Arrival & Briefing Days – The Excitement Builds

It was a long and uncomfortable flight to Namibia, which in hindsight was perhaps a good warm up to spending a week in a tent, but we finally landed, in Africa!

BMW Motorrad had smiling faces waiting to greet us in the arrivals hall, eager to usher us on to the transfer buses for one last push to the GS Trophy camp at Midgard Country Estate, just over an hour North of the airport. Many competitors stared in awe out the window at the vast dry landscapes of Namibia, while others, myself included, couldn’t help but stare at the back of our eyelids. But as we drove through the gates of Midgard, everyone, and I mean everyone, was eagerly craning their necks to get the first glimpse of the GS Trophy!

The bus doors opened and we flooded out to a chorus of cheers and whistles and a swathe of colour as the team flags were being waved by the marshals. High-fives and fist bumps left and right, cameras all around, it was wonderfully overwhelming and exactly the welcome we had all been dreaming of.

Steve and I (Matt Shields, later to become known as Little Matt) were the first of the UK team to arrive, Matt Poole (Big Matt) was scheduled to arrive in the afternoon. So, we spent the morning getting camp set up for the first time, and trying to avoid puncturing our air mattress on the millions of African size thorns littering the bush camp.

While the other teams were also greeted by their MRP (Media Related Person), our guy was nowhere to be seen. With camp setup, we went exploring and finally found Mike (Boothy) of 44Teeth relaxing by the pool without a care in the world, holiday seemingly engaged! We all hit it off right away and we were soon hyping each other up about the week ahead, and bonding once the bar opened that evening.

As Big Matt arrived, we were all there to greet him. This was actually our first-time meeting Matt properly, aside from the swift congratulations on the podium at the UK qualifier in Wales.

Those first couple of days were spent setting up our new gear, such as the SENA helmet comms and Leatt neck brace, and going through multiple briefings about the event, safety, rules, and so on, and of course, meeting our fellow competitors. There were 16 teams, plus 6 women’s teams, a total of 60 competitors from 23 countries, plus all the marshals and event staff. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of meeting other competitors was learning about their riding background and preparations for the GS Trophy – some of these guys, and girls, had seriously impressive resumes, and most teams had taken their Trophy training quite seriously. Team UK on the other hand, had done very little, and had only met properly here in Namibia… Okay, Steve and I had managed some training together at ORS in Wales, in wet muddy conditions, which was great, but the polar opposite of the dry, sandy, Namibian terrain.

But of course, the main highlight of the briefing days was the ceremonial opening of the Parc Ferme, done by none other than Markus Flasch, the CEO of BMW Motorrad. This was a BIG moment for everyone, having all been looking at the bikes from a distance since arriving. The atmosphere was absolutely incredible! With flags waving, everyone cheering and whistling, drones flying and cameras everywhere, the tape was cut and we flooded through the BMW Motorrad arch to find the bike with our name on it! An unforgettable feeling!

When the childlike excitement calmed down and everyone had taken a thousand photos, we spent some time setting up the bikes for our riding style – adjusting the bars, levers, pegs, electronic settings etc. Everything was now ready for the first day’s riding. Roll on the official Day 1 of the GS Trophy.

Day 1 – Welcome to the GS Trophy

Day 1 Stats

●        Riding with Team South Korea and Marshal Archie Green

●        270km from Midgard to Ai Aiba, with technical off road and fast gravel road

●        SP1 Welcome Trials Challenge – 15^th

●        SP2 Akrapovic Enduro Challenge – 11^th

●        Team UK Position Overall = 16^th (dead last)

The official first day of the GS Trophy kicked off with our first experience of having to pack up camp and load our kit bags onto the truck, before 7am. Little did we know at the time, this task would only get harder as the week went on!

Despite then having an hour and half before our start time, we soon found ourselves rushing around like maniacs trying to fill up water bladders and pack our essentials in the tail bag, as our marshal repeatedly shouted at us to get to the bikes for the briefing.

As we threw a leg over the beautiful, brand new, R1300GS, with our name and country flag emblazoned on the sides, there was a palpable feeling of pride, one which was well-earned by each and every competitor at the event. With engines fired up, and a little-too-happy right hand being reminded to calm down until we got out of the camp, we pulled away to a chequered flag being waved and cameras rolling, we were off!!!

The first few km’s were spent on nice flowing rocky trails. We were riding with Team Korea, an enthusiastic bunch who were not scared of the throttle and spent much of the day seemingly shouting at each other in Korean on the team comms channel. Suffice to say, it wasn’t long before we all turned them off to enjoy the sound of the boxer engine instead.

The first Special Stage (SP1) wasn’t far from the camp. Nerves were rising as we parked up and watched some other teams ride the course. Our briefing confirmed it was a straightforward and short Welcome Trial, with a bit of sand and some tight turns, and at the end we had to park the bike and run to ring a bell. Fastest time wins, and penalties for dabs, drops, and going outside course borders.

