The Sky’s the limit
By TMX Archives on 26th Oct 12
For the second year running Husabergs Graham Jarvis has won the Red Bull Sea to Sky event in Kemer, Turkey, reaffirming himself as the undisputed king of hard enduro. Ensuring the event had a distinctive British feel to it, KTMs Jonny Walker challenged Jarvis every step of the way to finish second while Eurotek KTMs Paul Bolton battled hard from a poor start to end the race in third position, completing the all British podium.
The third edition of the Red Bull Sea to Sky hard enduro saw competitors race from the shore line at the Kemer beachside resort to the 2365m high summit of the nearby Olympus mountain.
For 2012 almost 130 riders from 20 different nations gathered to compete in the two-day event.
Labelled as the most enjoyable hard enduro race on the calendar, riders first gathered in Kemer for the Saturday morning Beach Race. Facing a short but physical 15-minute and two-lap race that would decide the starting order for the following Forest Race time trial, the event was won by Walker.
In the Forest Race it was Jarvis that set the fastest time of the day to take pole position for the main event on Sunday morning – the Olympus Mountain Race. With temperatures dropping and storm clouds forming on Sunday morning as riders assembled on the beach for the start of the race, competitors were treated to an early shower just as the race began
Taking the holeshot, Spain's Xavi Galindo grabbed an early lead in the opening moments of the 48km race.
After a bad start by both Jarvis and Walker, the duo rapidly blasted their way to the front of the field. Joined by Germany's Andreas Lettenbichler, the trio were locked in a tight battled as they raced through the Bronze medal zone and into the more difficult Silver medal zone that signalled the assent into the Olympus Mountain.
However, Lettenbichler was first to run into trouble when he snapped a chain and suddenly the fight for victory was left to the leading Brits.
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE TMX OCTOBER 26
