BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy Central Asia 2018. Day 8. Final. Team South Africa victorious – again!

Once at Chingisiin Khuree the GS riders faced the final hurdle, the ‘Monster Trial’. Here all three team members entered the extended challenge together and riding against the clock rode over various banks, ditches and along a dried- up river bed before taking on three sub-sections which further tested their bike handling skills. These included a full-lock maze section and a GS Trophy favourite, the ‘elephant turn’ (maybe a camel turn given this is Mongolia!) where the riders have to spin turn their GS a full 180o.

With a 43 point advantage going into this test, for Team South Africa the win was theirs to lose, albeit with triple points available they could still be beaten. But being such a well-drilled team this wasn’t going to happen, and true to form they put in an excellent performance, fast, slick and accurate – and calculated, each rider forfeiting two points in the maze when they dabbed (put their foot down) to ensure safe spin turns. It was a performance worthy of champions, albeit they were beaten by Team France who blazed to their second day win to come within two points of overturning Team USA for the runner-up position.

So while Team South Africa again took the winners’ trophies, and Teams USA and France the runners-ups’ trophies none of the GS riders left empty handed as each rider was given the radiator covers from their GS to take home. No ordinary covers, these had been 3D printed in aluminium and machined with their rider number and name integrated into the design. A memento to remind them of eight of the most exciting days in the wilds of Mongolia, an amazing country, on the incomparable GS, an extraordinary motorcycle.