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The 2024 season has just ended, and it’s already time to take stock of what was an excellent vintage both on and off the track. Billy BOLT has never been so challenged. Even though the Briton secured his fourth world crown, he had to work hard to conquer this new world championship title. Here are the latest news from a season that was full of colors and satisfactions.

Four new validated destinations: Liévin, Cluj, Sofia, and Newcastle

What marked 2024 was the diversity of new countries visited by the MotoZ FIM SuperEnduro World Championship. 4 new countries experienced the joy of hosting a round of the world championship. France with Liévin, Romania with Cluj, Bulgaria with Sofia, and the United Kingdom with Newcastle. For most of these countries, it was a great first to host such a special and spectacular event. The requirements for a SuperEnduro event are very delicate and demanding. The construction of the track is a real challenge for organizers and clubs. But everyone was rewarded with full arenas and enthusiastic spectators. More than 6,000 spectators came to fill the stands of the Utilita Arena last weekend in Newcastle. The same was true for all the destinations of the 2024 season. The success of SuperEnduro shows no signs of slowing down and should continue to gain popularity in the coming seasons.

Eddie KARLSSON’s Adventures 

The friendly Swede Eddie KARLSSON (Husqvarna) experienced a season finale full of twists and turns! It all started in Sofia during the Bulgarian Grand Prix. During the free practice session, KARLSSON was having a good start to the GP with the 3rd fastest time of the session. Shortly before the end of the session, the Swede seemed to be suffering from a mechanical issue. When he returned to the paddock, the verdict was clear: the casing of his Husqvarna was cracked due to a too violent landing on a Bulgarian matrix. There was very little time before the timed practice. His team managed to save the engine of the 350 by welding and riveting a beer can under the lower engine of KARLSSON‘s machine! Thanks to this makeshift repair, the Swede secured the second-to-last time in the Superpole and qualified on the second row of the GP. In the first race, he managed to climb up to 3rd place!!!! Everything seemed promising for the rest of the GP. However, things would quickly take a turn with a crash, he finished in 9th place in the second final. KARLSSON was then forced to throw in the towel, as the engine of his bike finally gave up. The countdown was now on for the Nordic rider and his team to find a new engine for the next GP a week later in Newcastle.

On the way between Sofia and Newcastle, the team will make a stop at the headquarters of Husqvarna/KTM/GASGAS in Austria to pick up a new engine. Then it’s off to Belgium for a rebuild in less than two days. Eddie can perform a quick check down of his machine the day before the season’s ultimate race. In the final GP of the season, Eddie KARLSSON once again participates in the superpole. The last race of the season was challenging for the Swede, who finished 7th. He finished 2024 8th overall with a total of 231 points, his best career result since joining SuperEnduro.

Manuel LETTENBICHLER: The Joy of Riding Indoors

KTM’s official rider and double HardEnduro world champion made his big comeback this season in the MotoZ FIM SuperEnduro World Championship. Aware of the gap between him and the specialists of the discipline, LETTENBICHLER never showed any signs of fatigue or discouragement. On the contrary, the German held on, managing to finish on the podium four times (Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, England). Fate didn’t spare him. Mani was often roughed up by the SuperEnduro peloton, but this didn’t diminish his enthusiasm for the discipline: “I had a lot of fun this season riding indoors. It’s clear that if I want to perform better, I’ll need to prepare better next season. I know how to do it, but I need at least 5 good weeks of preparation to be at the next level. If I want to compete with Jonny and Billy, I still have a lot of work to do. But this season is super positive; I finish with a bronze medal even though I haven’t ridden since 2021! Now, I won’t hide that I’m still happy to go back to racing alone on the track in the middle of the trees, but count on me next year!!“

Suff SELLA Wants the Junior Title in 2025

The Israelian rider was inconsolable in Bulgaria. That’s where he truly realized that the 2024 title, in the Junior category, had slipped away from him. But the former motocross rider can be proud of his journey. Winner of two GPs this season, he was the one who offered the most resistance to Ashton BRIGHTMORE (GBR-GASGAS), the 2024 champion. He is already looking towards next season with the clear objective of overshadowing the British contingent: “I know I still need to improve my technique; I’m coming back from a long injury, and my body is really getting back to its peak. I’ll be ready for next season; I want to win this title, I’ll do everything to get it.“

The Lovely Gift from ABC Communication to BOLT and WALKER

The British Grand Prix was the last GP in the history of the promoter ABC Communication. Bastien and Alain BLANCHARD‘s company are withdrawing from the discipline after 12 years of rebuilding the image of the SuperEnduro World Championship. The two men addressed all the riders to thank them for being such good elements during all their years of activity. A small bonus was even offered to Jonny WALKER and Billy BOLT, the two stars of the 2024 season. In partnership with the championship’s official photographer David REYGONDEAU from the company GOODSHOOT, two plexiglass frames were presented to the two Britons, who were very touched by this beautiful gesture from the BLANCHARD family.

FIM Awards Presentation to ABC Communication

At the end of the British Grand Prix, it was the FIM that paid tribute to the two Frenchmen by presenting them with a commemorative plate for their 12 years at the helm of the MotoZ FIM SuperEnduro World Championship.

Farewell, ABC Communication, and thank you.

The 2024 world champion has just celebrated his fourth world title. He also treated himself to winning his seventh GP of the season. His performance is flawless as he snatches the trophy for the best starter in England; he is the last winner of the Airoh Holeshot 2024.

The track designed by the Fast Eddy Racing teams receives unanimous praise from competitors and promoters. Former enduro world champion Paul EDMONSON used all his knowledge to offer a fast and technical track to the riders of both categories. The start is straight until the first difficulty: the stone garden. It consists of large stones made treacherous by their lack of grip! At the exit of this zone is a small matrix at the beginning of which is the Airoh Holeshot arch! Then comes the finish line with a spectacular jump immediately followed by a hairpin leading the competitors to another series of obstacles. The next hairpin is composed of large concrete pipes arranged in petals, where it’s easy to lose a lot of time. Then it’s a new Matrix that takes the competitors towards a new hairpin leading to the starting stone pit. The race evening was fantastic in every way!

In the first race, Billy BOLT (GBR-Husqvarna) unleashes the power of his 350cc 4-stroke. He asserts his authority at the first turn ahead of Jonny WALKER (GBR-Beta) and Manuel LETTENBICHLER (GER-KTM) who started at a good pace. The first final was won by BOLT. For the reversed grid of the second final, LETTENBICHLER signs his first holeshot of the season. He leads the pack behind him. He will be overtaken later in the pack by the two indisputable figures of the discipline: BOLT and WALKER. The two men then engage in one of the most beautiful battles of the evening. The Husky official signs his second race victory ahead of LETTENBICHLER and WALKER. In the ultimate race of the season, Billy BOLT signs a new holeshot. He crosses the arch just ahead of LETTENBICHLER who was very effective last Saturday. The triumph of the Briton is complete. He swept the race and the GP of Great Britain. BOLT also receives the reward of €300 presented by Airoh for this new flawless performance by the quadruple world champion.

SCHMUESER: Solid end of the season

Milan SCHMUESER (GER-Sherco) treated himself to the last reward for the Junior category. The German was solid all evening, grabbing the three best starts! The most unusual was that of the second race, which saw him make a mistake just after crossing the Airoh arch. Eager to finish the season on a high note, SCHMUESER concludes this great performance with another podium. He finished third behind Ashton BRIGHTMORE (GBR-GASGAS) junior world champion and Suff SELLA (ISR-KTM). Fifth in the Junior world championship, SCHMUESER has promised to try his luck one last time in Junior with the firm objective of going for the number one plate in 2025.