International Six Days Enduro

The International Six Days Enduro (ISDE), formerly known as the International Six Days Trial (ISDT), is the oldest 'off-road' motorcycle event on the FIM Calendar.

The ISDT was first held in 1913 at Carlisle, England. It has occurred annually, apart from interruptions due to World War I and World War II, at various locations throughout the world. The early events were a true test of machine, rider skill and reliability. Held on the 'roads' of that era, today most of the routes are truly 'off-road'. Originally titled the International Six Days Trial, in 1981 the FIM decided to update the name to International Six Days Enduro, the name Enduro having been devised by the Americans and popularised by many motorcycle manufacturers also greater reflected the change in the event from a trial to more akin to a rally featuring skills more associated with cross country motocross.

The sport has been associated with many great motorcyclists before its 100th anniversary in 2013; this also includes women such as 1920s-30s star Marjorie Cottle. Up until 1973 the contest was always held in Europe. In 1973 it went outside continent for the first time, to the United States. Since then it has been outside Europe more frequently: twice in Australia (1992 and 1998), once more in the United States (1994), Brazil (2003), New Zealand in 2006, Chile in 2007 and 2018, and Mexico in 2010. The 2014 event was held from the 3 to 8 of November in San Juan, Argentina.^[1]

The event has attracted national teams from as many as 32 countries in recent years. Over its long history the rules and conditions have changed to keep in step with the developments in the sport, but it remains a supreme test of rider and machine. Over the six days and upwards of 1250 miles a rider must contend with strict rules about time allowances and restrictions on mechanical replacements, carrying out their own motorcycle repairs. The ISDE can attract entries of more than 500 riders, together with thousands of support crew and spectators. This has a major impact on tourist income for the venue in which it is based each year. For 2013, the 100th anniversary of the holding of the first ISDT, the FIM announced that there were a record number of pre-entry requests of 820 covering 35 nations from across the Globe with 600 entries being allowed to compete.^[2]

Usually referred to as the 'Olympics of Motorcycling' with trophies for best four-rider national, three-rider junior national, three-rider women's national, three-rider club national and three-rider manufacturing teams. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded on an individual level. The medals are typically awarded based on percentage of finishers, or relative to the best individual performance in the event within their specific class. Individual gold medals go to participants who finish within 10% of their class' top competitor's total elapsed time, silver medals are awarded for those who finish within 25%, and bronze medals are awarded to any rider who finishes all six days within their time allowance.

Most recently the ISDE has been embroiled in controversy. During the 2015 event held in Slovakia, the Australian team were leading the overall Men's World Trophy team classification on day 3. During this day, three of France's six competitors were disqualified from the event by the multinational ISDE committee for not completing the required course. Australia then rode the following days to manage their lead against second place Italy, until day 5 when the French team were reinstated into the event by the French-founded Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme without any penalty, despite having not completed the assigned course. This put the French team into the lead and with only one short day of riding to go the Australian team was unable to cut the French lead down enough during the final day. The FIM ultimately gave the victory to France in highly controversial circumstances. Australia protested by walking off the podium and lodged a protest against the result due to the uncertainty of winning the ISDE actually requires riding the course.

However, on 2 November of that year, the FIM International Disciplinary Court (CDI) rejected the appeals lodged by the Fédération Française de Motocyclisme [fr] (FFM), the Real Federación de Motociclimo (RFME) and the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) therefore, the decision made by the ISDE committee to disqualify the eight riders for missing a routine check was upheld^[3] meaning three of the French World Trophy team were disqualified resulting in team being reclassified to 23rd with Australia officially awarded as winner of the 2015 World Trophy title.

Trivia

Hollywood actor Steve McQueen and his friends Bud Ekins, Dave Ekins, Cliff Coleman and John Steen represented United States at the 1964 ISDT held in East Germany.^[4] This would be the first United States team ever, organized by John Penton.

