Future US International Six Days Enduro team members will prove their mettle in the AMA ISDE Qualifier Series, designed to provide a world-class test for American off-road racers with an eye on international competition.
The American Motorcyclist Association has sanctioned qualifier rounds for the ISDE since the world championship event was known as the International Six Days Trial. The qualifiers have changed over the years to meet the needs of the US team. For 2017, the AMA is returning to a series format.
The AMA ISDE East Qualifier Series will have rounds in Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. The AMA ISDE West Qualifier Series will be held in California, Idaho and Washington. Each round of the East and West series will run a two-day format with four of the six days used to qualify riders. The top-five riders in each ISDE series will qualify.
Following the regional series, an additional three-day qualifier will be held in Tennessee with all three days plus the best one-day finish from the East or West series being used to qualify eight additional riders.
“Not only are we making it tougher, while giving riders more opportunities to qualify, we are also working very hard on raising funds to reduce costs across the board,” said AMA Off-Road Manager Erek Kudla. “I want the U.S. teams to sweep the podiums at the 2017 ISDE in France, and making our qualifying competition even stiffer, plus helping our riders get there, is the best way to accomplish that.”
At the 2016 ISDE in Spain, the U.S. World Trophy Team won the event for the first time in ISDE history, which dates back more than 100 years to 1913.
“After our big win at the 2016 ISDE in Spain, it is really important to ride that momentum and strengthen the USA team spirit, as well as bring back the prestige of the qualifiers themselves,” Kudla said.
In addition to reconstituting the qualifiers in a series format to qualify riders who submit a Letter of Intent to ride at the ISDE in 2017, A, B and C classes will compete for regional championships while developing the skills needed to be future ISDE qualifying riders.
Additional rules and selection details will be announced soon and published at www.americanmotorcyclist.com.
AMA ISDE East Qualifier Series
- Round 1: Jan. 21-22, Seville, Fla. River City Dirt Riders
- Round 2: Feb. 11-12, Gaston, S.C. Full Gas Enduro Series
- Round 3: Feb. 25-26, Greeneville, Tenn. Full Gas Enduro Series
AMA ISDE West Qualifier Series
- Round 1: Jan. 28-29, Gorman, Calif. Ventura County MC
- Round 2: March 11-12, Payatte, Idaho. Boise Ridge Riders
- Round 3: April 1-2, Washougal, Wash. Lobos MC
AMA ISDE 3-Day Qualifier
- May 12-14, Johnson City, Tenn. Full Gas Enduro Series
