There was international acclaim for last weekend’s Rhayader MC & LCC’s Enduro GP of Wales from all around the world.

Having been preparing for this prestigious event over the last two years with major investment in new facilities and access road at their Cwmythig Hill circuit, the acclamation was welcomed and justified the club’s investment.

The club has been rewarded with being offered a round next year in 2025.

The enduro kicked off on Friday when county councillor Angela Davies on behalf of fellow county councillors Geoff Morgan and Claire Johnson-Wood welcomed everyone to Cwmythig Hill and Rhayader, the outdoor capital of Wales.

Brad Freeman in action. Picture by EA Bates.

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The mayor of Rhayader, Clare Evans in her speech related how her uncle, John Lewis had ridden in the enduro events in the 1960’s to great success being a multi gold medal winner in the International Six Day Enduro having represented Great Britain.

Francisco Pita of Prime Stadium, the Portuguese world enduro promoter, stated how the Enduro had come home to the home of enduros with such a rich history of the International Six Day Enduro being based eight times in mid Wales between 1933 and 1983.

Then the Rhayader Male Voice Choir entertained the gathered crowd with traditional Welsh hymns and the national anthem before the start of the super test contest.

Steve Holcombe in action. Picture by EA Bates.

Saturday morning saw county councillors Angela Davies and Geoff Morgan together with Clare Evans, mayor of Rhayader flag the competitors off on the gruelling course.

Tim Foreman from title sponsor of Forsiteservices presented Steve Holcombe on winning the day’s enduro.

At the prize presentation, cllr Jonathan Wilkinson, chairman of Powys County Council, congratulated the club on the spectacular event after having spent most of the day watching.

James Evans MS said it was a tremendous achievement for the club to organise such a prestigious event. They both went on to present the Open two stroke class and Open four stroke class awards respectively.

(Image: Roger Jepson)

The club received praise from the Federation of International Motorcyclists officials, John Collins, the FIM Enduro Director, who thanked everyone who had helped with the event.

The overall winner was Spaniard, Josep Garcia, who is the current World championship leader who pipped reigning World champion, Britain’s Steve Holcombe, into second with fellow Brit Brad Freeman third.

Italian Andrea Verona sewed up the Enduro 2 World Championship for 2024 with one round remaining.

The Forsiteservices Enduro GP of Wales organised by the Rhayader Motorcycle Clun attracted 8,000 spectators.

Day one saw Devon's Steve Holcombe take the overall from fellow Brit Brad Freeman second displacing current series leader Josep Garcia into the third.

However, the Spainard saw Garcia fight back on Sunday and turned the tables and overtake Brad Freeman on the final special test at Cwmythig Hill to win by just 0.15 of a second with Holcombe just five seconds adrift in third.

There was a plethora of local riders taking the opportunity to ride with the best with Rhayader's Alex Walton finishing 12th on day one and 11th in the 450cc E2 class on Sunday.

In the Junior 1 class, Sam Davies took eighth and sixth over the weekend while Jack Probert finished 14th and 13th in the same class.

Lampeter's Sion Evans took 10th and 11th in the junior 2 class while Llanidloes youngsters Endaf Hughes and Rees Jones battled each other in the Youth category Endaf beating Rees on Day one with a 16th place while Rees reversed the positions on day two.

Away from the Grand Prix classes the Brits dominated the open classes with Bewdley's Ross Danby winning both days of the Two Stroke class while Alfie Webb of Bristol completed the double in the Four Stroke class to win the championship with one round to go.

Blaenau Ffestiniog’s Gethin Humphreys took second both days, Crossgates' Kris Price put in an excellent performance with sixth and fifth in the same class with Lampeter's Rhys Evans 10th. Former multi-World champion David Knight took an easy victory in the Senior over 40 class coming in six minutes ahead of second.