2010 BMW Motorrad GS Trophy Results

Teams were composed of ordinary BMW GS owners selected from local events to represent their nations in the 2010 GS Trophy in Africa, Nov. 13-20. The 2010 GS Trophy started in South Africa but took competitors to Swaziland and Mozambique to perform various tests over several days. Challenges ranged from GPS navigation to trials riding to tractor pulls to photo contests.

Team UK, represented by Mark Kinnard, Alistair Allan and Kevin Hammond captured the GS Trophy by scoring 152 points, just beating out Team South Africa score of 151. Team UK actually led for most of the competition, only to fall behind by a point on the final day after South Africa won a trials test, switching from their usual F800GS bikes for the BMW R1200GS and riding through a course containing sections with seesaws, tree logs and iron beams. Team UK re-emerged on top by finishing second in the final photo competition to win the trophy.

What can I say? Job done. Great feeling, loads of fun, says Allan of Team UK. As a good friend of mine says, it might have been only one point but a wins a win, and thats all there is to it. Its been a fantastic time. We made a brilliant team, we all got on like a house on fire and thats what made it a great event to take part in. And I think the fact that the team got on so well is the reason the result ended up as it did.

Team USA, represented by Iain Glynn of Seattle, Wash., Bill Dragoo of Norman, Okla., and Shannon Markle of Laramie, Wyo., finished fifth with 107 points. The three were selected to the team after taking the top three spots in the Adventure Riders Challenge at BMWs off-road riding facility Rawhyde Adventures in Castaic, Calif. Team USA captured the 2008 GS Trophy in Tunisia. The Americans fell short of retaining the trophy but they enjoyed the experience.

The best bit was hanging with my buddy Iain Glynn. Thats number one. Wed never met before the GS Challenge, but when we met it felt like we were soul mates, says Markle. It was also my first real experience of meeting so many nationalities it was really cool to see how enthusiastic the Spanish and the Italians are, full throttle through everything! And towards the end we got to understand it wasnt about who was first, second and third everyone had won just by being here.

With the 2010 BMW Motorrad GS Trophy complete, organizers begin planning for the next competition in 2012.

Were looking to 2012 now. People have asked can we better this? says Tomm Wolf, GS Trophy co-organizer. I think we can. Can you imagine breakfast in Machu Pichu or canoeing on Lake Titikaka? I think we can find nice places.