According to plan, the two-part final of the Hard Enduro World Championship in Germany did not even run for one lap for Michael Walkner from Tennengau. In a collision, Austria’s contribution to the racing series injured his thumb and secured the final qualification with great effort. There the Krispler ended his season with a conciliatory outcome.
The two-hour “GetzenRace” had it all, as only the best 15 of the 60 participants would qualify for the second part. And the race started badly for the Salzburg junior racer Walkner: “Two drivers braked far too late in the first corner and rammed me from behind,” reported the GASGAS driver afterwards. The result: He immediately felt severe pain in his right thumb.
In ninth place, there was an unplanned pit stop after an hour. The team organized painkillers for the recently 24-year-old, and the qualification for the final was over. Nevertheless, the break before part two, the “GetzenChamp” was almost too short. Despite suspicion of a fracture, Walkner went to work after examinations and treatment and mastered the task brilliantly. Since he made up two places, Walkner finished the race in seventh place.
That also meant seventh place in the overall ranking of the Hand Enduro World Championship. The title finally went to the Briton Billy Bolt. “Outstanding,” said Walkner and his team in the end.