After a break of a month and a half, the stars of the SuperEnduro World Championship are back for the last half of the season. It all starts again in the land of flamenco and the home region of the GUERRERO brothers, at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena in Malaga (Spain), this Saturday, February 17!
For the first time in the history of the Championship, FIM and ABC Communication have given German ESTRADE and his Xtreme Show Events team the privilege of organising a round of the SEWC.
The home of many international events…
The Xtreme Show Events team has not been tasked with their first organisation of a moto event in the Jose Maria Martin Carpena Palacio de Deportes. In fact, this promotional agency have already organised a National SuperEnduro in February 2017 and an International Supercross last November...
German ESTRADE confirmed: “We are very motivated by this new challenge. We have only organised one national SuperEnduro here in Malaga, but the Andalucian fans are fond of this kind of show! We hope that this third round of the 2018 SEWC season will be a great success so that the riders will appreciate the fervour that there is for this sport in the south of Spain! And then, with the presence of Victor and Cristobal GUERRERO, this should allow the Palacio to even more atmospheric... "
The Jose Maria Martin Carpena Palacio de Deportes opened in the year 2000 and was extended in 2010. To date, this stadium can accommodate nearly 11,300 spectators... It is the "home" of the basketball team 'Unicaja Malaga' who currently play in Liga ACB, Spain’s professional basketball league. It has also hosted many world-famous events such as the semi-finals of the Davis Cup (Tennis) in 2003, the NBA Europe Live Tour 2007 and the WWE Wrestlemania Revenge (Catch) show in 2012 and 2016.
With such a great venue, two classes of close racing, and a significant number of Spanish riders, we have high hopes that this Saturday (February 17th) will host an exciting show!
Time to catch WEBB…
4 race wins out of possible 6. This is the current record of Cody WEBB (USA - KTM) on his arrival in Spain. The Californian leads the pack in the Prestige category, 13 points ahead of the current second place Taddy BLAZUSIAK (PL - KTM) and 26 points ahead of Billy BOLT (GB - Husqvarna), who is 3rd in the standings.
This third round will have an important impact on the rest of the season; If WEBB continues his apparent domination, he will already start to think seriously about taking the World Champion’s crown…
BLAZUSIAK and BOLT, but also Colton HAAKER (USA - Husqvarna), Alfredo GOMEZ (E - Husqvarna) and Manuel LETTENBICHLER (D - KTM) must therefore work hard to stop the success of the AMA 2017 ‘Rider of the Year’. This means we are likely to see a very intense and exciting second half of the season.
For his part, Jonny WALKER (GB - KTM) will have to seriously improve after two disappointing GPs. Currently 7th overall, the Brit will certainly be keen to prove that he is also capable of fighting for the title…
Danny MCCANNEY (GB - Gas Gas), Alex SALVINI (I - Husqvarna), Blake GUTZEIT (RSA - Yamaha) and Benjamin HERRERA (CL - TM) will look to prove their progress in the sport and get closer to the lead.
But the Jose Maria Martin Carpena Palacio de Deportes will only have eyes for its local stars - Cristobal and Victor GUERRERO. While the former will seek to consolidate his place in the Top 10, the latter will be keen to qualify for the first time this season and to impress in front of his home crowd.
The Spanish spectators will also get behind SuperEnduro regulars Eloi SALSENCH (E - Beta) and Joan Pau SEGURA (E - KTM), who have not yet shown this season what they are capable of.
Heading for a GALLAS - FLANAGAN duel?
The Spanish Grand Prix will also promise to be exciting and close in the Junior class. While it’s usually a level playing field in the category containing many ambitious youngsters, two men seem to have come off best after two rounds: Kevin GALLAS (D - Husqvarna) and Kyle FLANAGAN (RSA - Yamaha). The German is 12 points ahead of the South African at the moment.
While he may seem to lack the pace of his German rival, the South African Yamaha Neubert rider has been much more consistent and could take advantage of the slightest mistake from GALLAS.
But some other youngsters such as Diego HERRERA (CL - TM), Emil JUSZCZAK (PL - KTM), William HOARE (GB - KTM) and Oskar KACZMARCZYK (PL - KTM) could get between the battling duo at the front.
We must not forget, of course, the crowd favourite; Ignacio FERNANDEZ (KTM) aka “Nachete”, who had a great finish in Germany (2nd) after a difficult opening round in Poland. The Spanish rider has the skills to fight for victory and, pushed by his home fans, he could be tough to beat!
After the first two rounds of the season were full of action and suspense, the stakes are high for this first GP of Andalucia. Who can break WEBB? Will WALKER finally return to form? Can GALLAS make a break against the constancy of FLANAGAN? Or will we see a third different winner in Juniors?
We’ll be able to get all the answers this Saturday, February 17, at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Carpena Martin in Malaga! The crowd in the stadium will also be treated to a bonus of two National races…not to mention cutting-edge entertainment!
And if you can’t be there, don’t forget that you can follow all the action LIVE on our TV channel at superenduro.org!
Practical Information:
- Malaga (Andalucia);
- 205 kilometres south-east of Seville, 529 kilometres south of Madrid;
- Saturday 17 February from 17:00 CET (opening of the doors);
- Organisation: Xtreme Show Events;
- Website: www.superenduro.org;
- Programme: 3 finals for the Prestige category, 3 finals for the Juniors;
- Ticket price: From 17€ to 29€;
- Nearest Airport: Malaga
- Live TV: superenduro.org from 20.30 CET
