Team United States hold substantial lead in ISDE Women’s World Trophy after Day 5 – Team Australia firing on all cylinders to claim P2 back overall. With only one day remaining in the ninety-seventh edition of International Six Day Enduro at San Juan, Argentina, Team USA have consolidated #1 position clocking 3: 10’05.31 over the 6 special tests x 5 days.
Current ISDE Women’s World Trophy Team and individual leader, Brandy Richards has produced grand results, winning all special tests in Days 1 – 4, supported by fellow-team rider’s Korie Steede and Rachel Gutish.
How Rachel managed to race, after crashing heavily in Day 3 speaks volumes on the strength of mind, force of conviction, and dedication to carry on, despite injuries. As Rachel stated at the end of Day 4: ‘our team doctor is certain I’ve separated my ac joint in my right shoulder and broken a rib on my left, in addition to generally being bruised and battered’.
Amazingly, Rachel won Day 5 ST5, along with clocking P7, P4, P4, P4, and P2 in ST6 final test of Day 5. On the other side of the spectrum, penalties were accumulated in ST2 and ST3 for Team Latin America’s rider Tania Gonzales and Team Canada’s Felicia Robichaud, along with Team Argentina rider Melina Bretillot and Rachel Gutish respectively.
The real-deal of Day 5 were the super special test wins by Team Australia’s rookie entrant, Danielle McDonald. Finding superb rhythm on track, in what must be now an exhaustive task having to race and complete all mechanical maintenance by themselves, McDonald held her own amongst the seasoned women rider’s to win ST2, ST3, and ST4. Finishing ST1 in P3, ST5 in P2, and ST6 in P3, Danielle along with remaining rider, Jessica Gardiner, boosted Team Australia to P2 overall.
With Team Latin America’s rider Valeria Rodriguez succumbing to retirement in ST1 Day 5, the remaining two rider’s of Tania Gonzales and Barbara Neves are holding the Team in P4 overall, following Team France’s bump to P3 at end of Day 5.
Times are close between Team Australia on 5: 02’16.12, Team France on 5: 14’28, Team Latin America on 5: 36’40.50, and Team Argentina on 5: 56’06.74. Final Day 6 tomorrow, and final standings will determine which Team won ISDE Women’s World Trophy, along with second and third podiums.
Header photo: Danielle Mc Donald for Team Australia Image: @fredccy
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