Gunther is quad champ
2007-11-01
PAARLITE Shaun Gunther is the newly crowned 2007 SA national off-road quad champion.
Gunther claimed the title in dramatic fashion, by finishing second in the Ermelo Toyota 400, the final round of the SA national off-road quad championship, raced in Mpumalanga this weekend. Piloting his Honda Race Nation TRX450ER, Gunther snatched the coveted title for the second time in his career.
With no time-trial to determine the starting order for the main race of the event, competitors started the 360km route according to a seeded list at 30 second intervals.Gunther, on the race-winning Honda TRX450ER, was first off the line in Sunday’s main event.
Due to the structure of the race, the riders would be fighting the clock rather than directly vying for the positional lead.
Having the psychological advantage of being first off the grid provided Gunther with the impetus to set the fastest times through various stages of the gruelling race.
After the recent heavy rains in the area, the course was damp and muddy in places, which suited the nimble Honda TRX450ER perfectly.
Lighter weight and superior handling characteristics enabled Gunther to outrun the larger displacement machines of the other title contenders with seeming ease.
Gunther also won the Pro 450 Class for the day, but had to settle for the runner-up position in the overall class championship for the day.
“I loved this race,” claimed a happy Gunther.
“This was one of those events where everything just fell into place and it feels great to take the title home.
“I did not experience any problems during the race and although I started first, I knew that the route might suit the faster Can-Am quads better.
“It feels great to win the championship as it was quite a competitive season.”
Gunther thanked all his sponsors, his parents in Paarl, “for all their support”.
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