International Six Day Enduro - Day 4

[Andy]

At the end of a challenging and eventful fourth day at the FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) staged in Kotka, Finland it was the French Junior team that had most to celebrate, as their four-rider squad moved to the top of the Junior Trophy class. Demoting early class leaders Sweden into second position, France overturned a one-minute deficit and now lead by some seven minutes. With a new course, the longest of the event so far, continued heavy rain ensured yet another difficult day.

Despite the tough conditions Finland significantly extended their lead at the top of the World Trophy team competition and are now positioned more than twenty minutes ahead of second placed Spain. Helped once again by strong performances from all team riders, with just two days of competition remaining it now looks all but inevitable that Finland will claim yet another World Trophy class victory.

Remaining in the runners-up position Spain's senior team again produced an impressive performance to remain ahead of the USA who hold firm in third, with The Netherlands fourth and Germany fifth.

With France moving to the top of the World Junior Trophy team competition with just two days of the ISDE left Sweden, who held the top spot for the first three days of the event, find themselves down to three riders following the retirement of Johan Carlsson (Beta) with a mechanical problem. Great Britain hold third, eight minutes behind Sweden, with the USA fourth and Australia fifth.

In the Women's Cup France extended their lead at the top of the class, now sitting one-hour and twelve minutes ahead of Finland in second. Australia remains third, some three hours behind leaders France.

Beaten into second place in the Enduro 1 class on day three, Eero Remes (KTM) returned to the top in E1 to secure his third day win. Fourteen seconds ahead of countryman Juha Salminen (Husqvarna) Remes now leads the progressive E1 class results by a little over one-minute. Third on day four went to Matti Seistola (Husqvarna) who also sits third in the progressive E1 results behind Remes and Salminen.

US racer Kurt Caselli (KTM) continued his winning ways at the top of the Enduro 2 class despite being pushed extremely hard by Australian Matthew Phillips (Yamaha). Third went to Spain's Cristobal Guerrero (KTM) while in the progressive E2 results Caselli leads Phillips by fifty seconds with Guerrero third.

Marko Tarkkala (Husaberg) was once again the rider to beat in the Enduro 3 class, claiming his fourth straight day win. With his closest class rival, Sweden's Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg), retiring from the competition after injuring his leg Tarkkala now sits close to three minutes ahead of Spain's Ivan Cervantes (Gas Gas). Cervantes placed second to Tarkkala on day four with Finn Valtteri Salonen third.

Results after day four

Team

World Trophy

1: Finland 12.51:02.66

2: Spain 13.12:00.67

3: USA 13.32:07.78

4: Sweden 13.42:23.43

5: Netherlands 13.54:40.08

Junior Trophy

1: France 8.06:03.01

2: Sweden 8.13:04.33

3: Great Britain 8.21:08.71

4: USA 8.40:43.09

5: Australia 8.48:30.88

Women's Cup

1: France 8.41:10.82

2: Finland 9.53:26.50

3: Australia 11.47:10.61

4: Sweden 11.59:11.60

5: USA 16.00:00.00