Patrick Garrahan led the Gofasters.com...
Patrick Garrahan led the Gofasters.com Club team to keep it third in the standings.
Though the standings at the top of the heap didn't change, the complexion of the race changed dramatically on Day Four of the 81st Maxxis International Six Days Enduro in Taupo, New Zealand. After three days on the "B" schedule, the organizers kicked it up to "A" schedule for the first time and that, combined with the deteriorating, muddy course conditions, pushed many riders to the limit with lost time or broken bikes the result.
Though Ricky Dietrich dropped to 19th in E1 due in part to a slipping clutch that he replaced at a check late in the day, the U.S. continued to lead the FIM Junior World Trophy team category. Kurt Caselli once again posted five solid tests to finish third on the day in E2. Russell Bobbitt placed 28th in E2 while David Pearson, the fourth team member, was 18th in E3, the best American in the class.
Aaron Kopp had so little time...
Aaron Kopp had so little time at check four that he left without his goggles or a full tank of fuel.
The World Trophy team standings stayed the same as Finland continued to lead over France and Spain with the U.S. in 10th, Jimmy Jarrett the U.S. team leader at 16th in E2. Teammate Aaron Kopp left the pit at checkpoint four with only a splash of fuel and no goggles, though he made the check with a reported one to three seconds to spare. It almost cost him later, though chase rider Taz Harvey intercepted him shortly thereafter to give him goggles. He arrived at the next check with an empty tank, though he was close enough to coast in.
World Trophy riders led the three classes for the day: Juha Salminen of Finland in E1 and overall, fellow Finn Samuli Aro in E2 and France's Fabien Planet in E3.
Cumulative fatigue to both bodies and bikes as well as the demanding conditions and schedule took its toll mostly on the Club team riders, a number of whom found themselves in the DNF column. That included three Americans--John Bennett, Greg Gillian and Lacy Jones--with Bennett and Gillian having terminal mechanical failures and Jones deciding that continuing while being so close to houring out by the second checkpoint was futile.
David Kamo gets his KTM out...
David Kamo gets his KTM out of a turn at the Pylons special test to help his Trail Riders of Houston team maintain fourth Club team.
But the Trail Riders of Houston remained fourth among all 135 Club teams, with members David Kamo, Cole Kirkpatrick and Luke McNeil staying on time and posting good test times. Kirkpatrick said, "It started off okay, but as soon as they kicked us off the fire roads into the trail, everything just got torn up quick. A couple times I got stuck, but I was able to get out and keep moving, no problem.
"Another time, we were climbing a hill and an official came out of nowhere and told us to turn around and go back to a fire road. There was, like, about 30 of us, and he just told us to stop and he hung markers and re-routed the course. We followed his pickup down the hill and got back on course so I don't know if they'll throw it out; I kind of think they will just because [it was] a course change so I'm not too worried."
"I wanted a tough Six Days when I came over here," Dylan Debel of Sugar Mama Racing said. "I got it. The first day, I thought it was going to be a cakewalk, but the rain's helping out [and making it tough]. It's more like a special test [all day]; you've got to fly from section to section, not just cruise like we were able to before." He and teammate Walter Luedtke finished the day, but John Bennett did not, and the team finished 52nd for the day, unofficially.
Gofasters.com, comprised of Patrick Garrahan, Daniel Janus and Brian Sperle, maintained its hold on seventh place while the Merced Dirt Riders (Jordan Brandt, Sasm Buffa and Eric DuCray) moved up to eighth.
 Rory Sullivan of Team Oregon...  Rory Sullivan of Team Oregon suffered a broken chain in the Pylons test, costing lots of time, though he eventually got it fixed; the team dropped from sixth on Day Three to 22nd. |  The Sheep Skull Enduro Riders...  The Sheep Skull Enduro Riders of the Isle of Man made the trip to New Zealand to cheer on those from the United Kingdom. | |