The Motul Sherco Hard Enduro team delivered an outstanding performance at the weekend’s third round of the 2024 Australian Hard Enduro Championship, the ‘Dog & Bone Extreme’, held in northeast Tenterfield, NSW. Team rider Anthony Solar showcased his prowess by clinching both the main race and overall victories for the weekend.
The competition kicked off on Saturday with a 45-minute prologue race. Solar had a slow start, finding himself outside of the top 5 during the initial laps. However, he quickly found his rhythm from the third lap onwards, charging through the field to secure a third-place finish. Teammate Chris Perry also showed resilience, finishing in P8.
Sunday’s main race saw both riders improve their positions significantly. Championship rival Ruben Chadwick initially led the race, building a small lead during the opening lap of the gruelling four-hour challenge. Solar, demonstrating incredible determination, executed a mid-race surge that allowed him to overtake Chadwick and extend his lead to an impressive three-and-a-half minutes. This exceptional effort enabled Solar to clinch the main race victory and secure the overall win for the round. Wade Ibrahim also made a strong push, overtaking Chadwick and maintaining his position until the checkered flag. Only the top three riders managed to complete three laps of the brutal course.
Chris Perry showed remarkable perseverance, clawing his way up several positions to finish fifth in the main race and overall for the weekend.
“I was stoked to get another overall win this weekend and get some more valuable points on the board,” commented Solar. “I wasn’t happy with my prologue race on Saturday, but I was able to regroup and put it all together when it counted for Sunday. The track isn’t the type that typically suits me, so it’s even more satisfying to get the victory here and leave with great confidence going into the final round. The points are incredibly close between Ruben and me; it’ll be a winner-takes-all kind of deal. I look forward to putting in the work for the last round and hopefully putting the Sherco 300 SE Factory on the top step again. Thanks to my team and all of our supporters for their help.”
The Motul Sherco Hard Enduro team now sets its sights on the ultimate challenge as they prepare for the final round of the series at the 'Hillstorm Challenge' event in Hillston, NSW, on August 3-4.
For more information on the championship, visit www.hardenduro.com.au.
2024 AHEC – Rd 3 ‘Dog & Bone Extreme’ Top 5 – Gold Class
- Anthony Solar (Sherco)
- Wade Ibrahim
- Ruben Chadwick
- Adam Giles
- Chris Perry (Sherco)