Red Bull KTM’s Jonny Walker took an outstanding first victory at the 11th edition of the notoriously tough Red Bull Romaniacs on Saturday, following four intense days of hard battle in the Carpathian Mountains, where the KTM ace pieced together a phenomenal race to prove he really is the man of the moment in Hard Enduro.
The 23-year-old British Red Bull sponsored KTM factory rider, also winner of the 2014 Red Bull Hare Scramble at Austria’s Erzbergrodeo, managed to defeat the hard-as-nails Graham Jarvis, who has been both his nemesis and his idol.
In what was a near perfect day for KTM, 18-year-old South African Wade Young took an incredible podium third, while two Romaniac
veterans, Paul Bolton (KTM UK) and KTM factory rider Andreas Lettenbichler rounded off the top five.
What Jonny Walker and Graham Jarvis had to say during the race tells most of the story. After Day One of the offroad competition
Walker, winner on the day said: “Graham is my idol. His experience is second to none.” Meanwhile Jarvis, a four-times Romaniacs
winner, but with perhaps the hint of what was to come commented: “No matter how fast I go I look around and Jonny is still there.”
The two riders battled it out over the final day where they still had to ride some 180 kilometer knowing any mistake would be costly.
They also had to face the infamous and near vertical Gusterita hill climb at the end of the day, then sit it out to have GPS times verified
before Walker was awarded his well-earned place on the top of the podium.
“I’m so pumped to have got this win in the bag,” said Walker. “It’s a race that’s taken me three years to figure out. I was nervous this
morning – I knew Jarvis would be charging – but I kept my head down and did what I needed to do. It’s awesome to have won.”
But while Walker and Jarvis slogged it out at the front, the 18-year old South African KTM rider Wade Young was also creating his own
sensation on his KTM 300 EXC. Third place on all of the last three days gave this young pretender the podium third and put him
squarely in the limelight.
After Day Two’s third place Young said: “Coming here I was just happy to place inside the top 10 – I wasn’t expecting any more. But
something just clicked today and it all came together.” He was first on the start line for Day Three and finishing behind Walker and
Jarvis on the last two days left nobody in doubt about his bright future.
Results Red Bull Romaniacs 11th Edition:
1. Jonny Walker (GBR), KTM, 20:53:23 h
2. Graham Jarvis (GBR), Husqvarna, 21:06:49
3. Wade Young (RSA), KTM, 21:47:31
4. Paul Bolton (GBR), KTM, 22:01:33
5. Andreas Lettenbichler (GER), KTM, 22:47:00
via KTM
Photo: Future7Media