With bikes parked in the start gate, our hearts were racing and the nerves had now leveled up. It was the first challenge. All to play for. Steve went first, as the strongest trials rider he could set the pace and pick the lines, then Big Matt, then me. We all went through fairly fast, but frustratingly I pushed too hard and took two dabs in the sandy turns, to avoid dropping the bike. But even more disastrous, Big Matt’s bike stand caught a rock at the finish and as he ran off to ring the bell, his bike fell over! We quickly picked it up, but that was a dirty and slow run… Bad start. We later learned that the dropped bike counted as a penalty, despite already being parked at the finish. We came 15^th. Quite how Brazil did worse than us to come 16^th, we will never know!

But with all the buzz and excitement of the first day of riding, we soon forgot about SP1 and enjoyed the morning ride on more technical rocky trails and our first experience on fast open gravel roads (which make up most of the Namibian road network). It takes some getting used to the big R1300GS snaking around in the gravel at 100km/h, but we quickly learned the more you relax on the bars and let the front wheel move, the more stable you feel.

After a fantastic lunch, it was a short ride to SP2. On the way, we faced our first deep sandy section and we were all encouraged by our marshal, Archie, to take this opportunity to warm up for the next stage. Hint hint.

SP2, the Akrapovic Enduro Challenge, set in a very dry, very soft, very deep, sandy riverbed. We could hear the Akrapovic pipes roaring from miles away. The course was simply a few hundred metres long, and a few metres wide, snaking through the riverbed. The sand made it an exceptional challenge for even the best riders. Let alone Big Matt who had never rode any bike in sand like this, let alone a big GS. To be honest, none of our team had done any training in sand like this, so we were at an immediate disadvantage here. The rules? Fastest time wins, only penalties for missing gates, and a 5-minute time limit. We watched several teams get completely stuck and run out the 5-minute timer… Equally, we watched experienced teams fly round the course like they were on a 250cc at Weston Beach Race!

With our line choice dialed in, including a sneaky hard surface we found by going very wide on one of the corners, it was our turn. Big Matt led out, flat out. I went a few seconds later, and Steve was close behind. We were all going well until Big Matt caught a big rut and his bike went down – I was able to wobble my way around him, more out of control than in control, to make it to the hard pack line, only to stupidly drop the bike on the only non-sandy part of the course… Steve, who was least confident at the start of this stage, came flying past both of us! I quickly picked up my bike and rode flat out into Steve’s gigantic cloud of sand, completely blind I could barely see my own hands, let alone pick a line. But miraculously, as the dust cleared, I somehow found myself flying across the finish line. Big Matt was unfortunately very stuck, so I ripped my helmet off and ran terminator style across the riverbed, only to arrive and find Matt struggling to reset his traction control. Thankfully, Claudio Von Planta (the Long Way legend himself) was eagerly filming my dramatic sprint, so it wasn’t all for nothing. With a big push and a face full of sand, we got the bike moving and Matt powered through to the finish line. We finished well within the 5-minute cut off, but it wasn’t fast by any means. Thanks to the teams who got properly stuck, we salvaged an 11^th place on SP2.

The afternoon was rounded off with an amazing ride through dramatic landscapes and fun sandy tracks, into the Erongo Mountains to the Ai Aiba camp. An incredible African sunset provided the backdrop to setting up our camp, with tunes on, our energy was low, but spirits remained firmly high.

While the camp was in the arid bushland, a short 4x4 ride took us to a beautiful lodge for an absolute feast of a buffet dinner and free flowing wine and beer – what better way to end an unforgettable first day riding? Well, how about the results of the day?! Remember, no one had any idea of their stage results until the evening. We knew we hadn’t done particularly well but were tragically optimistic that we also hadn’t done too badly, relative to other teams. So, when the overall ranking for the first day popped up, and we saw Team UK sat firmly in dead last place, our moods were somewhat dampened.

 

Day 2 – To The Limits

Day 2 Stats

●        Riding with Female Team Japan and Marshal Aloisio Frazão

●        184km from Ai Aiba to Spitzkoppe, with very challenging sandy trails

●        SP1 Flying Boxer Challenge – 11^th

●        SP2 Sena Time Challenge – 11^th

●        Team UK Position Overall = 15^th

It was a foggy start to Day 2 for Team UK, and I’m not talking about the weather… But a good breakfast and a few large mugs of coffee were enough to get us firing on all cylinders. With camp packed up and riding gear on, it wasn’t long before the bikes were also fired up and ready to go.

Each day the team grouping was changed – for Day 2, we were riding with Female Team Japan, Yumi and Miwano. We had heard about their outstanding performance in the sandy riverbed challenge on the previous day, and so were all eager to see them out on the trails.

