The Enduro World Series (EWS) is excited to announce the 2019 Asia-Pacific Enduro Series – including the Series’ first foray into Southeast Asia.
The Series, now in it’s second year, will kick off with the Aorere Enduro with Specialized in Nelson, New Zealand on the weekend of October 26-28. Originally scheduled for February, the event was cancelled after a huge forest fire engulfed the area and forced the closure of trails.
But with the fire long since put out and Nelson’s world renowned trails back in action, the Aorere Enduro is back and ready to start the Asia-Pacific Series in style. Backed by the hugely active Nelson Mountain Bike Club, the race will feature a brand new 5km hand build trail, called Te Ara Koa. Expected to take around 15 minutes to race and with views that extend over Tasman Bay, this will undoubtedly be the highlight of what is bound to be a spectacular race.
The series then heads to Australia, with round two taking place on Derby’s iconic trails with the Shimano Enduro Tasmania on November 17th. The town of Derby is no strangers to EWS event, having twice hosted EWS races – most recently in March where Martin Maes (GT Factory Racing) and Isabeau Courdurier (Intense-Mavic Collective) claimed victory. With a growing international reputation for it’s ever expanding trail network, Derby is bound to attract another stellar line up of pros to tackle this incredible destination.
The third and final venue is brand new – with the Asia-Pacific Series making it’s Thailand debut with the International Chiang Mai Enduro on November 30-01 December. It’s the first time Thailand has featured in the Asia-Pacific Series and riders are in for a treat as they get to experience trails located in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. The race will feature a wide variety of trails, from fast and flowy to steep and rocky, at elevations ranging from 300m to 1400m through a mix of evergreen and deciduous forest.
Ian Harwood, Coordinator for the Asia-Pacific Enduro Series, said: “This year’s calendar is insane – two of Australasia’s best known venues alongside Chiang Mai which will be a new experience for lots of riders.
“The points accrued at these races not only offer athletes the chance to qualify for the EWS next season. These races are a fantastic way for anyone located in the Asia-Pacific region to get a flavour for international enduro racing and I’m excited to see who are crowned the champions in Thaliand in December.”