Now Reading: Manuel Lettenbichler Dominates Sea to Sky 2025 – Extends FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Lead
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Manuel Lettenbichler Dominates Sea to Sky 2025 – Extends FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Lead
Manuel Lettenbichler Dominates Sea to Sky 2025 – Extends FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Lead
KEMER, TURKEY – October 11, 2025 — Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler delivered another masterclass performance to win the 2025 Sea to Sky Hard Enduro, securing his second consecutive victory at the Turkish classic and extending his lead in the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship.
Across three demanding days of racing — the Beach Race, Forest Race, and Mountain Race — Lettenbichler set the standard for precision, pace, and consistency. Meanwhile, Mario Roman celebrated another podium for Sherco Factory Racing, and Mitch Brightmore continued his breakout season with another strong top-three finish. Billy Bolt, battling illness, fought hard to finish 11th overall and retain his spot near the top of the championship table.
Lettenbichler Untouchable from Beach to Summit
The action opened on Thursday with the Beach Race along the Mediterranean, where Lettenbichler topped qualifying before finishing third in the six-lap Super Final — just four seconds from second place.
Friday’s Forest Race saw the German at his unstoppable best. Over 45 kilometres of tight singletrack, steep climbs, and technical canyons, he delivered a commanding performance, finishing 1 minute and 12 seconds ahead of his nearest rival to seize the overall lead.
Saturday’s Mountain Race — the legendary climb from sea level to the 2,365-metre summit of Mount Olympos — sealed the deal. Starting first, Lettenbichler controlled the pace from the opening climb and rode with trademark composure to claim a back-to-back Sea to Sky victory and extend his HEWC points advantage heading into the penultimate round in Germany.
Manuel Lettenbichler:
“I felt really good this weekend! The last two races I struggled with some health issues where I wasn’t feeling 100%, so to come here stronger was all I wanted. I had a good start position thanks to my Forest Race win yesterday, and I got the holeshot this morning, which was pretty important, so I managed to pull a gap straight away without pushing too crazy. I got into a good flow early on and focused on saving my tire and kept building on my lead every checkpoint. I was really stoked to see the finish flag first and take the win today!”
Another Sea to Sky Podium for Roman
Mario Roman proved once again why he remains one of the most complete Hard Enduro riders in the world. Managing his pace strategically during Friday’s Forest Race, the Sherco Factory Racing rider conserved energy while staying in touch with the leaders — then came alive in the decisive Mountain Race.
Climbing steadily through the field, Roman powered his Sherco up the steep final section to the gondola, crossing the line just under six minutes behind Lettenbichler for yet another Sea to Sky podium.
Mario Roman:
Today was the tough day — the one I like the most: you start on the beach and finish up in the mountains. I took it easy on the beach because, honestly, the pace is crazy. I don’t really understand how some guys go so fast with all that dust and risk — full gas in fourth or fifth gear. I tried to go as fast as I could without taking too many risks, and little by little, I started to feel better and find my rhythm.
After the Wood Canyon, I began catching up with top riders like Billy, Wade, Brightmore, and so on. From there, I settled into second place, trying to stay close to Manuel, who was flying. The gap was slowly increasing but never by much so I’m really happy with that.
The bike worked perfectly, honestly it’s the best I’ve felt all year — engine, suspension, carburation — everything was spot on. So I just want to thank the whole team and everyone who makes this possible.”
Brightmore Establishes Himself as a Podium Contender
Mitch Brightmore continued his remarkable 2025 campaign with another podium — his third of the season — confirming his status as one of the rising stars of the Hard Enduro World Championship.
Riding with maturity and confidence across all three days, the X-GRIP Racing rider kept close to Roman and Lettenbichler, finishing with a similar margin behind second as Roman had behind the winner. The trio were well clear of the rest of the field.
Mitch Brightmore:
“I actually enjoyed Sea to Sky this year. I enjoyed it from the Beach Race to the Mountain Race and I think it showed in my riding. I rode probably the best I have for a long while. I felt good the whole day, enjoyed it and came home third.”
By most unofficial calculations, Brightmore’s consistency this season puts him just one point behind Billy Bolt in the championship standings — a testament to his incredible rookie-year form.
Bolt Battles Through Illness
It was a weekend of grit for Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt, who fought through illness to finish 11th overall. Despite being under the weather all week, the British rider showed determination and flashes of brilliance throughout the three-day event.
Bolt opened with a victory in the Beach Race Super Final, collecting the maximum three bonus points. On Friday, he finished fourth in the Forest Race, but the grueling Mountain Race took its toll. A navigation mistake mid-race cost him valuable time, forcing him to complete much of the climb alone — eventually reaching the summit exhausted but defiant.
Billy Bolt:
“It became a tough race for me here in Turkey. I have been pretty sick all week and today I just struggled. I tried to hang with the leaders as long as possible, but it was hard to manage to do that. Then I made a large navigation error and lost touch with them. As the course became increasingly difficult the higher up the mountain we rode, my physical condition suffered. Unfortunately, it wasn’t my day or week here. Hopefully I can rest up, get healthy again, and return to my best and push Mani for the win at GetzenRodeo in a few weeks’ time.”
Next Stop: GetzenRodeo, Germany
With two rounds remaining, the championship now heads to GetzenRodeo (October 24–25) — Lettenbichler’s home race and one of the toughest events on the calendar. With Bolt aiming to bounce back, Roman in consistent form, and Brightmore closing in, the 2025 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship is building toward an explosive finale.
