International Six Day Enduro - Press Release

**denill** · 19th November 2006, 19:44

Some may find this to be an interesting background (and preview) of the ISDE by Wikepedia:

**denill** · 19th November 2006, 20:00

Originally Posted by Brian d'marge

This is what they used to use !!! ,,,Them were men in dem days .....
Stephen

Not quite, Stephen, but close - the ISDT (like the current ISDE bikes) had to be road legal. Your very nice pic is an Observed Trials Beeza.

You might find this link to the 1950 ISDT interesting?
Cos as you say that was when men were men.

Another interesting link is to Tim Gibbes: memories.

And BikeSports.com: updates.

**Wellyman** · 19th November 2006, 20:05

Well im back from the slime of Taupo.It was a very muddy saturday, and the MX today was very good! congrats to Chris Birch and The Waitemata MC club. all but one rider finished, the two ladies in the team finished which is awsome. shall add some more of a report and some pics tomorrow, off to sit and rest for a while.
WM

**oldguy** · 19th November 2006, 21:23

Originally Posted by denill

Some pics.

Juha - The Man, pensive at Maroa.

And

Muddy at Tar Hill on Saturday.

And

Before 7am on Tuesday.

Until you see that line up of bikes, and the flags flying in the background you don't realize how big this event is,
Its pretty sad that an event of this size and stature does not even get any coverage here in the country that is hosting it. will it get any TV coverage here or will it only get on the late night news.

**denill** · 20th November 2006, 06:29

The Official Six Days Results:

For PDF total results of the 6 Days times, click on 'AFTER'

For PDF class results, click on 'IN'

**Joni** · 20th November 2006, 12:26

Thanks Denill - here is the email they sent through to us.

Finland Wins 2006 ISDE, New Zealand Seventh

The excited jabber of the Finland team riders and their supporters punctuated the air as the 81st International Six Days Enduro wrapped up near Taupo today.

As expected, there was little any of the 31 nations competing could do to peg back the flying Finns as the theme of the event transformed on the sixth and final day from a battle of endurance in the mud and slush to a test of high speed riding on the volcanic sand and ash of the local motocross track.

Finland won the event from France and Spain, with New Zealand holding on to seventh spot in the overall Trophy Team standings.

In the junior Trophy Team (for riders under age 23) standings, the United States team won, ahead of France and Australia, with New Zealand maintaining their grip on 10th overall position.

The Kiwis fancied themselves on the volcanic ash surface of the popular digger McEwen Motorcycle Park circuit on the outskirts of Taupo, the venue for many of their domestic motocross battles.

With senior Trophy Team riders Shayne King, Cam Negus, Paul Whibley, Chris Birch and Lachie Columb each showing top motocross form today, it was never in doubt they’d retain their hold on the No.7 spot in the battle of the nations between the Trophy Teams.

Likewise with the junior squad of Michael Phillips, Adrian Smith and Karl Power – they also shone in the motocross action.

New Zealand team manager Shaun Stanbridge said he was very happy with the result.

“Sweden was 15 minutes behind the New Zealand junior team but, when the FIM (sport’s governing body) jury decided to cancel one of the stages yesterday (because of timing problems in the torrential rain), this allowed them to close right up and they were only six seconds behind us at the start of today’s motocross,” Stanbridge explained.

“I was sweating bricks all day,” he said.

New Zealand had earlier been on the brink of elimination with its two teams reduced to the bare minimum number of riders, the senior squad down to five members after Darryll King’s withdrawal because of injury and the junior line-up down to three riders after Jason Davis suffered mechanical problems on day four.

The five remaining Senior Trophy Team riders and three surviving Junior Trophy Team riders ran hot in the motocross today, perhaps none more so that Rotorua’s Phillips, who simply ran away with his E2 race.

“Phillips was the third fastest of any individual at the event today,” said Stanbridge.

“Him winning his race gave the junior team a huge boost in the standings. The New Zealand Junior Trophy Team’s combined times today were 46 minutes 11 seconds. Sweden’s team tally today was 47 minutes plus.

“It’s a fantastic result for us considering we don’t field a team every year. Fifth or higher would have been great but the pedigree of the Europeans is akin to our pedigree for rugby. We were racing against the All Blacks of the enduro world this week.”

Next year’s ISDE will be held in Chile.

**denill** · 20th November 2006, 14:04

Originally Posted by Joni

Next year’s ISDE will be held in Chile.

Thanks Joni. And the following year, Greece.

Cheers
Bill

**SDU** · 21st November 2006, 12:52

Thanks for all the updates Joni.

A pity there wasn't much info on the news while the event was running.

I hope they make a DVD on it.

**oldguy** · 21st November 2006, 19:43

Thanks Joni/denill for all the up dates, can't wait for the movie to come out, of this event hehehe don,t think that will happen lol

**Joni** · 28th November 2006, 13:58

Successful ISDE Adds Millions to NZ Economy

The International Six Days Enduro blew through New Zealand like a benign whirlwind.

For one mad week in November, New Zealand hosted a world motorcycling event the likes of which it has never seen before and is unlikely to see again.

Not since the World Superbikes were hosted at Feilding’s Manfeild circuit in the early 1990s has this country seen so much international motorcycling talent assembled in the one place and, in fact, the ISDE superseded that.

With more than 600 riders from 31 nations converging on the lakeside tourist town of Taupo between November 14 and 19, the Bay of Plenty region became the centre of the dirt biking universe as international motorcycling media turned its focus on New Zealand.

In addition, more than $15 million poured into the region as motel beds filled, camp sites overflowed and bars and nightclubs rocked through the night.

The sports event itself received praise from far and wide, with four-time former world champion and two-time former ISDE outright winner Stefan Merriman describing it as one of the best ISDE events ever.

“As far as a Six Days goes, I reckon it’s one of the best we’ve had for several years,” said the Kiwi international.

ISDE event director Sean Clarke, an international racer in his own right, said it was a dream come true to stage an event of such magnitude so close to his home.

“It was hard work though. It was a lot bigger that even I thought it would be,” said Clarke.

Clarke and his largely volunteer team of about 200 personnel also hit all the right notes with Motorcycling New Zealand’s chief executive officer, Paul Pavletich.

“I was really overwhelmed by the number of volunteers. I always know it was going to be a success because of all the work put in by these people but I was blown away by the enthusiasm of them all.

“We at MNZ have received massive positive feedback from the FIM (the sport’s governing body) and I’m quietly confident we’ll get to stage more international motorsports events, possibly even a MotoGP,” he said.

He said the success of this year’s ISDE proves New Zealand, though a long way from the European hotbed of world championship motorcycling, is both willing and very capable of staging world-class events.