Trail Rider Magazine

July 2025 17 She did top her class through the test despite her troubles, so it was needless worry, but try to tell that to a pro level racer in the middle of a race. Likewise, Jhak Walker had a spot of bother, finish- ing P5 in his class, and I bet Chase Landers, who smoked the Pro2 class by 7 seconds wishes he had that one back. Walker whacked a tree and knocked his front end out of kilter, fender pointed one way, re the other. Unable to get it aligned on the trail, he rode out the test and borrowed tools from fellow compe tors Nick DeFeo and Will Sieven- piper to get the front end somewhat aligned un l he reached rider support following the next test. Another one who probably wanted that test back was Josh Toth, who had a 10 second margin over Stew and 14 seconds over brother Grant, but fair is fair and the test had to be scrubbed. Test 4 was 5.5 miles of fast and flowy stuff which had dried out nicely, especially on the higher ground. Trac on was good and the fast crowd was roos ng turn to turn. Josh Toth set the pace in the Pro1 class, bes ng Stew Baylor by 5 seconds and Ben Kelley by 13 seconds. Ricky Russell put the Triumph into 4th just a second ahead of Grant Baylor. Jhak Walker was back on his game finishing a second ahead of Landers with DeFeo another 5 seconds back. Rachel hammered the Women's Elite class with a 22 second lead over Turner. Rachel Archer was well off the pace 40 seconds back. Some of the Pro riders were cri cal of course markings in a few spots, commen ng that they lost a lot of me ge ng back on course a er blowing corners. These racers ride at such a fast pace that it is easy to be on top of a turn at speed, but at the end of the day everyone had to deal with the same situa on. I'm be ng there will be a li le more ribbon and more arrows next year to keep everyone happy. Test 5 was 6.5 miles, and Ben Kelley gave no ce he was aiming for the top step of the podium, put- ng his KTM through the scoring chute just ahead of Stew Baylor. Grant was a few seconds back, just ahead of Toth and Russell. Jhak Walker con nued his charge in the Pro2 class with a 9 second advan- tage over Nick DeFeo who bested Chase Landers by 5 seconds. Jhak's test win is even more impressive considering that he 1) stopped to pick a bike off of a downed rider and 2) soaked his bike a er hi ng a creek crossing at speed and had to stop and wring out his air filter. Rachel Gu sh stretched out her lead in the Women's Elite with Rachel Archer pushing to make up me but finishing 14 seconds back. Shelby Turner was a further 11 seconds back from Archer,

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