We had barely ridden out of the Ai Aiba camp before the riding quickly became far more challenging than anything we had ridden on Day 1. The sand got deeper and the trails got narrower, a tough combination as there was limited space to allow the bike to move around in the sandy ruts. The twisting and winding nature of the trail made things even more technical!

Seeing the Japanese ladies ride these trails was truly unbelievable. Yumi especially was very petite and couldn’t even get close to touching the floor when sat on the bike, meaning she would jump off the bike each time she came to a stop, which is not easy on a sandy trail! Their bike skills were second-to-none and the way they could both glide through the deep sand was incredibly impressive. However, these narrow and winding sandy trails were a huge challenge for even the best riders, and the difficulties came when these ladies needed to take a dab to keep the bike upright, because, well, how can you dab when you can’t reach the floor? You can’t, and you fall over. In the true “Spirit of GS” we spent all morning helping each other in the technical trails when bikes were dropped. Let me also clarify that we were also spending a lot of time digging our own bikes out of the sand! It was a tough but rewarding morning.

Already exhausted from a tough ride, we arrived at the first special stage of the day, SP1, the Flying Boxer Challenge.  A first-of-its-kind for the GS Trophy, a zip wire had been set up over a small canyon, with an R 1300 GS slung underneath. You guessed it, we had to pull the bike across the canyon – the Flying Boxer! But of course, it wasn’t quite so easy, we first had to run up a steep rocky bank to grab some ropes, then run back down and attach them to the bike, before finally pulling the bike across the canyon. Our run felt fast and smooth without any mistakes, and we were loudly confident that we had done exceptionally well on this challenge.

To reach the next special stage, the route took us up the side of a giant rocky outcrop, a technical steep climb and a truly unique place to be riding these bikes. SP2 was the Sena Time Challenge – the course was a straightforward loop, up and round some rocks – but the challenge was to all ride the loop, one at a time, in the exact same time, without using any type of timing device. We chose Big Matt to simply count out loud over the comms. Steve went first to set the time – exactly 40 Big Matt Seconds. I went next and stopped at the finish on the exact count of 40. Then Big Matt goes, again counting out loud while riding, and also stops at exactly 40. Another challenge with no mistakes. Surely, we thought we must have done well on this challenge?! We were getting excited to see how far up the leaderboard we would climb.

We didn’t arrive at lunch until around 2pm, meaning the morning ride alone had been a solid six-hours of battling through the sand and continuously picking up bikes, only to have covered around one-third of the day’s total route. We were all exhausted and in dire need of a good feed and some rest. 

Eventually feeling somewhat recharged, we were informed that in the afternoon we would be riding with Team Middle East. We still had more than 100km to cover in the afternoon, with plenty of the same type of sandy trails to battle through. But, reluctantly, the trails did ease up - and for the last hour or so we were cruising along some beautiful tracks in vast open Namibian plains. We approached the impressive Spitzkoppe mountains with the deep orange sunset that Africa is so well known for – it was a stunning sight to see the rocky peaks grow taller as we rode closer, melting into darker shades of red as the sun settled behind the horizon. This was a ride I will never forget.

Despite the pace, we didn’t reach camp at Spitzkoppe until dark. More than 11 hours on the bike. Day 2 was surely the most challenging and exhausting day of riding that any of us had ever experienced, and reminded us that the GS Trophy is designed to push both us and the bikes to the limits.

After another fantastic dinner, and a lot less wine than the previous night, it was time for the results! We were feeling confident after a good performance on the special stages. SP1 results appear on screen and Team UK is 11^th place – not the result we expected… Okay, not to worry, we must have done better on SP2, right? Nope, 11^th place again. What?! How?! Are we really so bad at these challenges…? We later spoke with the Head Marshal about the SENA Challenge and he confirmed that our counting worked perfectly for the first two riders, but when Big Matt was riding and counting at the same time, he ended up counting much more slowly and stopped more than 5 seconds later. Damn.

As for the overall leaderboard after Day 2, Team UK was now sitting in 15^th place, second from last, one place better than Day 1. While we tried not to let it bother us too much, as just being at this event is a huge achievement, we couldn’t help but all feel a little deflated after thinking we had finally put some clean runs together. It was tempting to hit the free wine, but at this stage we could all barely keep our eyes open. A good night’s kip was duly needed.

Day 3 – The Riverbed

Day 3 Stats

●        Riding with Team France and Marshal Micho Escobar

●        156km loop back to Spitzkoppe, with 50km in a dry riverbed!

●        SP1 Insta360 Navigation Challenge – 1^st

●        SP2 Tyre Repair Challenge – 5^th

●        SP3 Mezteler Trials/Enduro Challenge – 5^th

●        SP4 Photo challenge – 12^th

●        Team UK Position Overall = 10^th

Waking up was tough this morning, but thankfully we didn’t need to pack up camp as today’s ride was a 156km loop back to Spitzkoppe. Aches, pains, and blistered hands were making even simple tasks, like putting socks on, feel like the first challenge of the day.

