Pinkbike Interview: Steve and Erik from California Enduro Series

Enduro has found itself in a rather awkward position in America in the last few years. While it was exploding in popularity in Europe and garnering extensive coverage in the media with the Enduro World Series, many people found themselves hearing much talk of something that simply didn’t exist where they lived. Any successful discipline is built on grassroots participation – it’s one of the big reasons that disciplines like 4X and XC Eliminator are no longer with us – for enduro to become a real thing on the lefthandside of the Atlantic it was always going to be the local series that make or break the long-term future of the discipline. So while it may exist away from the cameras and lights of the international stage, it is series like the California Enduro Series that are putting in the groundwork to truly establish enduro in America.

When you have riders as experienced as WTB’s Jason Moeschler telling you that he rates the series because, “They really stretch themselves to get the riders on the best terrain possible. On top of that, they make sure that you get plenty of time on your bike, during, and outside of the race,” it is clear they are doing something right. We caught up with series organisers Steve Gemelos and Erik Saunders to talk about how enduro is evolving in the US, how they are looking to develop their series and the challenges of running an enduro race in the US.

Read the article on Pinkbike