“I really wanted that victory today, but I wasn’t quite sure how it would go,” Manuel Lettenbichler said on the final day of the Sea to Sky. “I felt like I needed to get my inner dawg out and give it my all.”

As it turned out, he’s got that dawg in him.

He inched one step closer to winning his fifth straight FIM Hard Enduro World Championship by winning in Kemer. Despite his dominance in the series, it was anything but an easy race. Lettenbichler was fifth in the combined Beach Race and 16 seconds behind winner Mitch Brightmore, then struggled with brake problems to finish fifth again in the Forest Race before a ten-minute penalty demoted him to 15th.

The Mountain Race, on the other hand, put him in more ideal conditions. He scaled the 64-kilometer course for a convincing victory over Teodor Kabakchiev and Mario Román.

He described the race as an “up-and-down event for me. […] Throughout all of that, I knew I felt good on the bike and that I just needed to put myself into a good position early on in the Mountain Race. From the third row, I had to push hard. With a good start, I focused on working my way forward as best as I could. When I got into the lead, I rode with Teo for a bit before pulling away. I’m stoked with the win and also strengthening my position in the championship with just one round to go.”

Kabakchiev arrived in Türkiye trailing Lettenbichler in the points battle, but with momentum after winning the Roof of Africa in September. Despite initially finishing second at the Sea to Sky, his HEWC pursuit took a fatal hit when he was from the Mountain Race.

While going through Alcatraz Hill, a 100-meter section on private farmland, barbed wire got tangled in his rear wheel. He tried to report the matter to an official but couldn’t find one, so nearby spectators came to cut it out. Kabakchiev fell to third but got by Román for the runner-up spot.

When he explained what happened to race officials, he was given a ten-minute penalty for outside assistance. Another rider appealed the ruling, which led to his disqualification “with no new evidence presented”. Kabakchiev asserted he did not ask for the help and that fan-captured footage of the scene didn’t show anything else.

He stated on Monday:

I never asked the spectators for help, and nothing was shown to say I did. After losing my chance to fight for the win, being told I gained an advantage is something I cannot agree with.

I fully respect the rules of our sport, but I believe there is a big difference between gaining an unfair advantage and receiving help to remove a dangerous object that should never have been on the race course in the first place.

This is not about my result. There was no fight for the win on the last climbs. The fight for second place in the championship should have gone to the lost round. Now, it is almost over, decided in a meeting room and not on the mountain. You, the fans have lost this too.

There should also be accountability for those responsible for the safety and condition of the track. The blame cannot always fall on the rider. Penalizing the rider might be the easiest decision, but that doesn’t make it the fairest one.

The same wire had gotten Billy Bolt snagged during the 2024 S2S, where he finished fourth in the Mountain Race. Incidentally, Lettenbichler won that too in the first of what is now a three-peat at the Sea to Sky.

The Kemer Motor Club, which oversees the S2S, released its own statement on Tuesday:

The organizer distances itself from any accusations or allegations made by third parties or other individuals concerning this case. Through this statement, the organizer aims to explain the circumstances surrounding the incident clearly and objectively, without making accusations against any other party.

The Incident at Alcatraz Hill

The incident occurred at a section of the race track known as Alcatraz Hill, approximately 100 meters long, forming part of an extreme hard enduro section located on private farmland.

The organizer had reached an agreement with the local farmer permitting the use of this section of land for the event, on the condition that the farm’s infrastructure would not be damaged and that the farm animals would remain securely contained within the fenced area.

To minimize the risk of injury to competitors during Sea to Sky Hard Enduro 2026, the fencing in this particular section was laid flat on the ground.

Race Track Marking and Safety Measures

The race track followed an existing walking path and was clearly marked using red tape attached to branches and rocks. These markings were intended to guide competitors along the designated route and help them avoid getting too close to the fencing.

At the location of the incident, the fence was approximately 15 meters away from the marked race track and had been laid flat on the ground.

