FIM Enduro World Championship: Jed Etchells closes in on Youth title

Most MX fans will remember Jed Etchells – or ‘Jedalicious’ as he was nicknamed – as a stupidly-fast schoolboy motocross champion but these days you’re more likely to see him tearing up a special test in a forest than lining up behind a startgate.
Now aged 20, Jed’s switched codes and transferred his talents to enduro where with one round to go he’s currently leading the FIM Youth Enduro World Championship class for riders aged under 21.
Riding for Fantic, he started his first full season in the EWC by running 4-1 in France and he’s been unbeaten ever since with double wins in Italy and Portugal giving him an 11-point lead heading into this weekend’s final round.
“In Portugal I had an extremely good weekend,” he said. “On Saturday, the first day of racing, I stated well and had a tough battle throughout the day. It started raining fairly heavy near the last half of the race which for me is preferred as I ride very well in the rain. The transfers were extreme terrain, however I still managed to take the win by 36 seconds.
“On Sunday I started the day with very close times [and] gained a good lead, although in the last enduro test I pushed too hard and had a big crash which made me lose a bit of time. However, in the last cross and extreme test I managed to get some good times and won by 16 seconds.
“So overall I won both days, gaining vital points towards the championship and I am extremely happy. I am 100 per cent focussed on my goal of becoming world champion this year.”