I very much doubt that any one race event could rattle the Goat’s cage. But always up for a challenge, the W.A. Hard Enduro Series organisers gave it one hell of a solid crack.
The Graham Jarvis Invitational, held in the sleepy little hamlet of Bridgetown, Western Australia, was the only event that the Rock Star Husqvarna pilot raced the entire time he was down under!
Set on nearly 1000 acres of steep hills and deeply dissected gullies, the track comprised about 12 km of natural terrain punctuated by savage rock faces, boulder rock hill climbs and gaping wash-outs. But the challenge was not as much the terrain as it was the heat and dust.
It was a four hour plus one lap marathon. The finish was a sprint around an MX track and over two six-foot diameter concrete pipes to get to the flag.
The starting order was determined by a short, fast prologue. That saw local Sherco pilot Damien “the Braaap Daddy” Pruden be the first to cut a trench in the topsoil. Though he did finish, he was unable to hold pace over the course of the race. With only a KTM150 under him, 15-year-old James Oremek also set a blistering pace on the prologue, but sadly his race was a write-off when he got lost out on the first loop.
At the front of the pack though, Jarvis was nothing short of incredible to watch; composed and consistent for the entire race. He banked up lap after lap (six in total) and, like a true English gent, barely muttered more than a chaste phrase of commentary on the conditions. The same could not be said for the barrage of Aussies that barrelled in behind him.
Early in the race, WRD Rider Wade Ibrahim had his measure. But (by his own admission) the Bull wasn’t riding smart: missing flags and constantly losing fragments of time chasing his own tail.
With savage intent and only minutes to spare, Ibrahim shot out to log another lap (taking his tally also up to six) but it was never going to be enough. Jarvis had the chequered flag long before the Bull thundered over the finish in a cloud of dust and noise.
Ever the coolest of cucumbers, even Rieju Australia Rider Sam Rogers was suffering in the heat and dust. He had a few more colourful comments to make on the conditions than did Gentleman Jarvis. But he bogged in and went well hard to finish third with four laps done on the day. The Lumberjack, Callum Ceginski, rode a solid race to finish fourth, also with four laps.
Matty Broderick stole the WRD KTM out from under the damaged limbs of Darren Rudling (sidelined with injury) to send it, and a few new scratches, across the line for fifth. Trial and Enduro Skills rider Neil Price (after replacing a flat battery) somehow managed to finish sixth on a Beta X Trainer that I am certain was still so new that it had the price tag flapping from the handlebars.
Incredibly, 16 year-old WRD Junior Academy rider Jakob Petrig finished in the top 10 after putting in a staggering effort on his Gas Gas.
Though I’d like to say that is how the dust settled on the WHES Graham Jarvis Invitational, to be honest, I don’t think the dust will settle for quite some time yet. Certainly, Bridgetown will never be the same again.
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