2012 is a hugely important year for Husaberg’s Enduro 2 class rider Pela Renet. Joining the Husaberg Factory Team at the start of 2011 following an amazing rookie enduro season in 2010, the tall Frenchman quickly showed that he had the pace not only to compete against the very best in the world but also to win. Securing three day wins, throughout 2011 Pela battled for podium positions delivering impressive results in all conditions. For 2012 Renet has his sights set firmly on competing for the Enduro 2 World Championship title. In a class stacked with talent the former MX3 Motocross World Champion knows securing a first FIM enduro title will be anything but easy, but following several months of intense pre-season training he’s ready and looking forward to the challenges the new season will offer. Renet will compete aboard an FE450 four-stroke.
Husaberg will field a two-pronged attack in the Enduro 3 class with Sweden’s Joakim Ljunggren competing aboard a TE300 two-stroke and Spaniard Oriol Mena on an FE570 four-stroke. Third in the 2011 Enduro 3 World Championship Joakim Ljunggren put a challenging 2010 season behind him to compete head-to-head with some of the world’s very fastest enduro riders. Ending his championship campaign just 14 points behind class runner-up Christophe Nambotin, Joakim’s speed and consistency saw him regularly competing for podium results.
In 2012 Joakim will again face stiff competition but following impressive performances in the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship and a determined winter’s training his goal for the new season is to once again fight for the Enduro 3 World Championship title. Welcoming the return of his home GP – the GP of Sweden – Joakim is hopeful that the addition of not one but two Scandinavian events into the EWC calendar will boost his chances of fighting for the coveted Enduro 3 title.
Switching back to four-stroke machinery for 2012 Spaniard Oriol Mena will start the EWC series determined to show that he, like Ljunggren, is capable of challenging for regular podium results and to improve on his fifth place Enduro 3 championship result from 2011. Starting last year’s EWC series with a hand injury picked up during pre-season training, Oriol showed flashes of the speed and determination that enabled him to win the 2009 Enduro Junior World Championship. Back on four-stroke machinery for 2012 Mena is looking forward to the season ahead.
Just as in the Enduro 3 class Husaberg will enter two riders into all rounds of the Enduro Junior World Championship in 2012. Placing just 17 points away from the third place position in the final championship standings, Frenchman Mathias Bellino enjoyed a hugely successful first season of EWC competition in 2011. Despite entering the series with no enduro experience the hard charging FE450 mounted rider soon showed that he had the pace to challenge for race wins, while continuing to learn throughout the series. Claiming three day wins along the way, for 2012 Mathias has his sights set firmly on landing Husaberg the Enduro Junior World Championship.
Joining Bellino, and returning to the EWC scene following a two-year absence, is British rider Alex Rockwell. Campaigning aboard an FE390, Rocky, as he’s known, is thrilled to be returning to the international scene and hopeful of delivering yet more solid results for Husaberg. Last but by no means least Husaberg will field one rider in the 125 Youth Cup class – Jamie McCanney on a TE125. Little known outside of the UK, the Manx youngster has picked up some impressive results nationally already this season and despite his lack of international enduro experience has the speed to claim impressive results during 2012. While learning and gaining experience will be high on Jamie’s ‘to do’ list, he’s certainly ready to take on the challenges of a first Enduro World Championship season.
The 2012 FIM Enduro World Championship starts in Chile on March 24/25 followed one week later by the GP of Argentina on March 31/April 1. The first round of the series to be run in Europe will be the GP of Portugal on May 5/6, followed by the GP of Spain on May 12/13. Next, the series will travel to Italy on June 30 / July1 before heading to Scandinavia for the GP of Sweden on August 25/26 and the GP of Finland on September 1/2. Following the International Six Days Enduro, which is being held in Germany on September 24-29, the 2012 Enduro World Championship will conclude with the GP of France on October 20/21.
