Japan’s Hiroshi Sasaki and Miho Kikuchi showcased their exceptional endurance and skill, emerging as the top Asian enduro riders, while South Korea demonstrated its growing talent pool of mountain biking up-and-comers.

Sasaki clinched the men’s elite title and Kikuchi triumphed in the women’s category at the K-Enduro and K-Downhill 2024, which wrapped up on Sunday. The third round of the Asia Enduro Series captivated the mountain biking community with thrillingly close contests set against the breathtaking backdrop of Wonju MTB Park in South Korea.

The two-day event brought together 49 riders from ten countries across eight categories at one of the peninsula’s most stunning bike parks.

Riders faced not only the clock but also demanding terrain, with trails spanning 14.5 km that included steep descents and rugged singletrack. Organised by Global Play Sports, the event showcased an exhilarating combination of speed, skill and strategy. Full results

Men Elite

Sasaki displayed all of that in remarkable consistency, clocking a total time of 24 minutes and 20.96 seconds across seven stages to win the men’s elite category by more than three minutes. The Subaru ZeroGravity team rider built on his overnight advantage of nearly two minutes, combining speed and strategy on Sunday. He completed the 8.4 km course in 10 minutes, 5.35 seconds, demonstrating exceptional consistency throughout the race.

South Korea’s Lee Jin Ho, representing Team Last Racer, finished the course in 27:32.13. Although Lee performed well in SS5 and SS6, he couldn’t match Sasaki’s dominance. Another Korean rider, Byeon Won Ho (Tarzan MTB Park), claimed third place with a time of 30:01.91, edging out American rider Rodney Noah by nearly two minutes.

Women Elite

Japan also claimed victory in the women’s elite category, where Miho Kikuchi of the 545/TAKE.D team emerged triumphant after one of the event’s closest contests. Kikuchi completed the course in 28 minutes, 32.62 seconds, securing victory by less than a minute over Indonesia’s Nining Porwaningsih from the Titipan Illahi Racing Team.

Kikuchi started with a lightning-fast pace, taking the opening special stage (SS1). Although Porwaningsih won SS2, Kikuchi claimed the remaining stages and extended her lead by over 42 seconds. The margin of over 32 seconds in SS1 proved decisive.

Porwaningsih returned strong on Sunday, winning two of the three stages. However, Kikuchi shed more than ten seconds in SS5, closing the second day at 12:04.61 and opening another 5.6-second gap over the Indonesian rider, ultimately winning by a slim margin of 48.41 seconds.

The Under-18 (U18) and Prodigy Under-14 (U14) categories were all-South Korean affairs. These races showcased exceptional talent, with the most resilient riders emerging victorious.

U18

Lim Soo Ho (Tarzan MTB Park) clinched the U18 title after overnight leader Jo Won Min (Courageous) was penalised 1 minute and 12 seconds. Jo had opened up a lead of more than a minute over Lim after an impressive run in SS1. Despite giving his all, particularly in SS7, where he was nearly 25 seconds faster than Lim, the time penalty ended his chances. Lim won with a combined time of 27:19.06. Kim Si Joon finished third with a time of 30:34.75.

Prodigy U14

In the Prodigy U14 category, Park Se Joon emerged as the standout performer. The Intensive Bike Team rider dominated the first day with consistent speed and control, opening a gap of more than 14 minutes over GTR rider Lee Kyoung Min. Park then posted the fastest time of 10:54.00 on day two to take a well-deserved first place. Lee claimed second, while Dong Hae, riding for AMA team, finished third.

There was no dearth of endurance, skill and competitive spirit in other K-Enduro categories, with athletes delivering memorable performances.

E-EDR

Bae Joon Ho (Highspeed Bike Team) topped the field of eight South Korean riders in the E-EDR category with a total time of 26 minutes, 35.61 seconds. Bae was the fastest among e-bikers on the first day, completing the first four stages in 14:49.71.

Kim Yang Ki won the second day of E-EDR racing, but he was unable to make up for his fifth-place finish the previous day. That saw Bae, who came in second on Sunday, walk away with a comfortable victory.

Tarzan MTB Park riders Jo Hyun Hwi (31:05.74) and Yoon Hyung Soo (33:45.25) stood second and third, respectively.

Master A

In the fiercely contested Master A category, Indonesia’s Sugianto edged out compatriot and fellow Titipan Illahi Racing Team rider Koko Muhamad Padli by less than five seconds. Sugianto dominated the opening day with a time of 14 minutes, 50.80 seconds, building a lead of over 36 seconds. Despite Padli’s strong performance, especially in winning SS6 and SS7, he couldn’t match Sugianto’s overall time of 26:19.31. Singapore’s Nurfurqaan Bin Mohomed Yunos (APAC Cycle/BERM Cycle) took third.

Master B

Bhakti Taruna (D’RAS Bike – Garut MTB Squad) claimed the top spot in Master B with a cumulative time of 30 minutes, 47.97 seconds. South Korea’s Lee Jeong Moo (Tarzan MTB Park) and Son Jeong Hoon (Zero Bike) finished second and third, respectively, benefiting from an unexpected meltdown by Hj Ridzuan Hj Mohd Esa of Brunei. Despite finishing second on day one, Ridzuan failed to maintain his momentum and missed the podium.

Master C

South Korean riders dominated the Master C category. Lim Se Hoon, consistent across both days, claimed the title with a combined time of 29 minutes, 37.44. Lee Se Woong (Zero Bike) and Kim Woo Jin (BBMTB Jeju) took second and third places, respectively.

The Asia Enduro Series will next head to India’s Arunachal Pradesh, where the Monduro Tawang is set to take place from November 9-14. The 2024 series will conclude in Nepal, with the Himalayan Enduro, the fifth and final round, scheduled for December 6-7 in the picturesque Nagarkot Hills of Kathmandu.