The FIM Enduro World Championship, formerly known as the World Enduro Championship, is the world championship series for enduro, a popular form of off-road motorcycle sport. The championship currently features three classes (E1, E2 and E3), along with separate categories for junior and female riders. The championship was first organized in 1990, and currently consists of 16 races based on eight two-day events. All rounds include an enduro test, a motocross test and an extreme test.

History

Simone Albergoni at the GP of Turkey

The World Enduro Championship began in 1990, replacing the FIM European Enduro Championship, which had been contested since 1968. The European championship was later restarted by the Union Européenne de Motocyclisme (UEM) in 1993. The WEC had six classes from 1990 to 1993, after which the 80 cc and 500 cc 2-stroke championships were discontinued. The series continued with four classes, 125, 250, 350 and 500 cc, until the 1998 season, which saw 250 cc 4-stroke as a new class and the 350 cc replaced by 400 cc. In 1998, all rounds also counted towards an overall championship, which was continued until 2004.

Sébastien Guillaume rides over logs

The competition classes of the WEC were revised for the 2004 season. The number of classes was reduced to three, and 2-stroke and 4-stroke machines were now competing in the same classes. The new classes were named Enduro 1, Enduro 2 and Enduro 3. The 2005 season saw a new addition; the Enduro Junior class (EJ). The age limit in the junior class was originally 21 years, but was later changed to 23. A class for female riders, Enduro Women, was started in 2010.

The points system of the WEC originally awarded points for 15 best riders in each class, starting with 20 for the winner, 17 for second place and 15 for third. Since the 2004 season, the twenty fastest riders have received points, with 25 going to the winner of each class, 22 for the second fastest and 20 for the third-placed rider.

The 2007 championship included six events in Europe, one in the United States and one in Canada. In the 2008 season, all eights rounds were held in Europe. The current main broadcaster of the championship is Eurosport 2. In South America and Oceania, the series is broadcast on ESPN and Fox Sports, respectively.

Current classes

  • Enduro 1 (E1) – Up to 250cc 2 stroke and 4 stroke.
  • Enduro 2 (E2) – 255+ cc up to 450cc 4 stroke.
  • Enduro 3 (E3) – 255+ cc 2 stroke and 450+ cc 4 stroke.
  • Enduro GP – Rankings based on overall standings (E1-E2-E3).

