Albin Elowson masters the mud for Gotland Grand National win
By Press Release on 29th Oct 18
Swedish riders have filled the podium at a wild and muddy Gotland Grand National - round seven of the World Enduro Super Series where Albin Elowson (Husqvarna) claimed victory.
With conditions turning incredibly muddy for the 35th edition of the iconic event, it was the Swedish riders who fared best in the deteriorating conditions. Claiming his debut Gotland Grand National victory, Albin Elowson secured a commanding win over Yamahas Robert Kvarnstrom and Ken Bengtson (Husqvarna).
After a troubled opening lap, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racings Billy Bolt (GB) recovered well to finish 13th overall and maintain his overall lead in the WESS championship standings with one round remaining.
Renowned as the worlds largest Enduro race, over 3000 riders competed in this years Gotland Grand National - round seven of WESS. Friday kickstarted the proceedings where up to 600 Hobby riders enjoyed near-perfect conditions. However, the weather turned and from Friday evening onwards the rain fell hard on the Scandinavian circuit, ensuring that the 35th GGN would be remembered as one of the wettest in history.
As the Elite, Senior and Junior class riders blasted off the start line at 12.30pm, thousandsof riders jostled for position in the mud. Clearing the early carnage safely, Elowson moved into the race lead on lap one followed by Kvarnstrom. The duo then went head-to-head, pushing a pace that quickly saw them distance themselves from the ensuing pack.
By midway, Elowson showed no signs of slowing down and pulled clear of Kvarnstrom to claim a convincingwin at the end of the sixth and final lap. Despite a late push by Kvarnstrom, the Yamaha rider had to settle for the runner-up position, while Bengtson rounded out the podium in third.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racings Taddy Blazusiak (POL) worked hard in the final stages of the race to claim fourth, while Sebastian Martensson (SWE) rounded out the top five.
For WESS the title contenders, Spains Josep Garcia crossed the finish line in 12th to slightly close the gap to series leader Bolt, who finished 13th. Although holding 25th with one lap remaining, a crash in the closing stages of the race pushed Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM - Germany) back to 43rd overall.
With just the final round of the championship remaining, Bolt extends his advantage over Lettenbichler to 275 points. Garcia, in third, closes to within 445 points of the second-placed Lettenbichler. Blazusiaks fourth-place result at GGN sees him move up to fourth overall, but more importantly, he now sits just 25 points behind Garcia.
The World Enduro Super Series concludes with the eighth and final round Red Bull Knockout on November 10.
"Im so happy to take the win here in Gotland," said Elowson. "I knew I had the speed before the race, but you never know what can happen around here, especially in these conditions. I got a decent start and tried to make some passes in the early chaos. I had a good fight with Robert Kvarnstrom but after the first pit stop I was able to open up a small gap and managed to maintain that lead for the whole race.
"Overall, I felt good and was happy with my pace. I went through a lot of goggles thats one of the main things at this race, you have to keep your eyes clear in order to ride properly.
"Also, a big thanks to the team. They were great and both pit stops were excellent. Finally, its good to be able to show what I am capable of - especially with the GGN now part of WESS. I know I have the speed, I just have to build my confidence a little and hopefully, I can get some more good results in the future."
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