Responsibility for the Decision

The decision regarding the disqualification was made by the Clerk of the Course and the FIM jury.

Although the organizer was consulted and questioned regarding the incident, Kemer Moto Club did not participate in the decision to impose the penalty. The decision was taken by the relevant FIM officials in accordance with their responsibilities.

Relevant Supplementary Regulations

The Supplementary Regulations for Sea to Sky Hard Enduro 2026 state:

“The Mountain Race is an extreme stage of 60 km. Safety on track is key! Obstacles can suddenly appear without warning! Be careful on all road crossings or gravel roads! Animals have right of way!”

Outside Help: No outside help allowed, no changing parts between paddock and start!

FIM HEWC Rules 2026, 60.5.9: Outside assistance also means obtaining tools. Marshals may assist riders by lifting motorcycles, moving them to a safe place. Any repairs or adjustments must be made by the rider, working alone with no outside assistance.

These provisions were included in the Supplementary Regulations to establish clear expectations for competitors and to promote a fair and safe racing environment for both amateur participants and FIM-licensed riders.

Final Clarification

Kemer Enduro Moto Club considers it important that the circumstances surrounding this incident be understood on the basis of the available facts and the applicable regulations.

The organizer’s role was to prepare the course in accordance with the arrangements made with the landowner and to establish the route and its markings for the event. The decision concerning Rider #23’s disqualification was made by the responsible FIM officials, independently of the organizer or the promoter of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. As organizers, we clearly understand the frustration about the decision taken and we clearly want to state, that it happened without our involvement.

Kemer Enduro Moto Club remains committed to organizing Sea to Sky Hard Enduro to the highest possible standards of safety, fairness, and professionalism, while respecting landowners, competitors, and the rules governing the sport.

In total, 314 bikes took the start for the Mountain Race. 31 riders went the full distance, earning them Gold classification. 131 were Silver riders, meaning they completed between 10 and 15 checkpoints. Finishing between six and nine waypoints earned 125 the Bronze label, and the remaining 27 finishers were Iron.

Ott Kornel began the weekend by winning the Special Race ahead of Rienk Tuinstra by 1:55. Brightmore took the Beach Race on Kindil Beach followed by Kabakchiev in the Forest Race.

Gold finishers

Finish	Number	Rider	Total Time
1	304	Manuel Lettenbichler	3:40:01.78
2	74	Mario Román	3:44:12.88
3	225	James Moore	3:54:27.97
4	12	Mitch Brightmore	3:56:22.79
5	414	Thomas Scales	3:58:52.70
6	7	Ashton Brightmore	4:02:50.44
7	62	David Cyprian	4:14:25.54
8	89	Alfredo Gómez	4:19:34.78
9	168	Danila Chernyaev	4:31:25.69
10	32	Dieter Rudolf	4:35:34.46
11	1	Graham Jarvis	4:45:48.10
12	33	Francesc Moret	4:48:09.51
13	347	Gilbert Boam	4:51:52.09
14	24	Tboy Shaw	5:01:09.79
15	312	Luke Walker	5:16:15.72
16	228	Albert Samsonov	5:20:59.62
17	388	Carlos Rivero	5:26:19.59
18	319	Heinrich Aust	5:27:28.17
19	230	Dylan Jones	5:39:49.49
20	263	Ott Kornel	5:48:48.24
21	371	Damon Garrell	5:56:14.02
22	35	Artsiom Kuntsevich	6:13:03.23
23	303	Alberto Aramburu	6:14:46.60
24	40	Rienk Tuinstra	6:15:21.95
25	17	Miko Pöder	6:17:17.36
26	164	Mikhail Gavrilov	6:24:43.00
27	307	Antonio Saenz	6:27:08.07
28	38	Connor Watson	6:31:13.22
29	345	Arbenit Beqiraj	6:39:03.83
30	120	Adrian Lehner	6:54:54.76
31	743	Branden Swanepoel	6:56:21.14

Featured image credit: Thomas Pfister / Xposed Motorsport