Team UK wins GS Trophy

From BMW Motorrad

MUNICH, GERMANY -- The BMW Motorrad GS Trophy 2010 is over. Ten teams and 13 nationalities rode BMW F 800 GS motorcycles some 2000km (approximately 70 percent off-road) in seven days, crossing three African nations (South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique), dodging lions and elephants and tackling some of the most beautiful (but challenging) terrain in the world.

The competition started at 8:15am on Nov. 14 (after a day of preparations) and for the next seven days the riders rode 300km days, bivouacked nightly under canvas and along the way completed 12 special challenges that tested their riding skills, their strength, their mental agility and their endurance.

Just how hard-fought the GS Trophy was came as a surprise to all. Even on the final day three teams were still very much in contention, separated by less than a handful of points.

In the end it was Team UK who overcame all. They took the most complete, most studied strategy to the event and while at the finish the margin was only one point it had been their intense level of application to every test that made the difference.

“We came into the GS Trophy with it in mind to go for the win," Team UK's Mark Kinnard explained. "But we had a terrible first day, we finished fifth, and we vowed after that to come back fighting. And we did, we won the next day and went first overall and we stayed there to the end.

“It was very tight going into the last day and I recall we’d said on the final night that whatever the outcome we would still be very happy, for although winning is terrific it was the experience – the country, the friendships, the shared highs and lows – that will stay with us long after the glow of victory will fade.”

Second placed Team South Africa were equally motivated from the start. Having completed possibly the most rigorous training of all the teams they had the fitness and riding skills to do the job. But they confessed they misjudged the commitment required.

Equally, third-placed Team Nordic were a very talented team, but they confessed they came together as a team too late.