The first stage was set up within walking distance of the camp. SP1, the Insta360 Navigation Challenge. We were handed a compass and a piece of paper with five written steps, with the goal of trying to find a small block of GS-branded wood – take a selfie with it and get back to the start. Now, the logical thing to do would have been to figure out who can read a compass, then read the first instruction, then start walking. But a subconscious reaction kicks in when you are standing on the start line, and someone blows a whistle in your ear.

So yes, I immediately started walking briskly in a random direction while reading the first step, then looked at the compass and realized I forgot how to use one… I eventually registered Steve shouting at me to stop moving for the fifth time, so I stopped, and we quickly regrouped. Big Matt counted our steps from the start line while Steve figured out the compass – we were then able to quickly and easily follow each step, with each one being a direction and a distance in meters. As we navigated the last step, Big Matt spotted the piece of wood. We grabbed a selfie and stumbled back across the rocky ledges to the start/finish line. We were pleased to have actually completed the challenge and have found the item, the time felt okay, but surely other teams would be much quicker? Turns out not, we bagged ourselves 1^st place! Get in there!

Today we were riding with Team France and marshal Micho from Colombia, an awesome group of guys who were always joking around ready for a laugh, just like us. We were the first group off this morning, meaning we would potentially have some advantage on the riding challenges as the courses would be fresh and unridden. It was a beautiful early morning ride to the second stage, on similar dusty tracks as the night before, this time with Spitzkoppe fading behind us in the distance and the soft African sun warming us more with each kilometer ridden.

SP2 tested our mechanical knowhow and teamwork, with the main goal of plugging a hole in a tyre. One rider, for our team it was Big Matt, rode through a sandy track to reach the bike to be repaired, while Steve ran direct to the bike, and I also ran but via picking up some tools. We all reached the bike, and Steve completed the plug repair pretty quickly. We felt like we did well on this one but assumed that a lot of other teams would do also, so it was anyone’s to win.

The day’s ride continued, and we soon reached the much anticipated Omaruru River. Dry for the majority of the year, and certainly bone-dry right now, this riverbed stretches for hundreds of kilometers across the vast Namibian landscapes, snaking through rocky canyons with long sections of deep, soft, relentless sand. The riding was absolutely incredible, if you liked sand…For Big Matt, who was still struggling to relax in the soft stuff, it was going to be a long old day in the saddle… But for most of us, certainly myself included, it was some of the most fun we had ever had on a GS – throttle wide open in third gear, surfing the sand, carving our lines, popping off ledges, and every now and then being reminded we were not professional Dakar riders by either wiping out or getting stuck. To put the difficulty of this riverbed riding into perspective, today the female teams were guided along a different route which bypassed the majority of the riverbed, this being the very first GS Trophy where the male and female teams had different routes.

Towards the end of the riverbed section, we reached the third stage of the day, SP3, the Metzeler Omaruru Challenge, a combination of trials and enduro. The course started with a few wide corners in the deep sand of the Omaruru riverbed, then diverted up and around a technical rocky outcrop with some tight and narrow turns, before a steep drop back into the sand and one final left turn to the start/finish line, where riders must high five before the next rider then goes, until all three finish the course. Penalties for drops, dabs, and borders. To ride through the sandy section without any drops, let alone without any dabs, looked to be a very tall order, especially as we watched our marshal, Micho, test ride the course and get stuck at the sandy start line, and then drop his bike in the first corner. Fortunately, we were one of the first teams to ride this course, after Team France. This meant we had a significant advantage due to the lack of ruts in the sandy section – the opposite to our experience on previous challenges where the course was completely destroyed by the time we arrived. We managed to put in a decent effort with a few dabs and one bike drop, but overall, what felt like a solid time. We felt even more confident after watching a few subsequent teams repeatedly get stuck and drop bikes. Our confidence was later backed up by a 5^th place on this one.

We finished up the riverbed ride and cruised back to Spitzkoppe to finish up the loop. As the first group to leave this morning, we were naturally back at camp by early afternoon and had a few hours to spare before sunset. Having visited Spitzkoppe on a previous bike trip, I remembered an impressive and popular Rock Arch just round the corner from camp so suggested we all go exploring. Despite the baking sun and aching bodies, we had a great time with Team France scrambling around on the rocks taking photos of one another – who says the UK and France can’t get along?! The “Spirit of GS” comes up trumps again!

Time for a few well-earned beers and the evening results presentations. After our woeful results in the previous days, despite thinking we had actually done quite well, we came into today not worrying about the challenges or scores and just enjoyed an absolutely fantastic day’s riding. So as the results popped up, we were stoked to see a solid points haul that took us from 15^th up to 10^th place in the overall ranking, with only 8 points separating 5^th and 10^th. We were finally back in the game!

