How did we miss this?
Earlier this month, BMW Motorrad quietly announced the location of the 2020 International GS Trophy. Haven't heard of the GS Trophy? It is only THE event you want to find yourself competing in if you happen to be a die-hard Gelande Strasse fan - and next year the biggest event in the BMW Motorrad world is heading right here to Aotearoa!
The seventh edition of the GS Trophy will officially take place in New Zealand in early 2020, with qualifying events to be held in the months leading up to the 2020 event.
While details of exactly where in our beautiful nation the GS Trophy will be taking place are yet to be revealed (but photography suppled with the press release heavily suggests a South Island Odyssey) the way the competition is to be run will follow the format set by previous incarnations of the GS Trophy.
So what is the GS Trophy? In a nutshell, the GS Trophy is a unique, invitation-only, competition in which riders in nationalised teams are pitted against each other, the elements and more through a series of challenges based around adventure riding BMW’s flagship R series GS motorcycle – which going forward will be the R 1250 GS Adventure.
Previous years have seen the GS Trophy take to the steps of Mongolia, the jungles of Thailand, the trails of Canada’s Rocky Mountains and even further afield.
Riders lucky enough to make the cut for their national team are supplied with all the gear they need to compete, including a fully kitted out GS Adventure and a full set of BMW Motorrad rider apparel.
To date, no New Zealand team has officially entered the GS Trophy so this will hopefully change with next year's event.
We are currently awaiting further word from BMW Motorrad New Zealand on whether a New Zealand team will be formed.