event. Many say it will dilute / damage each event, others say the opposite. Many of them, had no need of them being part of a series, being successful for the promoters / clubs that ran them.

But, Red Bull, obviously have the money and influence to bring them together. I worry that it gives them 'ownership' of our sport. Look to the 'ownership' Monster have over so much if our Motorcycle Sport.

I've followed pretty much all of those events as free standing events (some) for decades now.

I'll follow them still, now they are part of a series, just as I follow the WEC, and so many other Motorcycle / 2 wheeled sports.

KTM / Husky still have some of their riders in WEC. I wonder at how much politics / money/ naming rights And Control (by individuals and companies) , and the continual changing of things are a part of all of these kerfuffles in the WEC.

One thing I'm sure of, the infighting and controversies are not good for the sport as a whole. We've enough enemies on the outside of our sport as it is, and having enemies within
Is making their - our 'outside' enemies - goal of harming us, ever easier.