HQVA press release:

Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team’s Daniel Sanders has delivered a brilliant E2 title in the 2018 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) following the final rounds of the season at Omeo, Victoria, this weekend.

Sanders was unstoppable in E2 riding a Husqvarna FE 450, victorious in all 11 rounds upon return to national racing. Omeo was another strong showing for the Victorian, claiming first in class and second outright following Saturday’s Cross Country and also the Sprint round on Sunday.

The team’s success didn’t stop there however, as Lachlan Stanford rode his Husqvarna FE 501 to second in E3 on both Saturday and Sunday, sealing the runner-up result in the standings following a consistent effort throughout the year.

E1 newcomer Fraser Higlett capped off his exceptional first season in class by going 3-2 at the final event of the series in dry and dusty track conditions, which enabled him to seal second in the points aboard the Husqvarna FE 250.

Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team’s Sanders and Higlett will both form part of Team Australia when the 2018 International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) takes place at Vina del Mar in Chile from 12-17 November.

Christian Horwood – Team Manager, Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team: “We had a great weekend again as a team and congratulate each of the riders on their results for the season. Saturday was quite a gruelling three-hour Cross Country in dry and dusty conditions, where Chucky rode really strong, Lachy had a blinder of a start to lead for two laps and Fraser rode consistently – it was really close. Sunday was another challenging one, but we ended up with three class podiums again, which was fantastic and to see Chucky clean-sweep E2 for the championship was fantastic for Husqvarna Motorcycles. On top of that, we are happy to have Lachy and Fraser both score second in their classes, so it’s a testament to the bikes, the riders and the entire team. It’s been great to have strong results at the end of each and every round of the series.”

Lachlan Stanford – Husqvarna FE 501: “This weekend was really good fun, my style of track being a grass track, so it was good to lead the Cross Country early on and I ended up second in class there. Today was good to finish second as well, I had a ball on the Husqvarna FE 501 – it really suited the track and was handling great for me. To finish second in the E3 points behind Daniel Milner is really positive for me, I am satisfied with the year and have had a great time with the whole team.”

Daniel Sanders – Husqvarna FE 450: “It was an awesome weekend of racing and I really liked the Cross Country yesterday. It was a bit drier than expected, but we got it done how we wanted to in class despite a couple of mistakes on Saturday. Everything worked out well, to wrap up the E2 championship on Saturday and take a clean-sweep, so we’re happy with that. It’s been good being at a new team in the Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team and I’m glad I could deliver the title for them this season. Now we will look ahead to the ISDE and I look forward to that.”

Fraser Higlett – Husqvarna FE 250: “The rounds this weekend were good and I am happy to come away with second in the E1 championship. I had a few crashes in the Cross Country yesterday, but still finished third, then today it was great to finish second and to complete the season second in points. It was a tough year, my expectations were high and I started getting harder on myself towards the end, but looking back I am happy with how we did in the end.”