Image: Supplied.

After a gruelling week of competition at the 2023 International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Argentina, Team Australia finished second in the Women’s World Trophy (WWT) with Danielle McDonald and Jessica Gardiner also claiming individual podiums at the prestigious event.

Scorching heat and challenging transfers made for an immensely testing 97th edition of the ISDE, with high rates of attrition seen across the six days, contested between 6-11 November.

Team Australia kept eventual WWT winners Team USA within their sights until the halfway point, when Tayla Jones (Husqvarna) dislocated her right shoulder in a crash late on day three. Despite a gutsy attempt to ride in the early stages of day four, Jones was ultimately forced out of proceedings but remained on hand and well-supported teammates McDonald and Gardiner.

The subsequent maximum time penalties accrued by Jones on the final three days, along with America maintaining its full roster (Brandy Richards, Korie Steede and Rachel Gutish), saw Australia lose contact with leaders USA and then fall into the sights of the FIM Latin America team.

However, with Latin America also losing a rider and 16-year-old McDonald (Yamaha) winning day five and then pushing American Brandy Richards (KTM) all the way in the final motocross test, Australia comfortably secured second position with McDonald second individually in the Women’s division and former ISDE winner Gardiner in third.

KTM-mounted Josep Garcia (Spain) was the outright individual winner of the event, while Team USA (Taylor Robert, Johnny Girrior, Dante Oliveira and Cole Martinez) also won the World Trophy (WT) ahead of France and Great Britain, as France won the Junior World Trophy (JWT) while American Mateo Oliveira was the individual victor in the category.

Detailed results