Cory Graffunder / Photo by www.offroadmotorcycles.ca
"It was great to be able to come back home to Canada and participate in such a cool race," Cory claims. "The course was definitely a big challenge... I have traveled to a lot of different places in the past few years to race against the toughest courses and best competitors in the world, so it is really exciting to see an event like this in Canada. Lee Fryberger and the gang that put this race on did an awesome job!"
Graffunder dazzled the spectators at this inaugural event while hammering his Husqvarna TC 250 to the checkers after an intense battle with his EnduroCross archrival Kyle Redmond (Graffunder and Redmond were fighting for top three positions in the national EX series leading up to the Indianapolis round held this past weekend). Scoring the fastest time in the morning qualifying sessions that saw only the top 30 riders advance to the finals, Cory was able to overcome all challengers -- and challenges -- on the treacherous Xtinction race course where many competitors struggled simply to complete a lap. "Qualifying went well, but the rain definitely made things interesting. I guess they had to remove some of the more evil sections that they had planned, since they would have been impossible," Cory notes. "Kyle Redmond and I had a great battle going! I was really pleased to get the win and I'm hoping that I can get back next year."
Nick Burson / Photo by www.offroadmotorcycles.ca
Accompanying Cory on his trip from California to race Xtinction in the Alberta badlands was his Zip-Ty Racing Husqvarna teammate Nick Burson. The multi-time District 37 champ and defending U.S. Desert Racing #1 plate holder decided to jump into the mix at the Hare Scramble that was held the day prior to the Xtinction Xtreme Enduro. Nick spent the race trying to chase down the current Canadian Enduro Championship points leader, Jason Schrage. Although Schrage had the course dialed in, Burson's trip to Canada was rewarded with a solid second place finish. Good thing, because a crash in the Xtinction race the next day ripped the bars right off the bike when it tumbled off a cliff!
"Both riders have already proven to be 'extremely' versatile and very valuable members of our team," quips company president Mark Brady. "Seriously, we are all very proud of the way Cory and Nick did in Canada... note the name of the company is Husqvarna Motorcycles North America, not just USA."