Day 4 – Desert to Coast

Day 4 Stats

●        Riding with Team Latin America and Marshal Shahnawaz Karim

●        224km to Swakopmund, on rocky and sandy trails ending with gravel roads to the coast

●        SP1 Adventec Pull Challenge – 7^th

●        SP2 Trials Challenge – 13^th

●        Team UK Position Overall = 11^th

Today we would be riding with Team Latin America, a great bunch of lads from Paraguay and Chile. Randomly, it was the National Day of Chile, so the boys taught us the chant – “Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le! VIVA CHILE!” Little moments like these give the GS Trophy a unique magic that’s difficult to describe, connecting cultures from around the world, turning strangers into friends, uniting them with a shared passion for adventure and bikes. Today we would be riding 224km West from Spitzkoppe to Swakopmund, on the Namibian coastline.

Just a short ride from the Spitzkoppe camp, we arrived at the first stage of the day. SP1, the Adventec Pull Challenge. The task was simple – two riders would connect a strap between two bikes, then one tows the other down a sandy track, while the third rider would run to grab a jerry can and everyone meets at the finish line to stop the clock. If either of the towing bikes were dropped, it was an immediate DNF. None of us had practiced towing, so the DNF penalty for a dropped bike was concerning. We agreed that Steve would tow Big Matt, and the focus would be to reach the finish line safely, rather than going mental trying to be the fastest, we just needed a clean run. Meanwhile, I would leg it to grab the jerry can. The challenge went smoothly, and the boys even gave it some beans as they felt steady and neared the finish line, so we felt our time was okay. We were right – a respectable 7^th place. We were lucky to witness the winning run on this challenge, which was by our riding partners, Team Latin America. They absolutely flew down that track, reaching 4^th gear over just 50 meters, while towing another bike! It was quite incredible, and terrifying, to watch!

As we pressed on further West towards the coast, the enjoyable trails took us through small communities where we saw locals pitched up on roadside stands, hoping to flog a handmade souvenir to any passing visitors. Somewhere along the way we pulled over near a group of children, all fascinated by the mighty GS motorcycles and in awe of the riders in their matching suits. We took being “foreigners” to a whole new meaning, turning up like this, in a place like this. But soon we had a bunch of local children sat on the bike, grinning ear to ear, which fortuitously happened to become the photo we submitted for the second Photo Challenge.

The ride continued along some technical, steep, rocky trails and into an 80km section through the magnificent Khan River Canyon. At the foot of the towering rock walls lay a dry riverbed of deep sand, offering more challenging riding as the track snaked through the rock formations, which at times closed in, to barely a bike width, large hidden rocks in the sand adding another layer of difficulty once more. Again, the GS Trophy was testing our limits and forcing us to become better riders with every kilometer travelled.

SP2 was a Trials Challenge, so of course we were against the clock, with penalties for drops, dabs, and riding outside of borders. The course was hidden from sight as teams arrived at the stage, ensuring no unfair advantage from assessing the track and watching the line choice of other teams. We were called to the start line and got our first view of the course – it was relatively short but with incredibly tight, full-lock, turns in-between and over large rocks, and of course with some very deep sand involved! This was not going to be easy… As with all previous trials related challenges, we nominated our trials extraordinaire, Steve, to ride first so we could see his lines. Steve had a nice first run, smooth and steady with only a couple of dabs. Big Matt went next and had a strong start through one of the most difficult sections but got caught out on the tightest corner of all which also happened to have the deepest sand. He was forced to take a dab to get round, but hit the gas a little too hard and the rear wheel buried – game over. He had to get off and pull the rear wheel out of the hole, before getting back on to finish the course. My turn next, and I was nervous about this one, as trials on these big heavy bikes is not my strongest suit (remember, I am Little Matt for a reason). I was chuffed to put down a very nice run with only a dab on the tight sandy corner. But our combined penalties were costly, and we were handed a 13^th place on this one.

The ride continued along the canyon until we found ourselves cruising along wide-open gravel roads amongst the alien landscapes of Moon Landscape, which looked exactly like the image which most likely just appeared in your mind, a striking resemblance of the lunar surface. Gravel soon turned to tarmac as we rode out of the Namib desert and into Swakopmund, the first real civilization we had seen for days. Swakopmund is the fourth largest city in Namibia, but to give you some perspective on just how sparsely populated this country is, this city has less than 80,000 residents.

The cool coastal air was a welcome change to the suffocating heat we had become accustomed to over the past few days. We were treated to a stunning sunset over the Atlantic as we enjoyed a cold local beer and reminisced over the day’s ride. After another feast at dinner (seriously, the food all week was absolutely fantastic) it was the results presentation time. Our cautious effort in SP1 and penalties in SP2 meant we dropped back to 11^th place in the standings after Day 4. Not quite the result we had hoped for, but nonetheless we had just finished an unforgettable day’s riding, and grew ever more grateful for the experience and adventure we were sharing. A good night’s sleep was needed as tomorrow was going to be the longest ride of this GS Trophy.

Day 5 – The Long One

Day 5 Stats

●        Riding with Team International and Marshal Faizal Bin Sukree

●        430km from Swakopmund to Midgard, on mostly gravel roads

●        SP1 Leatt Push Start Challenge – 5^th

●        SP2 Slow Trial Challenge – 4^th

●        SP3 Quiz – 1^st

●        SP3 Photo Challenge 2 – 9^th

●        Team UK Position Overall = 4^th

We awoke to a cold grey morning at the Atlantic coast in Swakopmund. An unwelcome reminder of the dreary UK weather that we left behind a week ago, but nonetheless, a very good reason to get up and get moving. It was our turn to help pack the trucks and clear the camp, meaning an even more rushed morning than usual. We threw down some coffees and breakfast bars and were soon running around like lunatics trying to get our gear sorted before the marshal decided to just leave us behind.

Today’s ride was primarily on tar and gravel roads, more of a transit day, riding 430km from Swakopmund, back to base camp at Midgard. We all expected, and prayed, the cold weather would clear quickly as we rode inland, but it got worse before it got better. As the hot air from the desert meets the cold winds rolling in off the Atlantic, a dense fog forms along the Namibian coastline. Today was no exception, and for a while we were constantly wiping brown water off our visors as the dust from the road mixed with the thick moisture in the air. Combine that with 8 degrees Celsius temperature and you have some quite horrendous riding conditions. Not what we all expected in Africa! But after an hour or so, the temperature gauge started rising and we were soon back in 30+ heat with dry dusty roads, rain jackets off, and vents open. The ride felt a bit like the beginning of the end, as we cruised through ever changing Namibian landscapes, on our way back to base camp, with the final day of Trophy growing ever nearer.

The gravel roads snaked through dramatic scenery and took us higher into the rocky mountainous terrain, until we reached one of the highest mountain passes in Namibia, the Bosua Pass, at 1,728m above the sea level from which we just rode. Here we found the first special stage of Day 5.

SP1, the Leatt Push Start Challenge. Self-explanatory. The marshals had taped a bottle cap over the engine start button and instructed one rider to sit on the bike while the other two push them down the hill to perform a bump start as quickly as possible. Once the engine was running, stop the bike and the clock would stop. Fastest wins. We were fortunate to watch a few other teams go before us and witnessed them struggle to bump start the bike on the loose gravel road. We agreed Big Matt and I would push, while Steve would be on the bike and start in third gear and wait until we had some good speed before going for the bump. Boom! First go! We felt good on that one.

With SP1 completed, successfully no less, we continued the journey along the rough gravel mountain passes. The road surface was a mix of hard pack dirt, gravel, loose rocks, and the odd large rock jutting out the ground, which occasionally caught you off guard and resulted in some accidental airtime. Even the slightest lapse in concentration could soon end in disaster on these roads.

Another 60km or so and we arrived at the lunch stop, where we were treated to a very South African lunch of Oryx boerewors (sausage). Then to our surprise, the marshals handed us a quiz to complete – the MPS Questionnaire stage. The questions were multiple choice and mostly related to facts about Namibia, BMW Motorrad history, and the GS motorcycles, such as guessing the population of Namibia or the combined horsepower of the 900 and 1300 GS bikes. We were able to confidently answer most of the questions, with just a couple of wild guesses thrown in.

The ride continued until gravel gave way to highways as we rode through the capital city, Windhoek, where we had all landed more than a week ago. After navigating through the first real traffic we had seen in a long time, we stopped for a quick coffee, before saying goodbye to tarmac roads for the last time on this trip, proceeding North for an hour until we were back in Midgard Country Estate, base camp.

We diverted slightly away from the camp to the final stage of the day, SP2, the Midgard Slow Trial. Riders were faced with a short course which snaked through a very tight gulley, up over a couple of large humps, and round some tight corners, with a few large rocks thrown on the trail to add to the difficulty. The brief was to ride the course as slow as possible but without stopping, so track standing was not allowed – if the wheels stopped turning, or you took a dab or dropped the bike, the clock would stop. Each rider would take it in turns and the three times were combined. After watching a few other teams go before us and many riders having the clock stopped prematurely due to a dab, we agreed our strategy here was to all focus on completing the course, rather than trying to ride the slowest. Steve rode out first and put in an excellent lap, making it all the way round with a nice steady pace. I set off and had a good start, but halfway round a large rock knocked my front wheel and forced a dab – clock stopped. Finally, Big Matt went and laid down a fantastic lap, meaning a total of two and half laps for us, which we felt was quite good on this challenge, especially after seeing a few other teams do a lot worse.

It was time to pitch up camp for the final time, giving way to mixed feelings. On the one hand, none of us wanted to pitch a tent ever again, but on the other, it meant the GS Trophy was truly drawing closer to the end. Results presentation time approached. By this point we had given up second guessing our results, and the anxious emotions felt in the first days had all but faded away, allowing us to simply be present in the moment and enjoy the surprise as the special stage results were announced. To our amazement, the combination of some great results throughout the day, included a shared stage win on the quiz, 5^th on the push start, 4^th on the slow trial, and a reasonable 9^th place for the Photo Challenge, we saw Team UK take a 2^nd place result for the Day 5 stages, splitting the two top teams of Germany and South Africa. This meant we jumped all the way up to 4^th place in the overall rankings – absolutely unbelievable considering we were dead last on Day One and second to last on Day Two! We were back in the game now, with a real opportunity of making top three and finding ourselves a place on the podium.

Soon after the results were announced we found ourselves surrounded by lights and cameras as we were selected for today’s interview with Shawn Thomas, streamed live on BMW Motorrad social media channels, making us all feel like proper celebrities, if only for a moment. With celebrations in order, we shared a few bottles of wine before calling it a night. 

Day 6 – Finals Day

Day 6 Stats

●        Riding with Team USA and Marshal Robert Schweiger

●        50km loop around Midgard, with some loose rocky climbs and descents

●        FINAL Challenge – 5^th

●        Team UK Final Result = 5^th

The dawn of the final day was upon us. As the sun slowly rose over camp the cool night air gave way to a warm breeze, gently waking the weary riders for one last adventure.

For the last day of the GS Trophy, we would be riding with Team USA, an awesome group that had become good friends since the first handshake on the first day, so we were all looking forward to riding together. On their team was also the oldest guy on the tour, Scott, at close to 60 years of age! This week of hard riding had been demanding on even the youngest and fittest guys and girls here, so it was truly impressive that Scott was still going strong, smiling and joking around even on the last morning. Hats off to the guy.

The last ride out of the GS Trophy would be a nice 50km loop around the Midgard Country Estate. We started with some nice easy rocky dirt tracks to warm up on, which had these seemingly endless humps every few hundred meters, like large off-road speed bumps, giving the perfect opportunity to stiffen up the suspension settings and get the wheels in the air. But just as we started to get used to a nice easy ride, the elevations began and the trails turned into steep accents and descents littered with large loose rocks, making for some incredibly technical riding that challenged everyone to get through cleanly. A great test on the last day and a final reminder that the GS Trophy demands a high level of riding from start to finish!

By late morning we rolled back to camp, already feeling exhausted from a short but brutal ride. Thankfully, we now had several hours to relax and enjoy lunch before we needed to prepare for the final challenge. For Team UK, that meant grabbing a quick nap by the pool.

Today we had only one special stage to tackle, the Final Course! At lunch the tables were buzzing with chatter about what we might expect, what the challenge would involve, how hard might the course be, would we get to watch other teams, and so on. The atmosphere built in an electric mix of excitement, anticipation, and perhaps a hint of nervousness creeping in everyone now and then. For our team, today was the first day since the start where we felt a little pressure to put in a good performance, having a real shot at the podium if we can put down a solid run!

The marshals started rounding us up to prepare for the ride to the finals area. With more cameras rolling than I had seen all week, and the sky buzzing with drones, we rode slowly in a formation of two abreast down the dusty track. It was a truly epic scene, with all the competitors riding side by side for the first time, some 60 or more R 1300 GS motorcycles with all riders in matching adventure suits, standing tall as we descended upon the finals arena, ready for battle!

The unique and exciting element of the final challenge was that all competitors would be present to witness the action and cheer for one another. So, to keep things fair, the Head Marshal took everyone on a course walk to explain the challenge and allow us all to get a proper look at the course to pick our lines. Although, it’s one thing picking lines on a fresh course, and another trying to ride those lines after the sandy tracks have been destroyed by other teams.

The route was relatively short, set in a sort of natural amphitheater formed by the steep sandy banks which surrounded the final area. The whole scene only added to the feeling that we were adventure biking gladiators, ready to lay it all on the line for a chance to seize the glory and all-important bragging rights for our country!

Another unique element of the Final Course was that all three riders would set off at the same time, each taking a different line which plays to their respective strengths, then joining the same route to reach the finish. The left line took one rider up a steep sandy hill into a narrow ledge, then right round a flag and back down onto the flat area. The right line took another rider up around two separate flags positioned on a steep, sandy, off camber bank. The third line was straight out the start gate through a slalom of tightly spaced cones. All three lines then came together to direct the riders over a narrow wooden bridge, over a series of old bike tyres, then up around three flags positioned on a very steep and sandy bank, almost like a gigantic wall of death made of sand. Finally, all three riders tackled a super tight slalom on a hard bumpy surface, then a wider slalom on a sandy surface, before all ending back at the start/finish with hands in the air to stop the clock. As usual, penalties would be tallied for drops, dabs, missed gates, and breaching course borders.

The starting order would be the reverse of the current overall rankings, meaning teams at the bottom of the standings would go first, taking some advantage from the fresh course, while the leading teams would go last. As we were sitting 4^th in the men’s ranking, we had to wait hours while we watched the 6 female teams and 12 other male teams.

Finally, our turn to show the crowd what we are capable of! But first, a Le Mans style start had us running to the bikes, jumping on, and frantically finding a gear before setting off on our chosen lines. I was first to pull away – trying not to cover the boys in a cloud of sand as I opened the throttle and dumped the clutch. I took the left line and made a good run at it with only one dab as I came off the sandy climb and onto the ledge, finding myself leading out the pack as I tackled the bridge and tyres. Big Matt took the right line and did well keeping the bike on two wheels while navigating round the sandy off camber bank, but in doing so was forced to miss one of the flags. Steve made light work of the slalom, bringing up the rear as we all headed towards the wall of death.

This is where things went a little wrong for me… I blasted up the right side and made it round the first flag, then as I maneuvered towards the second flag, I got sight of just how destroyed the sandy bank had become from the previous 50 riders. In that brief lapse of concentration, I lost the front wheel and went down. Fortunately, I had a good lead in front of the other boys, so without getting in their way, I picked up the bike and had no choice but to skip two flags and head for the slaloms. Big Matt and Steve both railed round the wall of sandy death, no dabs, no drops, no drama! We all got round the remaining slaloms smoothly and finished the course in a pretty good time. It wasn’t the best run, but it definitely wasn’t the worst we had witnessed.

All in all, the three of us were buzzing from that experience and pleased to have all completed the Final Course, something that not all teams managed. Whatever the result, we were incredibly proud of what each of us had achieved and more importantly, what we had achieved as a team.

Final Results

With bikes parked for the final time, we said our goodbyes to the trusty steeds that had all but become an extension of us over the past six days of riding. Now, it was time to clean up and start the party! There was an incredible energy at dinner on that final evening, everyone reminiscing of the unbelievable week that now lay behind us in the form of fresh vivid memories, you could hear the electric buzz of stories being shared and the clink of glasses as teams made cheers in languages from around the world. With no worry of any special stages tomorrow, the free bar was noticeably busier!

The party moved outside to the presentations area, where the BMW team had set up a huge stage with sound and lighting rig, our country flags hung on a wall encircling the arena, a fire crackled in the centre, while delicious game meats sizzled on a braai at the back.

It was time for the results to be announced! As the top ten count down began, we felt the anticipation build. We were hopeful to have finished in the top half, but really had no idea after our finals run. So, when 8^th place went to Team International, we all started to get very excited. 7^th place was called, Team Italy. Then 6^th place, Team Latin America… 5^th place… Team UK!! Top 5 finish!! We honestly could not believe it – this felt like winning to us, after starting the week in dead last and still being back in 11^th place on Day 4! Team France beat us to 4^th place by just 3 points, and Team Brazil deservedly got the 3^rd place podium spot after a flawless performance in the final. South Africa took 2^nd and the win was secured by Team Germany, who put in a truly stunning performance throughout the entire week.

The rest of the evening was a beautiful blur of dancing, laughing, and celebrating until the early hours of the morning. The perfect way to end a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience that we will remember forever. Well, maybe not all of the final night!

Final Thoughts

As a competitor at the GS Trophy, there is something you are reminded of throughout the week, and even before arriving, that each of us has already won by simply being there. While some teams will arrive fully prepared to work hard and focus to take 1^st place, the experience of taking part in the GS Trophy, and enjoying every moment of it, is the real goal for most teams.

BMW continually references the “Spirit of GS” in all their marketing and advertising for these bikes. A phrase that we will have all seen or heard in the dealers, online, or at events, but probably not paid much attention to what it really means. But being here in Namibia, surrounded by the best GS riders in the world, all brought together by this bike, this machine, this force. It is this bike that united us here in the remote plains of Africa, that kept pulling us through the deep sand of the Omaruru river, encouraging us to keep fighting, empowering us to perform at the highest level, and beckoning us to ride as one. It was here at the GS Trophy that the “Spirit of GS” came alive in all of us. Now we understand.

On that note, I would personally like to thank my teammates, Steve Ferguson and Matt Poole, and our legendary media representative, Mike Booth of 44Teeth, for making this trip better than I could have ever dreamed. Also, on behalf of Team UK, a huge thank you goes out to BMW Motorrad, BMW Motorrad UK, and all the event crew that pulled off this extraordinary event. Team UK 2024, out.