Image: Lee Popowski.

International hard enduro expert Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Graham Jarvis made the long trip down under well worthwhile when he won his third Wildwood Rock Extreme Enduro north of Melbourne at the weekend.

Jarvis, who won the inaugural event in 2010 and then backed that up with victory in last year’s extreme, won this year’s Bulk Nutrients Wildwood Rock Extreme from fellow international Ben Hemingway and KTM-mounted Aussie Daniel ‘Chucky’ Sanders.

“It’s been a pretty incredible Wildwood 2014 and definitely one of the hardest events I’ve done here,” Jarvis said. “There were a lot more rocks and there was the heat as well. It was really hot today so those last few laps I was really struggling.

“This event is definitely right up there with the top events in Europe. There’s always good support here with the big crowd and everyone cheering you on so it’s definitely good to come here and win.”

According to event organiser Steve Brazel, this year’s event was by far the hardest of the five, after the inclusion of several new hills including a ‘rock staircase’, which stretched even Jarvis’s lap times by five minutes and no doubt contributed to this year’s daunting statistic of 22 DNFs from the 74 starters.

Jarvis kicked off the event with second in the Prologue, bested by Hemmingway by the slimmest of margins at just 0.288 of a second.

After that however, the Englishman found another gear and dominated race day after being the only rider to complete eight laps of the formidable 12.5km circuit.

Before more than 2000 spectators, the Husqvarna TE 300 rider blitzed around the course, setting a fastest lap some 39 seconds quicker than that of his nearest rival, and in another ominous sign for the opposition, expressed a commitment to defend his Wildwood Extreme title next year.

2014 Wildwood Rock Extreme Enduro
Wildwood, Victoria

Overall results:
1. Graham Jarvis
2. Ben Hemmingway
3. Chucky Sanders
4. Broc Grabham
5. Tim Coleman
6. Robert Nowak
7. Chris Perry
8. Alex Coleman
9. Adrian Harry
10. Paul Moncrieff

Women’s results:
1. Jessica Gardiner
2. Kirstie McKinnon
3. Amber Lock
4. Melissa Bruce
5. Jacqui lovett

Click here for detailed results