from ... Chris BirchIn 2005 Chris travelled to the UK to gain greater international racing experience. He raced for the UK Husqvarna team. In the year he was overseas he competed in races in England, Wales, Spain, Italy, Poland and Germany. In addition to this, he has competed in six Australian Four Day Enduro races, and three International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) races - one in Brazil where he earned a silver medal, in New Zealand, where he represented New Zealand in the Senior Trophy Team and earned a gold medal and Greece where he scored a second gold. Chris discovered extreme enduro racing in 2007 and has competed In 2009, Chris took 8th place in Erzberg, a Red Bull extreme event in Austria. Chris competed in the Roof of Africa (aka The Mother of Hardenduro) late last November. He won it for the third year in a row. This topped off a huge year where Chris raced in ten different countries and won his favourite race, the Red Bull Romaniacs. Chris had previously placed second in the 2009 Red Bull Romaniacs, after two years of coming third. Moto-Media picks up Chris's blog from when they arrived in South Africa. 13 Feb - Hello South Africa:
We've arrived in South Africa safe and sound. We've been sorted with a
sweet house, a mint, brand new Mercedes Vito van, and even Lindt
chocolates in the pantry (says Mon). Got my bike, most importantly,
KTM300, looks pretty flash - am testing it today. Riding it in with the
rest of the Comsol Alfie Cox Racing team, probably won't look too flash
for too long.
Went to watch some of the SA MX nationals yesterday, stinking hot and dusty, but pretty fast riders.
Looking forward to getting heaps of training and riding in this week, first race is on Saturday !
16 Feb - Settling in South Africa:
Been training hard last few days, today went to the gym to do my
program that Optimal Sports have given me, then went for a two hour
mountain bike ride with Paul, one of my teammates. We got lost though
and managed to hitch a lift back on bakkie (ute). Mon made us two
lunches then went to the coffee shop across from our house. Now up at
Iain's playing on bikes and building the track again.
Got first WFO enduro this Saturday, looking forward to that!
26 Feb - No racing for me: Well, have not got much better, god knows how we even get up and down the stairs. we are both still really sick, on more meds, have been to hospital on a drip, feel just purely evilly awful! so there was no way that I could drive to Jo'burg yesterday to get to the Enduro World Cross Country opening round. Pretty gutted, but I would-a crashed my brains out before I even started. looking forward to Turkey next week to do some coaching and meet Red Bull Turkey guys, should be fun. 05 Mar - Chilling in Turkey: We are in Turkey for some Enduro Schools but wisely came early to check out the country. Today we went to the top of Mount Tahtali, finish line of a local extreme race then went on a cruise along the coast line. Not a bad way to spend the day! Checking out the race track tomorrow, it will be good to get back on a bike. Copy and photos courtesy of Chris Birch. The
Baboons Lesotho Sun Roof of Africa is like no other endurance motorbike
race in the world and as though and difficult as it is, competitors from
all over come back year after year to tackle whatever nature is
throwing at them. Dates for the 2011 event will be announced soon. |
successfully at Red Bull 
Romaniacs, Red Bull Last Man Standing, Hell's Gate, Extreme Legares and the Roof of Africa. 
22 Feb - My first race and my first win: