"SPARTANBURG SIX" HEAD TO BMW PERFORMANCE CENTER
Source: BMW
Aug 28, 2008 - 8:40:20 AM
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"Survivor" Motorcycle-Style - One Woman and Five Men Vie for Three Spots on U.S.
Team Competing Against World's Best in Tunisia, October 15-24
Woodcliff Lake,
NJ - August 27, 2008... Six intrepid motorcyclists - the "Spartanburg Six" -
will travel to BMW's Performance Center in Spartanburg, SC, August 28, to
compete for three spots on the team representing the USA in the inaugural BMW
Motorrad International GS Trophy in October. Following a day of technical skills
competition, the "Spartanburg Six" will become the "Tunisia Three," representing
the USA at the international competition in Tunisia, October 15-24.
The
six riders who will be evaluated at BMW's Performance Center in Spartanburg
(from an initial field of 96 applicants) come from all over the USA and include
Jason Adams from New York; Bill Dragoo from Oklahoma; Kevan Harder from
California; Brad Hendry from Colorado; Jim Stoddard from New York and Brienne
Thompson from California.
Bill Dragoo, one of the "Spartanburg Six", is
delighted at his selection and at the age of 52, will be the oldest
competitor.
"I feel blessed to make the cut as one of the six finalists
for BMW's GS Trophy in Tunisia and can't wait to compete alongside four other
men and one woman in Spartanburg, South Carolina. For me, this is the chance of
a lifetime and should I succeed at Spartanburg, it will be the culmination of a
lifetime of preparation for just such a challenge. It is a chance for one last
hurrah, (hopefully not quite the last) and to represent the United States in a
World Class event. I appreciate the prayers and support of my friends across
Oklahoma and beyond."
Brienne Thomson, the only female competitor, is a
highly competitive young motorcyclist, who has racing experience both on- and
off-road. She also competes quite successfully in triathlon events.
"The
ability to ride with the best at BMW's Performance Center on a brand new BMW F
800 GS is going to be an experience - an everlasting memory - no matter what
happens," said Brienne. "I'm honoured to be a part of the GS Trophy. As the only
female in this high-ranking group, I will do my best to be an inspiration to
other females to be involved in this sport of adventure. I am fully prepared to
go to Tunisia; I have been to Africa before and I can't wait to go
back."
In Spartanburg, four judges will evaluate the riding skills of the
six riders in a series of technical challenges: an offset slalom course, circle
drill, controlled ascents and descents, uphill slalom, sand recovery, sand
relay, team trail challenge, barrel race and high speed maneuvering.
The
Road to Spartanburg - The Selection Process
The prospect of a
week-and-a-half riding in Tunisia on F 800 GS bikes with teams from Germany,
Italy, Japan and Spain captured the imagination of GS fans throughout the United
States, and nearly 100 riders made the first stage of the application process to
be considered for Team USA. These riders were subject to an email 'mental test'
specifically designed by a dedicated BMW team of moto-psychologists to determine
whether potential participants had the right credentials to progress through to
the next stage.
From the 96 initial applications - in many cases from
superlative off-road riders with great experience and skill - the team selectors
chose 20 semi-finalists that demonstrated the required levels of riding
excellence, teamwork, character, physical fitness, a true love of the GS segment
- and of course, a sense of humour under conditions of great stress.
All
20 successful riders were informed separately that they had advanced to the next
round, while the 76 who didn't 'make the cut' will receive a gift from BMW
Motorrad to say thanks for participating and to encourage them to try again in
2009. The 20 International GS Trophy semi-finalists that remained were then
subjected to further tests and all four judges commented that the process was
quite difficult and took a lot of time to determine a final shortlist. The six
chosen riders were then invited at BMW's expense to participate in further
testing at the BMW Performance Center, in Spartanburg, SC, on August 28.
This final test will decide which of the 'Spartanburg Six' (as they have
become known) will become the "Tunisia Three" who will go on to represent the
United States in the International GS Trophy in October. As BMW Motorrad USA's
Laurence Kuykendall explains, just getting down to the final six riders has been
an extremely difficult task for his team.
"We've not only had many
excellent riders to chose from, but the criteria was complex too, including not
only riding ability and experience, but more intangible qualities like teamwork,
personality, physical and psychological fitness, and the capability to spread
the BMW faith. It would have been equally easy to end up with six other, equally
deserving names, as the standard was so high, but as a consolation, there is
always next year, when we will require new riders for the 2009 GS Trophy -
wherever it might be!"
The BMW Motorrad 2008 International GS
Trophy
The International GS Trophy is a skills-based contest with GS
riders coming from all over the world for a final meeting to pick the best of
the best in Tunisia, North Africa, October 15 - 24. The competition is not a
race, but a lengthy and challenging ride, both on- and off-road, through the
rugged countryside of Tunisia on new F 800 GS bikes. The event will include
numerous tests in individual riding skills and group teamwork to overcome
natural and manmade obstacles in the course of the ride.
A team of six
riders will be selected to compete for the GS Trophy from each of the following
BMW Motorrad markets: the United States, Germany, the UK, France, Italy and
Japan. Three of the six riders will be journalists, while the remaining three
will be GS owners selected by BMW Motorrad in each market.
The three GS
owners selected to represent the United States in the 2008 International GS
Trophy Competition will be required to report on their experiences on
www.xplor.com. Therefore, writing, as well as riding, ability will be a
criterion used to choose the GS Trophy competitors.
May the best riders
win!
BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been
present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began
distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to
include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand
of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce
brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a
technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the
country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW
Group's
global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing
plant
for all Z4 models, X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sport
Activity
Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S.
through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 82 MINI passenger car dealers,
and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's
sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff
Lake, New Jersey.
Information about BMW Group products is available to
consumers via the Internet
at:
www.bmwgroupna.com
www.bmwusa.com
www.bmwmotorcycles.com
www.miniusa.com
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com
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