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enduro
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Stefan Merriman |
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 Merriman
first in the Final Enduro GP for 2008 Photo
& report by Lexy Thorogood
After a brilliant double win in Italy two weeks earlier, Merriman was victorious again at the Final round of World Enduro Championships for 2008. The last Enduro GP of the season was held in the small city of Mende, France. Heavy rain the week prior to the event, threatened a muddy race but a sunny Friday dried out most of the ground. The biggest concern for most of the riders was the 'crazy' Extreme test set by the passionate French Enduro Club. On Thursday prior to the event, they brought in earth moving equipment to rearrange the large rocks in the trials type section. After this adjustment, it was nearly impossible to pass with not one clear line through the 30 metre long section. On the pre-rider lap on Friday, no one made it through without a crash and two pre-riders broke the chain on their bikes and could not continue. In addition to this there was a large 50 metre long swimming pool built in the test with plastic lining covered in carpet and pallets. The organising motorclub, thought it would provide 'excitement' for the crowds of spectators. Unfortunately it turned out to be the source of great disappointment for the French fans, when their favoriter rider in the E3 class and 2008 E3 title contender, Sebastien Guillaume drowned his bike on the first lap on Day 1 and lost 4 minutes trying to get the bike going again. This episode dashed all his hopes of challenging E3 class leader, Samuli Aro for the E3 Title. Merriman was also unlucky on Day 1, when a hole in his Aprilias' radiator hose drained the water out of the radiator and caused the engine to cease running. So he retired on Day 1 with, the broken engine and returned the bike fixed to the Parc ferme to begin on Day 2. Day 2 started a little different with Merrimans' Aprilia teammate, Antoine Lettelier leading from the first cross test. Merriman suffered a little bit, as he didn't have the experience of the other riders to get used to the three special tests. He put his trials skills to good use in the extreme and enduro tests setting some very fast times. However on the first few laps his cross test times were not so good. On the third lap he change his technique in the cross test, to cut early in the corners and then his times improved. The best success was his final enduro test, which was some 21 seconds faster than second place Lettelier. Merriman secured his third win of the season with a brillant final extreme test. Despite the three wins this season, merriment suffered with the inclusion of the first round results of Sweden racing in the ice (something he has no experience at) and two DNF's due to mechanical failure (GP Poland and GP Europe). These problems forced him to finish 5th in the final classification of E3 for 2008. Finnish riders, Samuli Aro and Marko Tarkala were first and second respectively with French rider Guillaume rounding out the podium. Merriman was very pleased to win his final Enduro GP, as in 2009 he will return to race in Australia with the 'Ballard Wellard Yamaha Team'. After more than ten years in Europe, Merriman will relocate to his home in Australia to race the Australian Offroad Series, Australian Four Day Enduro, ISDE for Australia and other races. World Enduro Championship, Mende France 11th Oct 2008 Results E3 class - Day 1 1. Marko Tarkala - KTM 500 52:56.53 2. Samuli Aro - KTM 300 2S 53:09.66 3. Fabien Planet - KTM 300 2S 53:40.43 4. Antoine Lettelier - Aprilia 550 53:46.43 5. Markus Kehr - KTM 300 2S 53:53.01 World Enduro Championship, Mende France 11th Oct 2008 Results E3 class - Day 2 1. Stefan Merriman- Aprilia 550 51:57.26 2. Antoine Lettelier - Aprilia 550 52:10.87 3. Marko Tarkala - KTM 500 52:19.31 4. Samuli Aro - KTM 300 2S 52:54.13 5. Alessandro Botturi - Honda 500 53:00.25 E3 Points standings after 8 rounds of World Enduro Champs 1. Samuli Aro 328 Pts 2. Marko Tarkala 317pts 3. Sebastian Guillaume 298pts 4. Christophe Nambotin 297pts 5. Stefan Merriman 246pts
Round six and seven of Italian Enduro Champs was held in southern Italy in Bussi Sul Tirino, Pescara on the weekend, 28-29 June. In hot and humid 35 degrees heat, Stefan Merriman has emerged as the new leader of the Assoluta D'italia (Overall classicfication of the italian Enduro Championships). Merriman on the Aprilia RXV550, finished second both days to Mika Ahola on a Honda CRF250 in dry, rocky conditions. Day one consisted of four laps with a cross, enduro and extreme tests. The cross test was a newly cut wheat paddock, littered with loose stones. The dust was incedible in this test. The paddock was on a gentle slope and Merriman struggled to get to a grip on this test and lost most of his time there over the weekend. The enduro test was very long (9mins) and in the forest on shaly rock. The extreme test was up a dry river bed on big loose stones. Merriman set the fastest times in the extreme on day one, but made a few mistakes on day two but was still ahead of the rest of the field.
