The opening day of the Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship in Rhayader, Wales, offered spectators an intense battle between teammates Rosie Rowett and Rachel Gutish of the RIEJU Factory Team.
Friday evening it was Nieve Holmes who set the best time during the Akrapovic Supertest.
This Saturday, Rowett who emerged victorious, securing her first win on the world stage. The British rider kicked off the day with authority, dominating the Cross Test. Gutish, however, quickly both responded by setting the pace in the Extreme Test and the Enduro Test, keeping the pressure high. Despite that challenge, Rowett maintained a slender four-second advantage heading into the second of three lapses.
With confidence building, Rowett pulled clear by winning the next three special tests, stretching her lead to nearly 50 seconds. But the race was far from over. A couple of costly mistakes allowed Gutish to claw back time and take the lead before the final test.
Refusing to give up, Rowett delivered a final push in the last Cross Test to reclaim the top spot and seal an emotional maiden victory in the Women’s Enduro category. Gutish, who had looked strong all day, had to settle for second place, just behind her teammate.
Meanwhile, championship leader Francesca Nocera (HRC Honda), injured in the knee, wasn’t able to match the front-runners’ pace, finishing the day in third. Justine Martel (Beta) and Nieve Holmes (Sherco) completed the top five. Vilde Marie Holt (KTM) is sixth ahead of Maria San Miguel (Rieju).
In the Junior Women’s Enduro World Cup, Elizabeth Tett (Electraction TM) delivered a commanding performance, taking the win by a margin of 10 minutes. Sherco’s Lorna Lafont secured second, while local favorite Delun Davies (Fantic) made the most of home advantage by earning her first world-level podium in third. Lea Meier (Sherco) finished just outside the top three in fourth.
