I say “SloEnduro finale”, you say? Grožnjan! For the end of the season, we’re heading back to the medieval town above Istria peninsula, Croatia, to catch the views to the sea, the last moments of late summer and the trails running down from the ridge into the Mirna river valley.
Only twice in ten years have we moved Grožnjan race (they only missed the first year in the series) to the beginning of the season, but otherwise SloEnduro Grozni is the standard finale of the series. Yes, this weekend, Saturday 30 September and Sunday 1 October, it’s the tenth edition of Grožnjan race!
This year we are returning from the alternative venue at the sports ground back to the town square, next to the hall that houses the race office with the registration. Rollout on Sunday from 9.30 am.
As far as the course is concerned, we will have four special stages on the long course. Details follow on Friday. The weather forecast is boring, sunny and about 25 degrees.
It’s about the titles
National Championships titles are of course important in enduro, but perhaps the title of overall winner in the SloEnduro series still carries more weight. Who will be the 2023 SloEnduro series champion?
In the men’s overall standings, defending champion Miha Smrdel (MBK Črni Vrh) has accumulated 1350 points in six races or four appearances and has quite a bit of an advantage, 240 points to be precise, over second-placed cteammate Jernej Kavčič. Third-placed David Ivartnik (Golovec Trails) has 80 points less, while Nejc Huth (Energijateam.com) from fourth and Tim Krašovec (Wolf Racing Team) from fifth are also easily in the fight for the overall podium, and juniors Miha Jerkič (KK Črn trn) and Jan Polovšak (Bosch Black Hole Enduro Team) are close behind. Seven could realisticly go for the podium.
Smrdel needs to finish at least eighth in the event of Kavčič’s victory and at least 25th in the event of Ivartnik’s victory to win his third consecutive title.
Tina Smrdel (MBK Črni Vrh) already has the title in her pocket, Maja Vojska (MBK Črni Vrh) and Maša Komel (KK Črn trn) could still fight for the second place.
It’s not over yet for the men’s junior title, where Jerkič has 170 points less than the leader Polovšak, but Polovšak would have to do something seriously wrong to miss out on the overall win.
In the U17 men, the gap between the leader Anže Kofjač (KK Završnica) and the second-placed Ian Laharnar (Kamplc Racing Team) is 200 points, with third-placed Blaž Stres (Kamplc) another 100 points behind, and Juš Ažman (Završnica) breathing down his neck with 50 points. There are an incredible 68 riders on the U17 category ranking list!
In the U17 women, Nežka Libnik (Bosch Black Hole Enduro Team) has so far won all the points available, so she could also go to Istria to sunbathe. She is followed at a safe distance by Ana Inkret (Calcit Bike Team) in 2nd and Neža Štern (MTB klub Kranj) in 3rd.
It could be hot among the amateurs, where the leader Žiga Šemrov (ŠKD Super Potencial) has a 70-point advantage over the winner of the last two races, Nejc Šikman (ŠD Grabit).
Masters? Marko Fink has already earned the title for Zverinice team in master 1, Grega Nagode (Energijateam.com) is pretty safe at the top in master 2, and Martin Brus (Kamplc) could have already celebrated the title in master 3 this summer.
In the boys U15 category Jakob Praček (Kamplc) can only theoretically waste the overall win, Vita Vaner (DGK Pohorje – Spank Team) is unbeatable in the girls. In the U13 boys, Tjaž Stres (Kamplc) is already the champion, while Gal Palčič (Rajd Ljubljana) and Nikolaj Vukojević (Golovec trails) can compete for the second place. Eva Podvornik (now MTB klub Kranj) has faced no competition all season in U13 girls.
Find all the standings here
And the rest of the field
As usual, some of those who are not at the top of the leaderboard will also come to “steal points” and perhaps shake up the outcome. For example, Slovak Luboš Stano (MTBIKER), 4th from Ajdovščina, Croatian XC champion Fran Bošnjak (BBK Šišmiš) and the duo from ŠKTD Avče – special returner Kristjan Medvešček, the first winner in Grožnjan and this year’s 3rd from Ajdovščina, and Triveneto series winner Jan Markič.
Entries are only now starting to pour in, open until midnight on Thursday!
SloEnduro Grozni – propositions and registration
Facebook event
Live timing
Enjoy some photos from the first Grožnjan race on 12 October 2014! And here’s the video:
More from the archives
Enduro Grožnjan: Results
Enduro Grožnjan: Photogallery
