[News]

2016 A4DE: The Big Questions

7 years ago | Words: Andy Wigan | Photos: John Pearson Media | Andy Wigan

The 2016 instalment of the annual Yamaha Australian 4-Day Enduro (A4DE) may be well down on entry numbers – largely as a result of it being rescheduled from May to November – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still a bunch of major storylines that are set to play out this week in Victoria. Here are the big questions and issues we’ve been arguing about at Transmoto HQ in the lead-up to the 2016 4-Day’s kick-off, and how we reckon they might be answered over the following four days.

Q: Will Daniel Milner be able to clinch his fifth consecutive Outright win at the A4DE?
We Say: Quite possibly, yes. And if he does, he’ll join fellow Victorian, Shane Watts, who won a record five Outright titles on the trot between 1993 and 1997. Milner is always a strong performer on a big stage, and when that stage is in his home state of Victoria, he’s even harder to beat. Our advice: don’t bet against “Doogs” on this one. If he does manage to win this year’s event, he can then focus on chasing down the other 4-Day record Wattsy still holds – six Outright wins. 

milner

Q: Can Shane Watts win his seventh Outright 4-Day title?
We Say: As much as that would be a fairytale for Victoria’s favourite enduro son, it just ain’t going to happen. By Wattsy’s own admission, “I’m 44. I’ve barely raced a bike for the past seven years. My timing’s not there. I’m older and slower, and my knees and body are shot. And I no longer have the skill, precision and desire to try to run with the frontrunners, where the margin for error is so small. So my plan is get out there and have a good, fun ride at this 4-Day. I’ll get on the gas and rip it up here and there, but I’m there for a good time, not to kid myself about winning.” But in saying that, is Wattsy genuine or posturing? Running 11th Outright in yesterday’s A4DE prologue aboard his beloved KTM 125 XC-W suggests that the old boy is still packing some world-class speed, wrecked body or otherwise.

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Q: Can Matt Phillips, Daniel Sanders, Josh Green or Lachy Stanford finally win their first 4-Day’s Outright title?
We Say: Well, Phillips and Green are previous class winners at the 4-Day, and both have expressed a burning desire to marry that with a maiden Outright win. Based on current form, you’d have to say that Daniel “Chucky” Sanders’ momentum might catapult him to the top of the 4-Day class this year. If you wanted to back a dark horse, remember that Lachy Stanford is back on his preferred big-bore mount, Husky’s FE501, for the 2016 4-Day and could well upset Chucky’s applecart. You might think we’re remiss in leaving the likes of KTM’s AORC-winning ‘Simmo’ duo – Tye Simmonds and Jack Simpson – off this list. And they could both throw a spanner in the works. Then again, Tye’s 4-Day prep has consisted of little more than mustering feral goats, and this will be Jack’s first A4DE, so we reckon they’re longer odds for the Outright win.

phillips1

Q: Will this be Chris Hollis’ last professional off-road race?
We Say: When you look back over the AORC’s record books, just five guys have won the Outright title – AJ Roberts (three times), Toby Price (five times), Chris Hollis (twice), Daniel Milner (once) and now Daniel Sanders. But only one of them was there since the maiden series in 2005: Chris Hollis. In 12 seasons, Hollis racked up two Outright AORC wins (2008, 2011) and seven class wins. And at the A4DE over that same period, he’s claimed an Outright win (and four runner-up finishes) and several class wins. Hollis is widely regarded by his peers as one of the off-road paddock’s most talented and likeable characters, but when pressed about the prospect of retirement after recently posting a very respectable third Outright in the 2016 AORC series, the 32-year-old’s remained circumspect. Though he did confirm he’d be racing the A4DE. If this season will in fact be remembered for Hollis’ final AORC and A4DE appearance, all we can say is thanks for the memories, buddy. And with a fair bit of flowing grasstrack at the 2016 A4DE – a habitat that Hollis has always revelled in – there’s every chance the Port Macquarie realtor’s parting shot for the national off-road scene is another Outright 4-Day win.

hollis

Q: Will Jemma Wilson finally get a Women’s-class A4DE win to accompany her three AORC titles?
We Say: Over the past few years, the AORC Women’s class has felt like Groundhog Day as the Yamaha-mounted quartet of Jemma Wilson, Jess Gardiner, Emelie Karlsson and Tayla Jones all traded class and title wins. But, so far, season 2016 has been all about Jemma Wilson, who claimed her third EW-class AORC title in September. Before the mud had even dried after the AORC’s finale in Victoria, however, Wilson was already speaking about the title that’s always eluded her – the Australian 4-Day Enduro. On form, there’s no doubt she’ll be favourite to break that drought and finally win the thing.

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Q: Will visiting Frenchman and two-time Enduro World Champion, Mathias Bellino, poach some 4-Day silverware? And if so, will the record books acknowledge it?
We Say: Why do we ask this? Well, in previous years, visiting internationals were allowed to claim the Outright 4-Day win, but for reasons we never fully understood, they were not acknowledged in the class results. This year, factory Husqvarna EnduroGP rider Mathias Bellino has cleverly got around this bizarre A4DE rule by racing the event on a Motorcycling Australia licence, rather than an FIM international licence. Nothing if not crafty when it comes to rules, those Frenchmen! Having won the event’s prologue yesterday, Bellino looks to be in form and ready to get one back on the Aussies in the wake of the 2015 Slovakian ISDE shemozzle.

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Q: Will much attention be placed on the result for the state-based Teams Championships – the Junior Trophy, Senior Trophy and Women’s Cup?
We Say: Nope. Even though the A4DE was conceived and founded as a teams-based event to help prepare Aussie riders for the annual ISDE, it has definitely evolved into much more of an individual pursuit, especially in recent years. Yes, the team results will rate a mention, but as little more than a perfunctory footnote at the end of the occasional PR piece. Rest assured that sponsors’ contingency payout for the 4-Day won’t be rewarding riders for team wins.

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Q: Will half-tanked pundits spend their time on the sidelines at Mansfield, arguing about whether the 2017 or 2018 A4DE will be the 40th running of the event?
We Say: You bet they will. What these geniuses tend to forget is that, unlike birthdays, you start counting at day dot for annual events. So, seeing as the first A4DE at Cessnock was held in 1978, the 2017 running of the event at Toowoomba will in fact be its 40th running. The 4-Day is set to return to its spiritual homeland of Cessnock in 2018, so that will be the 41st running of the event, and its 40-year anniversary. Got it? Good!

jemma

Keep an eye on Transmoto’s social media channels for daily updates on the 2016 A4DE. Or you can like the AORC on Facebook and follow @aorc_ on Instagram.

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