Yamaha and Todd Smith 2nd at Condo 750
Yamaha has continued its outstanding form at the Condo 750 with Todd Smith second overall in the gruelling 2008 2 day cross country event at Condobolin.
Yamaha has continued its outstanding form at the Condo 750 with young rider Todd Smith coming second overall in the gruelling two-day navigational cross country event at Condobolin on the weekend.
2007 titleholder and Yamaha rider Jacob Smith was sidelined due to injury, so it was his brother Todd’s turn to step up to the plate as a contender in the event which has been dubbed the Australian version of the Paris to Dakar rally.
Like his brother, Todd too has the true makings of a champion and on just his third attempt at the event was second overall aboard his new Yamaha WR450F, which was reaching speeds of up to 157 kilometres per hour as he tackled some of the country’s most difficult terrain over the intense two days.
“It was my third time at the event and it was good to finish after crashing out last year and having an engine failure the year before,” Smith said. I was a bit disappointed on Sunday not being able to catch the eventual winner, Ben [Grabham], as much as I tried I just couldn’t get there.”
“The bike ran well and I got some got top speed which is fantastic considering I did not get in a lot of testing time in the lead up to the event.”
After spending the weekend at the spectator points and helping his brother, Jacob Smith will return to his bike in the coming weeks after breaking his wrist badly at the first round of the 2008 Stadium-X Series at Orange in February.
“I am getting the pins out of my wrist this week which will allow me to get back on the bike and prepare for the Australian Four Day Enduro which is coming up,” Jacob said. “It was certainly tough having to watch from the sidelines last weekend but I am just happy that Todd [Smith] did well and kept the flag flying high for the family and sponsor, Sam Laws Motorcycles.”
Other top placed Yamaha riders at the Condo 750 included David Geeves who finished sixth outright despite hitting a kangaroo on day one and Rod Faggotter who travelled all the way from Longreach to make his navigational rally debut where he won the second selective test and finished 13th outright despite a time penalty for a navigational error.
Todd and Jacob will both compete on their Sam Laws Motorcycles sponsored Yamaha WR450Fs at the 2008 Hogs Breath Australian 4 Day Enduro at Warragul Victoria on the 17th—20th April.
Results still subject to final confirmation at time of writing
