Husqvarna Hard Enduro the ultimate test

ONE TO WATCH: Howick's Liam Draper (Husqvarna FE250), is set to be among the leading riders this weekend. PHOTO/ ANDY MCGECHAN.

If ever there was a test to prove a rider's international potential, then next weekend's inaugural Husqvarna Hard Enduro near Tokoroa is probably it.

This ordeal of off-road motorcycle riding is loosely modelled on the famous Red Bull Romaniacs Hard Enduro, held annually in the rugged Carpathian Mountains of Romania.

This Kiwi version of Romaniacs is set for the three days of Labour Weekend - Saturday, Sunday and Monday, October 22-24.

The treacherous forestry course near Tokoroa should be a near-perfect match for what riders might expect if they ever travel to race the notorious Romanian event.

"Each day's tracks will be different, up to 150km in length, and will feature different levels of difficulty - set as gold, silver and bronze grades," said event organiser Sean Clarke.

"This event will not be a typical New Zealand hard enduro, where only a few manage to finish. It is an adventure enduro and each grade will be set to give riders a real sense of adventure, as well as testing their ability to complete the grade that they have entered.

"Riders will tackle different terrain each day - all in forestry around the Taupo, Tokoroa and Putaruru areas - riding on courses that we will have uploaded to their GPS devices."

The three-day event begins with a "prologue" in Tokoroa on Saturday, to qualify riders and to determine their start order for the main race on the two days that follow.

The prologue will be staged at the SatCo logging equipment yard in Tokoroa and if riders do not complete at least one lap of the prologue course they will receive a 30-minute penalty and will start at the rear of the field the next day.

The event is restricted to 100 entrants and riders will start one at a time, 30 seconds apart.

Among the entrants are expected to be the elite of New Zealand's off-road racing community, including current and former national enduro and cross-country champions and, if the saying is true that "you're only as good as your last race", then Howick's Liam Draper should be one of the key riders to watch out for.

Draper took his Husqvarna FE250 to a convincing win at the final round of the Dirt Guide Cross-country Series just over a week ago, riding on similar terrain, also in the Tokoroa area.

He was chased all the way that day by eventual series winner Sam Greenslade (KTM), of Coatesville, with former Kiwi international Callan May (Yamaha), from Titirangi, not too far behind him.

Riders of this calibre can also be expected to feature near the front of this weekend's Husqvarna Hard Enduro, a talented starting line-up that will also include Kiwi former Romaniacs winner Chris Birch, of Glen Eden, and three visiting riders from Australia.

Clarke said gold grade riders could expect two hard days of riding that would push them to their limits.

"Although not as hard as the Romaniacs event, it will still be a good workout with a lot of trail riding between the hard bits. There will be up to eight hard sections each day.

Riding time for the fastest in this grade is expected to be up to six hours with the last rider expected to arrive at the base after about eight hours.

All motorcycles must have a working headlight, tail light, spark arrestor and a fire extinguisher fitted. Although a paramedic and ambulance will be based at the main fuel stop, riders must also carry their own survival kits that include a cellphone, first-aid kit, survival blanket, water, spare batteries and a tool kit.