Jed Etchells, rider of the Fantic Darpa Racing Team, unfortunately lost the world youth title in the last enduro GP round in Portuga;. The Day One had not gone very well for the English rider but he had limited the damage and still had the leadership of the Youth. Unfortunately, the unthinkable happened on Sunday: a crash in the first Cross Test made Jed Etchells’ chance of winning the world title disappear in an instant after an extraordinary season and a glorious ending almost already written.
During the two days of competition, the son of art Harry Edmondson ran a great week-end in the Youth class. The Fantic Jet Racing rider collected a good position on Day One but it was on Sunday that the English rider gave his team more satisfaction. Harry fought to the end for the first place that he missed due to a mistake in the last test.
Hugo Svard of the Fantic Darpa Racing Team climbed the Youth podium for the first time, on Day Two taking third place. Riccardo Fabris, the Fantic Jet Racing rider, had another great race weekend.
The Chilean rider Tania Gonzales was also at the start in the Woman World Championship. In this weekend the Fantic JET Racing rider collected a fourteenth place and a retirement on the final day.
In short, a bitter ending in a season full of satisfactions, but which encourages us to do even more in view of 2021.
JED ETCHELLS: “I have no words to describe the regret and disappointment I feel today. Losing a world title after a season as a protagonist hurts a lot.
“Gutted, heart broken… Unfortunately today a small little problem cost me the championship, in the second test my throttle cable disconnected causing me to fall back 30 minutes. Shit happens and it’s racing but I’m super happy with my riding this year and I took 5 consecutive wins. Even though I finished last today I still managed to take 2nd in the championship which isn’t all bad. The team have been absolutely awesome and I can’t thank them enough for their support and faith in me. But this is just the start of my career and I will look at all of this as positive and come out even stronger next year. Thank you to all my sponsors who have put so much into me this year.”
HARRY EDMONDSON: “I would say that I finished the season in any way with an excellent result on the best final day of this particular season”.
HUGO SVARD: “I’m very sorry for my team-mate Jed Etchells, losing a title burns but after such a season even more”.
RICCARDO FABRIS: “I conclude my 2020 world season with a lot of accumulated experience. Here in Portugal I raced two satisfying GPs with excellent results”.
DAY 1 YOUTH
1. Sergio Navarro (Husqvarna) – 2. Claudio Spanu (Husqvarna) – 3. Alejandro Navarro (Husqvarna)
4. Jed Etchells (Fantic) – 5. Harry Edmondson (Fantic) – 8. Hugo Svard (Fantic) – 9. Riccardo Fabris (Fantic)
DAY2 YOUTH
1. Claudio Spanu (Husqvarna)– 2. Harry Edmondson (Fantic) – 3. Hugo Svard (Fantic)
9. Riccardo Fabris (Fantic) – 9. Jed Etchells (Fantic) – rit.: Riccardo Fabris (Fantic)
OVERALL YOUTH
1. Sergio Navarro (Husqvarna) 135 p – 2. Jed Etchells (Fantic) 133 p – 3. Claudio Spanu (Husqvarna) p. 128
4. Harry Edmondson (Fantic) 108 p. – 5. Hugo Svard (Fantic) 87 p. – 12. Riccardo Fabris (Fantic) 21 p.