Assoluti D'italia - 28th June 2008 Bussi Sul Tirino Overall classification 1. Mika Ahola - Honda 250 4T 55'41:23 2. Stefan Merriman - Aprilia 550 56'13:39 3. Simone Albergoni - Yamaha250 4T 56'15:18 4. Maurizio Micheluz - Yamaha 2504T 56'19:91 5. Alessandro Belometti - KTM250 4T 56'47:88 Assoluti D'italia - 29th June 2008 Bussi Sul Tirino Overall classification 1. Mika Ahola - Honda 250 4T 50'19:55 2. Stefan Merriman - Aprilia 550 50'48:90 3. Simone Albergoni - Yamaha250 4T 50'51:85 4. Alessandro Botturi - Honda 500 4T 51'06:79 5. Maurizio Micheluz - Yamaha 2504T 51'13:54 Points standings after 7 rounds of Italian Enduro Champs 1. Stefan Merriman 121 Pts 2. Mika Ahola 112pts 3. Maurizio Micheluz 105pts 4. Simone Albergoni 102pts 5. Johnny Aubert 100pts 6. Alessandro Belometti 66pts 7. Antoine Meo 59pts 8. Alessandro Botturi 44pts 9. Oscar Baletti 40 pts 10. Alessandro Zanni 37 pts
Stefan Merriman has climbed up the points standings in the overall classification of the Italian Championships after a exceptional win at Colleferro, Rome on the weekend. Arriving at the race place on Wednesday prior to the race, the highway exit to Colleferro was closed due to flooding from three days of heavy rain. Cloudy conditions continued the following days, which didn't help much in drying out the track. However Merriman got to work setting up his bike and walking the three special stages (one cross and two enduro tests), to prepare for the race. The race on Sunday started with the 250 four stroke class first (Albergoni, Micheluz, Ahola, Cherubini). On the first lap only the cross test was timed, as the two enduro tests were pre ridden. The first riders through had a distinct advantage in the grassy cross test as they had firm ground to race on. Merriman arrived with the 500 class, after the 450 class and the track was considerable cut up with sloppy mud and no grass left for grip. Merriman had to claw back the time lost in the intial laps as the day
progressed, by not making any mistakes and setting very fast times in the
rocky enduro test, where he was able to utilise his trials skills. many
riders took time
Assoluti D'italia - Colleferro, Roma Overall classification 25th May 2008 1. Stefan Merriman - Aprilia 550 41.56:48 2. Maurizio Micheluz - Yamaha 2504T 42.08:27 3. Mika Ahola - Honda 250 4T 42.08:28 4. Simone Albergoni - Yamaha250 4T 42.31:89 5. Fabrizio Dini - Yamaha450 4T 42.33:03 Points standings after 5 rounds of Italian Enduro Champs 1. Johnny Aubert 100pts 2. Maurizio Micheluz 82pts 3. Stefan Merriman 81 Pts 4. Simone Albergoni 70pts 5. Mika Ahola 62pts 6. Alessandro Belometti 48pts 7. Antoine Meo 42pts 8. Oscar Baletti 24 pts 9. Alessandro Zanni 23 pts 10. Thomas Oldrati 23pts
By Lexy Thorogood The opening round of Italian Enduro Championships (Assoluta Ditalia) was held in Colle Valdesa, Siena Italy on the weekend. The race attracted many top international WEC riders as it marks the start of the season. A few days of rain prior to the race left the two enduro tests a little muddy and slippery. Fortunately the rain cleared up and cloudy, cold and windy conditions dominated on day 1. Merriman got off to a good start but struggled to match the speed of motocross specialist Johnny Aubert (FRA-Yamaha) and Antonio Meo (FRA- Husqvarna) in the fast cross test. Stefan was right at home in the long enduro test posting his fastest times but at the end of the day he could not catch Aubert and Italian rider, Maurizio Micheluz closing out the top three in third position. On Sunday the mist cleared to reveal a clear sunny day. However Merriman ran into trouble in the first cross test, which was run in the opposite direction to Day 1. The mud hole half way through the test had got quite bad from the four laps the day before, Merriman hit it at full speed in the centre of the track and got cross-rutted and crashed losing a valuable 10 seconds. From there he had trouble getting into the rhythym of the race and crashed another two times in the second cross test and second long enduro test. It seemed the harder he tried the more he crashed. On the final lap Merriman tested some different bike settings and recovered to finish in seventh position, one second short of Mika Ahola (FIN-Honda) who was in sixth. Ahola was disqualified on day one, after missing the final control. We now pack our winter clothes for the first round of World Enduro Championships (WEC) to be held in the snow in Northern Sweden. Day 1 Overall classification of Italian Championships Colle Valdesa 01/03/08 Johnny Aubert (YAM 450) 1.014287 Maurizio Micheluz (YAM 250) 1.020519 Stefan Merriman (APR 550) 1.022016 Alessandro Belometti (KTM 250) 1.022895 Antonio Meo (HUS 450) 1.023030 Simone Albergoni (HON 250) 1.023621 Fabio Mossini (HON 450) 1.025739 Oscar Baletti (HON 450)1.030329 Bart Oblucki (HUS 250) 1.030578 Roberto Bazzuri (HUS 125) 1.031388 Day 2 Overall classification of Italian Championships Colle Valdesa 02/03/08 Johnny Aubert (YAM 450) 1.072989 Simone Albergoni (YAM 250) 1.080314 Maurizio Micheluz (YAM 250) 1.081778 Alessandro Belometti (KTM 250) 1.090226 Antonio Meo (HUS 450) 1.091080 Mika Ahola (HON 250) 1.092948 Stefan Merriman (APR 550)1.093032 Roberto Bazzuri (HUS 125) 1.093616 Fabrizio Dini (YAM 450) 1.094490 Oscar Baletti (HON 450) 1.095382 Overall Italian Championship after Day 2 1. Aubert 50 2. Micheluz 40 3. Albergoni 33 4. Belometti 26 5. Merriman 25 6. Meo 22 7. Baletti 14 8. Bazzuri 14
