JESS Gardiner says she’s getting closer to becoming the best enduro rider in the world following a hugely successful year culminating in victory for Team Australia in the International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) and the individual ISDE.
The Londonderry resident had a bumper 2013, winning the Australian Enduro X Championship, the Australian Off-Road Championship, the Australian Four-Day Enduro, and was third in the World Enduro Championships.
‘‘My goal is to one day be the best enduro woman rider in the world,’’ Gardiner said.
‘‘I will keep continuing to push forward and training to my full potential, learning wisely and doing what is necessary.
‘‘I am slowly but surely hunting this down but nevertheless the other girls do want the top step just as much as me.’’
Gardiner’s biggest feat was at the ISDE in Argentina earlier this month.
The Australian champ, along with Tayla Jones and Jemma Wilson, showed her level of performance during this 89th edition of the race to beat Canada and the United States.
‘‘To be able to be on the number one step both individually and with our Australian womens team two years in a row now is by far a very rewarding result for all our hard work and dedication throughout the years,’’ she said.
‘‘It has most certainly topped off my most successful season to date.’’
But the event, in the rugged conditions at San Juan, wasn’t as straightforward for Gardiner as it sounded, despite her dominant efforts.
Battling temperatures of 40 degrees, she described it as ‘‘very physically and mentally exhausting’’ in an event where only the rider can do all the mechanical work if needed.
‘‘Argentina was very different to anything I have ridden before,’’ Gardiner said.
‘‘The terrain had a large variety from deep sand dunes to deep bulldust and rocky terrains.
‘‘Less than 50 per cent of the race field that started had finished, with bikes dropping out due to the extremely dusty conditions and overheating bikes just boiling up.’’
To achieve total domination of the Australian enduro scene Gardiner said she plans to turn herself into an even more formidable opponent while training in the off-season at her self-built course on her Londonderry property.
‘‘Personally I am very passionate about my sport and nobody likes to finish second place,’’ she said.
‘‘I am very determined to win.
‘‘In my 2014 Australian Championship season, I managed to claim nine out of 12 race wins and the other results being second.
‘‘It definitely was not easy.
‘‘I have very strong competitors here in Australia and some races came down to a few seconds.’’