The weather gods were merciless for the equivalent fixture in 2023, but this time round they smiled on the event. The Austrian Enduro Championships were contested at the Red Bull Ring at the weekend (Sunday 5th May) in perfect conditions.
The off-road bike track – in particular Area 24 – served as the arena for Round 2 of the 2024 championships. The track threw everything at the contestants, from single trails, steep ascents and high-speed passages to rock-strewn fields and fallen trees.
The fastest lap time of around 16 minutes in the Open Class was set by Maurice Egger riding a KTM bike, ahead of Thomas Hecher (GASGAS) and Manuel Preuhs (Husqvarna).
The classes were contested in three groups:
- Austrian Enduro Open National Championship: Open to riders aged 18 and over; no engine capacity limit.
- Austrian Enduro Junior National Championship: For riders aged 16 to 22; no engine capacity limit.
- Austrian Enduro Youth National Championship: For young riders aged 13 to 16; engine capacity limit of 80 – 150 cc for two-stroke and 125 – 250 cc for four-stroke machines
In the Junior class, David Rinner took first place on his KTM. Luca Kropitsch (Sherco) won the Enduro Youth class. The 2024 Austrian Enduro Championships spans eleven days of racing spread over seven race weekends.
For the first time this year, there will be no void results, i.e. every single race day will count towards the overall standings. It’s a change to the rules that will demand both strategy and consistency from the riders.
