Ballards Yamaha results from ISDE
Yamahas Chris Hollis and Jarrod Bewley have delivered six-days of consistent results to boost Australia’s Junior Trophy Team to a spot shy of a podium, finishing fourth at the International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) in Chile
Yamaha frontrunners Chris Hollis and Jarrod Bewley have delivered six-days of consistent results to boost Australia’s Junior Trophy Team to a spot shy of an outright podium, finishing fourth at the completion of the final day of the International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) in Chile. Dominant in their respective classes in the Australian series, Hollis and Bewley made up half of the lineup set to tackle the powerhouse nations, and displayed tenacity and versatility in changing conditions and unfamiliar terrain.
Hollis was vying for honours in the E1 class, while Bewley joined fellow Aussie teammates Josh Strang and Blake Hore in E2. The Yamaha teammates’ campaigns began in complete contrast, with Bewley flying just outside the top 10 and Hollis testing the waters in 32nd. Both riders then set about finding the limits of the landscape, which included a range of obstacles as it varied from sandy coastlines to treacherous mountainous sections – and everything in between. After day 2, Hollis had clawed his way back to 23rd, and Bewley was cruising in 16th.
The Ballards teammates cumulative score also helped the Aussie Junior Trophy team to peg back a spot into 3rd overall, where they would remain until the final day. Day 3 saw both riders round out a gruelling day positioned just outside the top 20 in their respective classes, and a similarly tough course on Day 4 saw results stay constant. After proceedings on Day 5, Hollis was 26th, and Bewley delivered close to his best to challenge the frontrunners and finish 16th. Consolidating their positions on the final day, which featured a range of motocross tests, Hollis pegged back a place to round out his 2007 campaign in 25th overall, and Bewley maintained a strong run to finish in a commendable 18th place.
The fast-paced and frentic climax to the event saw the team pipped at the post for an overall podium, losing out to Finland by a close margin to finish 4th. They did, however, hold off the national Chilean team, a solid effort considering the ‘home advantage’ they had over the Australians. The 82nd ISDE had thrown a host of challenges at the duo, and both riders were satisfied with the final result.
“This has been a tough but ultimately rewarding experience, nothing comes close to racing in this part of the world and with such top competition,” said Hollis. “There were a few difficulties to overcome and I found myself gradually improving after each day.” “It was good to be part of the Aussie team and a credit to all involved that were were just one spot off a podium in our class.”
Alison Parker finished the event in Bronze Medal position following a consistent performance in the C1 class, upstaging scores of male competitors in 60th. Yamaha fared exceptionally well in the overall manufacturers standings, with the Yamaha UFO Course lineup of Johnny Aubert, Cristobel Guerrero and Alex Salvina combining to take out top placing.
