FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart closed out the AMA West Hard Enduro Championship, Presented by Klim, with victory at the Donner Hard Enduro ahead of Rocky Mountain Yamaha’s Cody Webb pushing all the way on one of his strongest showings to date on the YZ.

Round nine of the 2025 Bullet Proof Designs US Hard Enduro Series, Presented by IRC Tire, was part of Brian Garrahan’s Donner Challenge weekend at the historic Donner Ski Ranch in Norden, California.

Nestled at 7000 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the weather at Donner has always been an unpredictable factor, and this year was the wildest one yet with a Summer Solstice storm covering the mountain with snow and hail a couple of hours before the race start.

With lightning measured within a mile away, the race start was delayed until the storm cleared and the lightning dispersed. Conditions went from late-Spring dusty trails and dry granite slabs, to perfect loamy dirt with slick granite slabs as the unexpected storm created some of the best racing conditions the Donner Hard Enduro has seen.

The start began with rows of 20 with Sherco USA’s Will Riordan grabbing the holeshot and leading the first part of the first lap. Leading on a course that had snow on the trail and in the trees made it tough to maintain position and a small granite face cost Riordan who didn’t make it up and fell back, falling into a charging Trystan Hart behind him. Riordan actually bent his rear brake lever at this point and cost himself a tonne of time to fix it.

Hart remained up front for the entire first lap and felt like he had a comfortable lead but little did he know Rocky Mountain ATV Yamaha’s Cody Webb was less than a minute behind and charging. Webb pushed and caught Hart, passing him for the lead aboard a bored-out YZ265X this weekend and puttingon his best show on thew YZ.

But Hart didn’t let up, and the pair made multiple passes before Webb made a small mistake, and Hart held onto the lead until the finish. Webb came home only 56 seconds behind Hart, in one of the closest finishes of the season. Riordan meanwhile finished in third place, around nine minutes behind Webb.

You can check out hte passes on Trystan’s onboard here: POV Trystan Hart and Cody Webb fight for the Donner US Hard Enduro win

Say What? Podium riders explains their races: 

The battle for P4 came down to the wire also with Rockstar Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder LeBlond trying to hold off KRD Hui’s Kamakana Waiwaiole-Kahalepuna at the end of the second lap.

Racing down from the “Bullet Proof Designs Top of the World” section, LeBlond was getting pressure from Kamakana, who made a last ditch effort and stole fourth place to finish 16 seconds ahead of LeBlond.

In the Women’s division, Louise Forsley was once again the top female, finishing a couple checks ahead of the rest of the field.

In the Amateur ranks, Niko Piazza was the top A Class finisher and Cole Clarkson won the B Class.

Hart claims championship title

This was the final round of the AMA West Hard Enduro Series, Presented by Klim, so AMA Regional Championship awards were given out at the end of the evening.

Trystan Hart won the Pro Class of the AMA West Hard Enduro Championship, and clinched the overall Bullet Proof Designs US Hard Enduro Series, Presented by IRC Tire Championship a round early, but that award will be presented at the 2025 Red Bull Tennessee Knockout on August 8-10th in Sequatchie, Tennessee.

2025 Donner Hard Enduro Results (top 20):

For full results: http://www.moto-tally.com/USHE/Results.aspx

Website: www.ushardenduro.com

Photo Credit: US Hard Enduro Media | Calafia Concepts + Kyoshi Becker