Winners ISDT 1913–1980

Edition	Year	Location	International Trophy	Silver Vase	Note
1.	1913	Carlisle, United Kingdom	United Kingdom W. B. Gibb W. B. Little Charlie Collier	Not awarded
ND.	1914	Grenoble, France	-	-	The Second edition was abandoned as a result of the outbreak of World War I.^[5]
2.	1920	Grenoble, France	Switzerland J. Morand A. Robert Eduard Gex	Not awarded
3.	1921	Geneva, Switzerland	Switzerland J. Morand A. Rothenbach Eduard Gex	Not awarded
4.	1922	Geneva, Switzerland	Switzerland J. Morand A. Robert Eduard Gex	not awarded
5.	1923	Stockholm, Sweden	Sweden Gustav Göthe Yngve Eriksson Bernhard Malmberg J A Bylund	Not awarded
6.	1924	Chaudfontaine, Belgium	United Kingdom G. S. Arter C. Wilson F. W. Giles	Norway C. Vaumund O. Graff J. Juberget	Silver Vase Award introduced.
7.	1925	Southampton, United Kingdom	United Kingdom Bert Kershaw G. S. Arter F. W. Giles	United Kingdom Bert Kershaw G. S. Arter F. W. Giles
8.	1926	Buxton, United Kingdom	United Kingdom Graham Walker J. Lidstone P. Pike	United Kingdom Graham Walker J. Lidstone P. Pike	This was the first year a Ladies only team entered in the Vase contest and they were 3rd.
9.	1927	Ambleside, United Kingdom	United Kingdom L. Crisp Graham Walker F. W. Giles	United Kingdom Marjorie Cottle Edyth Foley Louie McLean	This is the only year the Silver Vase award was won by a Women's team
10.	1928	Harrogate, United Kingdom	United Kingdom V. C. King F. W. Neill H. G. Uzzell	United Kingdom L. Crisp Graham Walker F. W. Giles
11.	1929	Munich, Germany - Geneva, Switzerland	United Kingdom G. R. Butcher George Rowley F. W. Neill	United Kingdom L. A. Welch A. R. Edwards H. S. Perrey
12.	1930	Grenoble, France	Kingdom of Italy Rosolino Grana Luigi Gilera Miro Maffeis	France A. Sourdot R. Debaissieux N. Coulon
13.	1931	Merano, Italy	Kingdom of Italy Rosolino Grana Luigi Gilera Miro Maffeis	Netherlands D. H. Eysink G. Bakker-Schut A.P. van Hammersveld
14.	1932	Merano, Italy	United Kingdom Albert E. Perrigo George Rowley N. P. O. Bradley	United Kingdom Graham Walker Jack Williams R. MacGregor
15.	1933	Llandrindod Wells, Wales	Nazi Germany Ernst Jakob Henne Josef Stelzer Josef Mauermayer Wiggerl Kraus	United Kingdom Vic Brittain Jack Williams G. F. Povey
16.	1934	Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany	Nazi Germany Ernst Jakob Henne Josef Stelzer Josef Mauermayer Wiggerl Kraus	United Kingdom F.E. Thacker R. MacGregor L. Heath G. A. Wolsey
17.	1935	Oberstdorf, Germany	Nazi Germany Ernst Jakob Henne Josef Stelzer Wiggerl Kraus J. Müller	Nazi Germany Arthur Geiss Walfried Winkler Ewald Kluge
18.	1936	Freudenstadt, Germany	United Kingdom Vic Brittain George Rowley W.S. Waycott E. Belsten	United Kingdom R. MacGregor J.A.McL. Leslie J.C. Edward
19.	1937	Llandrindod Wells, Wales	United Kingdom Vic Brittain George Rowley W.S. Waycott Gordon Wolsey	Netherlands A.P. van Hammersveld G. Bakker-Schut J. Moejes
20.	1938	Llandrindod Wells, Wales	United Kingdom George Rowley Jack Williams Vic Brittain W.S. Waycott Gordon Wolsey	Nazi Germany Georg Meier Rudolf Seltsam Josef Forstner
21.	1939	Salzburg, Austria	-	-
22.	1947	Zlín, Czechoslovakia	Czechoslovakia Jaroslav Simandl Richard Dusil Václav Stanislav Jan Bednář Karl Hansl	Czechoslovakia Čeněk Kohlíček Emanuel Marha Josef Paštika
23.	1948	San Remo, Italy	United Kingdom A. Jefferies B.H.M. Viney J. Williams C.N. Rogers Vic Brittain	United Kingdom P.H. Alves C. M. Ray W.J. Stocker
24.	1949	Llandrindod Wells, Wales	United Kingdom P.H. Alves C.M. Ray C.N. Rogers Frederick Maurice Rist B.H.M. Viney	Czechoslovakia Emanuel Marha František Bláha J. Krcmar
25.	1950	Llandrindod Wells, Wales	United Kingdom Frederick Maurice Rist B.H.M. Viney P.H. Alves W.J. Stocker C.M. Ray	United Kingdom D.S. Evans E. Usher A.F. Gaymer
26.	1951	Varese, Italy	United Kingdom Frederick Maurice Rist B.H.M. Viney P.H. Alves W.J. Stocker C.M. Ray	Netherlands P. Haaker C. van Rijssel H. Veer
27.	1952	Bad Aussee, Austria	Czechoslovakia Čeněk Kohlíček Jaroslav Pudil Richard Dusil Jiří Kubeš Jan Novotný	Czechoslovakia František Bláha Vojtěch Kolář Bohumil Kabát
28.	1953	Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia	United Kingdom Johnny Brittain W.J. Stocker S.B. Manns P.H. Alves B.H.M. Viney	Czechoslovakia František Bláha Vojtěch Kolář Bohumil Kabát
29.	1954	Llandrindod Wells, Wales	Czechoslovakia Bohuslav Roučka Jaroslav Pudil Saša Klimt Jiří Kubeš Vladimír Šedina	Netherlands S. Schram B.L. Jansema M. den Haan
30.	1955	Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia	West Germany Johann Abt Otto Brack Udo Feser Ernst Deike Volker von Zitzewitz	Czechoslovakia Stanislav Štástka Zdeněk Polánka Miloslav Souček
31.	1956	Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany	Czechoslovakia Miloslav Souček Jaroslav Pudil Bohuslav Roučka Zdeněk Polánka Vladimír Šedina Saša Klimt	Netherlands J.S. van Hoek B.L. Jansema J. Th. Witberg Fritz R. Selling
32.	1957	Špindlerův Mlýn, Czechoslovakia	West Germany Lorenz Specht Richard Heßler Gernot Leistner Walter Aukthun Klaus Kämper Volker von Zitzewitz	Czechoslovakia Vladimír Štěpán Oldřich Hameršmíd Antonín Matějka Karel Buchnar
33.	1958	Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany	Czechoslovakia Vladimír Šedina Saša Klimt Antonín Matějka Zdeněk Polánka Jaroslav Pudil Bohuslav Roučka	Czechoslovakia Stanislav Štástka František Darebný Alois Roučka Arnošt Zemen
34.	1959	Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia	Czechoslovakia Vladimír Šedina Saša Klimt Antonín Matějka Zdeněk Polánka Jaroslav Pudil Bohuslav Roučka	Czechoslovakia Vladimír Štěpán Oldřich Hameršmíd František Hoffer František Bouška
35.	1960	Bad Aussee, Austria

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