Do you need help? Please contact our support team from 9 to 17 CET via support.pressclub@bmwgroup.com.

To the extent that historical press releases reference BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC as the manufacturer of certain X model vehicles, the referenced vehicles are manufactured in South Carolina with a combination of U.S. origin and imported parts and components.

PressClub USA · Article.

THREE MOTORCYCLISTS SELECTED TO REPRESENT U.S.A. IN BMW MOTORRAD INTERNATIONAL GS TROPHY

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - September 2, 2008... Three motorcyclists were selected from a field of six to represent the United States in the inaugural BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy after a grueling day of "Survivor-style" competition. The three finalists were selected based on technical, leadership and teamwork skills at BMW's Performance Center in Spartanburg, SC, August 28.

F 650 GS/F 800 GS

Press Contact.

Roy Oliemuller
BMW Group

Tel: +1-201-307-4082
Fax: +1-201-573-8416

send an e-mail

"Tunisia Three: Selected at BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg, S.C.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - September 2, 2008... Three motorcyclists were selected
from a field of six to represent the United States in the inaugural BMW
Motorrad International GS Trophy after a grueling day of "Survivor-style"
competition. The three finalists were selected based on technical, leadership
and teamwork skills at BMW's Performance Center in Spartanburg, SC, August 28.
Brad Hendry, of Thornton, CO; Jim Stoddard, of Middlegrove, NY; and Jason
Adams, of Rosendale, NY - the "Tunisia Three" -- will compete in the
international motorcycle competition in Tunisia, October 15-24. The remaining
three of the "Spartanburg Six" -- Kevin Harder, of Paso Robles, CA; , Bill
Dragoo, of Norman, OK; and Brienne Thompson, of San Diego, CA -- will serve as
alternates.

In Spartanburg, four judges evaluated the riding, leadership and teamwork
skills of the six riders in a series of grueling challenges, including: an
offset slalom course, circle drill, controlled ascents and descents, uphill
slalom, sand recovery, sand relay, team trail challenge, barrel race and high
speed maneuvering.

The Road to Spartanburg - The Selection Process

The prospect of a week-and-a-half riding in Tunisia on F 800 GS bikes with
teams from Germany, Italy, Japan and Spain captured the imagination of GS fans
throughout the United States, and nearly 100 riders made the first stage of the
application process to be considered for Team USA. These riders were subject to
an email 'mental test' specifically designed by a dedicated BMW team of
moto-psychologists to determine whether potential participants had the right
credentials to progress through to the next stage.

From the 96 initial applications - in many cases from superlative off-road
riders with great experience and skill - the team selectors chose 20
semi-finalists that demonstrated the required levels of riding excellence,
teamwork, character, physical fitness, a true love of the GS segment - and of
course, a sense of humor under conditions of great stress.

All 20 successful riders were informed separately that they had advanced to the
next round, while the 76 who didn't 'make the cut' will receive a gift from BMW
Motorrad to say thanks for participating and to encourage them to try again in
2009. The 20 International GS Trophy semi-finalists that remained were then
subjected to further tests and all four judges commented that the process was
quite difficult, as was the decision to determine a final shortlist. The six
chosen riders were then invited at BMW's expense to participate in further
testing at the BMW Performance Center, in Spartanburg, SC, on August 28.

This final test determined which of the 'Spartanburg Six' (as they have become
known) will become the "Tunisia Three" who will go on to represent the United
States in the International GS Trophy in October. As BMW Motorrad USA's
Laurence Kuykendall stated, "just getting down to the final six riders has been
an extremely difficult task for his team".

"We've not only had many excellent riders to chose from, but the criteria was
complex too, including not only riding ability and experience, but more
intangible qualities like teamwork, personality, physical and psychological
fitness, and the capability to spread the BMW faith. It would have been equally
easy to end up with six other, equally deserving names, as the standard was so
high, but as a consolation, there is always next year, when we will require new
riders for the 2009 GS Trophy - wherever it might be!"

The BMW Motorrad 2008 International GS Trophy

The International GS Trophy is a skills-based contest with GS riders coming
from all over the world for a final meeting to pick the best of the best in
Tunisia, North Africa, October 15 - 24. The competition is not a race, but a
lengthy and challenging ride, both on- and off-road, through the rugged
countryside of Tunisia on new F 800 GS bikes. The event will include numerous
tests in individual riding skills and group teamwork to overcome natural and
manmade obstacles in the course of the ride.

A team of six riders will be selected to compete for the GS Trophy from each of
the following BMW Motorrad markets: the United States, Germany, the UK,
France, Italy and Japan. Three of the six riders will be journalists, while
the remaining three will be GS owners selected by BMW Motorrad in each market.

The three GS owners selected to represent the United States in the 2008
International GS Trophy Competition will be required to report on their
experiences. Therefore, writing, as well as riding, ability will be a criterion
used to choose the GS Trophy competitors.

Congratulations to all of the participants!!

BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW
Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial
service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including
motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars;
DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in
Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW
Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's
global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant
for all Z4 models, X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sport Activity
Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through
networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 82 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30
Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales
headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff
Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet
at:

www.bmwgroupna.com
www.bmwusa.com
www.bmwmotorcycles.com
www.miniusa.com
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

# # #

Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available
to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address:
www.press.bmwgroup.com. Broadcast quality video footage is available via The
NewsMarket at www.thenewsmarket.com.

# # #

Article Offline Attachments.

Article Media Material.

My.PressClub Login
 

PressClub Information

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2024.

Munich. Here you can see the on demand webcast of the BMW Group Annual Conference 2024, with the world premiere of the next BMW vision vehicle on the "Road to Neue Klasse".

Open Streaming Page

Add your filter tags.

Press Release
Press Kit
Speech
Fact & Figures
Updates
Top-Topic
Submit filter
Clear all
 
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
 
Login