Champions

Season80 cc two-stroke125 cc two-stroke250 cc two-stroke350 cc four-stroke500 cc two-stroke+350 cc four-stroke
1990East Germany Thomas Bieberbach (Simson)United Kingdom Paul Edmondson (KTM)Finland Kari Tiainen (Suzuki)Czech Republic Otakar Kotrba (Husqvarna)Sweden Peter Hansson (KTM)Sweden Jimmie Eriksson (Husaberg)
1991Italy Pierfranco Muraglia (Kawasaki)Sweden Jeff Nilsson (KTM)Finland Kari Tiainen (Husqvarna)Sweden Kent Karlsson (Husaberg)Sweden Sven-Erik Jönsson (Husqvarna)Slovakia Jaroslav Katriňák (Husaberg)
1992Italy Francesco Molinari (HRD)Sweden Jeff Nilsson (KTM)Italy Giorgio Grasso (Kawasaki)Italy Mario Rinaldi (KTM)Italy Tulio Pellegrinelli (Honda)Finland Kari Tiainen (Husqvarna)
1993Italy Gian-Marco Rossi (TM)United Kingdom Paul Edmondson (Husqvarna)Italy Giorgio Grasso (Kawasaki)Sweden Sven-Erik Jönsson (Husqvarna)Italy Giovanni Sala (KTM)Italy Fabio Farioli (KTM)
500 cc four-stroke
1994United Kingdom Paul Edmondson (Gas Gas)Italy Giovanni Sala (KTM)Italy Mario Rinaldi (KTM)Finland Kari Tiainen (Husqvarna)
1995Finland Petteri Silván (Husqvarna)Italy Giovanni Sala (KTM)Sweden Anders Eriksson (Husaberg)Finland Kari Tiainen (Husqvarna)
1996Italy Fausto Scovolo (Honda)United Kingdom Paul Edmondson (Gas Gas)Sweden Anders Eriksson (Husqvarna)Sweden Peter Jansson (Husaberg)
1997Australia Shane Watts (KTM)France Stéphane Peterhansel (Yamaha)Italy Mario Rinaldi (KTM)Finland Kari Tiainen (KTM)
250 cc four-stroke125 cc two-stroke250 cc two-stroke400 cc four-stroke500 cc four-stroke
1998Italy Gian-Marco Rossi (Honda)Czech Republic Roman Michalík (TM)Italy Giovanni Sala (KTM)Sweden Björne Carlsson (Husaberg)Sweden Anders Eriksson (Husqvarna)
1999Finland Vesa Kytönen (Kawasaki)Finland Juha Salminen (KTM)Finland Petteri Silván (Gas Gas)Italy Giovanni Sala (KTM)Sweden Anders Eriksson (Husqvarna)
2000Italy Matteo Rubin (KTM)Finland Juha Salminen (KTM)Australia Stefan Merriman (Husqvarna)Italy Mario Rinaldi (KTM)Finland Kari Tiainen (KTM)
2001France Stéphane Peterhansel (Yamaha)Finland Petteri Silván (Husqvarna)Finland Juha Salminen (KTM)Australia Stefan Merriman (Husqvarna)Sweden Anders Eriksson (Husqvarna)
2002Sweden Peter Bergvall (Yamaha)Finland Petteri Silván (Husqvarna)Finland Samuli Aro (Husqvarna)Finland Juha Salminen (KTM)Sweden Anders Eriksson (Husqvarna)
2003Sweden Peter Bergvall (Yamaha)Finland Petri Pohjamo (Gas Gas)Australia Stefan Merriman (Honda)Sweden Anders Eriksson (Husqvarna)Finland Juha Salminen (KTM)
E1E2E3
2004Australia Stefan Merriman (Yamaha)Finland Juha Salminen (KTM)Finland Samuli Aro (KTM)
2005Spain Iván Cervantes (KTM)Finland Samuli Aro (KTM)United Kingdom David Knight (KTM)
2006Spain Iván Cervantes (KTM)Finland Samuli Aro (KTM)United Kingdom David Knight (KTM)
2007Finland Juha Salminen (KTM)Finland Mika Ahola (Honda)Spain Iván Cervantes (KTM)
2008Finland Mika Ahola (Honda)France Johnny Aubert (Yamaha)Finland Samuli Aro (KTM)
2009Finland Mika Ahola (Honda)France Johnny Aubert (KTM)Spain Iván Cervantes (KTM)
2010France Antoine Méo (Husqvarna)Finland Mika Ahola (Honda)United Kingdom David Knight (KTM)
2011Finland Juha Salminen (Husqvarna)France Antoine Méo (Husqvarna)Finland Mika Ahola (Honda)
2012France Antoine Méo (KTM)France Pierre-Alexandre Renet (Husaberg)France Christophe Nambotin (KTM)
2013France Antoine Méo (KTM)Italy Alex Salvini (Honda)France Christophe Nambotin (KTM)
2014France Christophe Nambotin (KTM)France Pierre-Alexandre Renet (Husqvarna)Australia Matthew Phillips (KTM)
2015Finland Eero Remes (TM)France Antoine Méo (KTM)France Mathias Bellino (Husqvarna)
2016Finland Eero Remes (TM)Australia Matthew Phillips (Sherco)United Kingdom Steve Holcombe (Beta)
Enduro GPEnduro 2
2017United Kingdom Steve Holcombe (Beta)Spain Josep García (KTM)
Enduro GPEnduro 1Enduro 2Enduro 3
2018United Kingdom Steve Holcombe (Beta)United Kingdom Brad Freeman (Beta)Finland Eero Remes (TM)United Kingdom Steve Holcombe (Beta)
2019United Kingdom Brad Freeman (Beta)United Kingdom Brad Freeman (Beta)France Loïc Larrieu (TM)United Kingdom Steve Holcombe (Beta)
2020United Kingdom Steve Holcombe (Beta)Italy Andrea Verona (TM)United Kingdom Steve Holcombe (Beta)United Kingdom Brad Freeman (Beta)
2021United Kingdom Brad Freeman (Beta)Italy Andrea Verona (Gas Gas)Spain Josep García (KTM)United Kingdom Brad Freeman (Beta)
2022Italy Andrea Verona (Gas Gas)Italy Andrea Verona (Gas Gas)Australia Wil Ruprecht (TM)United Kingdom Brad Freeman (Beta)
2023United Kingdom Steve Holcombe (Beta)Spain Josep García (KTM)United Kingdom Steve Holcombe (Beta)United Kingdom Brad Freeman (Beta)
2024Spain Josep García (KTM)Spain Josep García (KTM)Italy Andrea Verona (Gas Gas)United Kingdom Brad Freeman (Beta)
2025Spain Josep García (KTM)Spain Josep García (KTM)Italy Andrea Verona (Gas Gas)New Zealand Hamish MacDonald (Sherco)
2026