In the first day of the Spanish Grand Prix, Stefan Merriman brought his Aprilia RXV 4.5 into third place in the E2 class. It is the first time that a twin motorcycle has climbed atop a podium in an international enduro competition. On the second day, Merriman again confirmed himself to be among the best, finishing out in 4th place. A tough race for the other two official Aprilia riders: Nicolas Paganon finished 16th on Saturday and 18th on Sunday, due to a reoccurring pain in his ankle that was injured in a national French race. Also an unfortunate race for Luigi Seguy who, after occupying third place in the E3, fell in the last special on Saturday and suffered a heavy contusion to his shoulder and ankle, forcing him to throw in the towel. Noale, April 29, 2007 It comes from Puerto Lumbreras, Spain, the first podium won by a twin motorcycle in the history of the World Enduro Championship. It was Stefan Merriman and the Aprilia RXV 4.5 who earned the podium with a third place finish in the E2 class. The accomplishment demonstrates the continued growth of the twin from Noale, even in this the toughest discipline of the off road. After success at the beginning of the season in the Italian Championship, prestigious results are now coming in from the international scene. On Saturday, Merriman conducted a normal race without taking too many risks, bringing him to the third step of the podium. On Sunday, he did the same and closed out in 4th place. The results allow him to sit in 3rd place in the general E2 classification of the Spanish Grand Prix. It was instead a difficult race for the other two Aprilia captains. Nicolas Paganon (Aprilia RXV 4.5) again suffered from pain in his ankle that was injured during a national French race. He grit his teeth and closed out in 16th place on Saturday and 18th on Sunday. Bad luck, instead, for Luigi Seguy in the E3 (Aprilia RXV 5.5) who fell in the last special on Saturday and suffered a strong contusion to his should and ankle after holding steady in 3rd place. Luckily, initial tests performed at the hospital did not show any evidence of a fracture, just a tough trauma that forced him to sit out Sunday's race. World Enduro Championship - Spanish Grand Prix - April 28-29, Puerto Lumbreras FIRST DAY E2 Class: 1. Johnnj Aubert (Yamaha); 2. Mika Ahola (Honda); 3. Stefan Merriman (Aprilia RXV 4.5); 16. Nicolas Paganon (Aprilia). E3 Class: 1. Ivan Cervantes (Ktm); 2. Marko Tarkkala (Ktm); 3. Carlsson (Husaberg); withdrawn: Luigi Seguy (Aprilia RXV 5.5). SECOND DAY E2 Class: 1. Johnnj Aubert (Yamaha); 2. Samuli Aro (Ktm); 3. Mika Ahola (Honda); 4. Stefan Merriman (Aprilia RXV 4.5); 18. Nicolas Paganon (Aprilia). E3 Class: 1. Ivan Cervantes (Ktm); 2. Marko Tarkkala (Ktm); 3. Guillaume (Gas Gas); no start: Luigi Seguy (Aprilia RXV 5.5).
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Sweltering
conditions in Pescara as Merriman takes the lead of Italian Enduro
Champs 
About the race, Merriman said, "It was a hard couple of days in
the heat but I am pleased to now be leading the championship with one
weekend to go. The enduro test went well for me and the extreme wasn't too
bad either. Only a few mistakes over the weekend but I am happy with
second place finish, Mika was very fast."
Victory
for Merriman at Italian Enduro Championships in Rome by
Lexy Thorogood
penalties
in the time controls due to the bank of riders stuck on the trail. Ahola
also took a minute penalty, where he was unable to complete repairs to his
bike within the time limit at a time check. However the jury cancelled all
time penalties at the end of the day, due to the delay of the riders at
certain bottlenecks on the trail, so Ahola was fortunate not to lose time.
Auberts' Yamaha broke down on the second lap, forcing him to retire from
the race. Merriman had a couple of crashes, one on the second lap of the
cross test in the slippery mud and another on the last lap of the first
enduro test. Even after the crash, he still managed to set the fastest
time overall in this special test! A brilliant victory for Merriman on the
Aprilia 550 v Twin.
Merriman
on Podium in opening round of Italian Enduro Championships
WORLD ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP: APRILIA AND MERRIMAN WIN THE
FIRST INTERNATIONAL PODIUM WITH A TWIN BIKE