Overall championship

Eight-time class and five-time overall champion Salminen rides his KTM in 2008.
Cristophe Nambotin during 2012 World Enduro Championship in San Juan, Argentina
SeasonRiderBike
1998Italy Giovanni Sala250 cc KTM
1999Finland Petteri Silván250 cc Gas Gas
2000Finland Juha Salminen125 cc KTM
2001Finland Juha Salminen250 cc KTM
2002Finland Juha Salminen400 cc KTM
2003Finland Juha Salminen500 cc KTM
2004Finland Juha SalminenE2 KTM

Junior championship

Thomas Oldrati in 2010
SeasonRiderTeam
2005Spain Cristóbal GuerreroGas Gas
2006Sweden Joakim LjunggrenHusaberg
2007Sweden Joakim LjunggrenHusaberg
2008Italy Thomas OldratiKTM
2009Spain Oriol MenaHusaberg
2010Spain Lorenzo SantolinoKTM
2011France Jérémy JolyHonda
2012France Mathias BellinoHusaberg
2013Australia Matt PhillipsHusqvarna
2014United Kingdom Daniel McCanneyBeta
2015United Kingdom Jamie McCanneyHusqvarna
2016Italy Giacomo RedondiHonda
2017United Kingdom Brad FreemanBeta
2018Italy Matteo CavalloBeta
2019Italy Andrea VeronaTM
2020New Zealand Hamish MacDonaldSherco
2021Italy Matteo PavoniTM
2022France Zach PichonSherco
2023United Kingdom Jed EtchellsFantic
2024Sweden Max AhlinKTM
2025Sweden Axel SembFantic

Women championship

SeasonRiderTeam
2010France Ludivine PuyGas Gas
2011France Ludivine PuyGas Gas
2012Spain Laia SanzGas Gas
2013Spain Laia SanzHonda
2014Spain Laia SanzHonda
2015Spain Laia SanzKTM
2016Spain Laia SanzKTM
2017Germany Maria FrankeKTM
2018Finland Sanna KarkkainenKTM
2019United Kingdom Jane DanielsHusqvarna
2020United Kingdom Jane DanielsHusqvarna
2021Spain Laia SanzGas Gas
2022United Kingdom Jane DanielsFantic
2023United Kingdom Jane DanielsFantic
2024Spain Mireia BadiaRieju
2025United States Rachel GutishRieju

Youth Championship

SeasonRiderTeam
2009France Romain DumontierHusqvarna
2010Spain Mario RománKTM
2011Italy Jonathan ManziKTM
2012Italy Giacomo RedondiKTM
2013United Kingdom Jamie McCanneyHusaberg
2014Italy Davide SorecaYamaha
2015Sweden Mikael PerssonYamaha
2016United Kingdom Jack EdmondsonKTM
2017Italy Andrea VeronaTM
2018Chile Ruy BarbosaHusqvarna
2019New Zealand Hamish MacDonaldSherco
2020Spain Sergio NavarroHusqvarna
2021Sweden Albin NorrbinFantic
2022United Kingdom Harry EdmondsonFantic
2023Italy Kevin CristinoFantic
2024Italy Manuel VerzeroliKTM
2025France Romain DagnaKTM

See also

External links

Media related to World Enduro Championship at Wikimedia Commons