The 2018 Australian Four-Day Enduro in Cessnock will have the biggest rider turnout in 25 years, with entries selling out three months in advance of the April event.
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It’s the 40th anniversary of the the A4DE, which was founded by Cessnock Motorcycle Club in 1978.
Entries for the 350 spots – across enduro 1, 2, and 3, veteran, masters, women and vintage categories – were sold out by early January.
With each of the riders bringing two or three support crew, plus family, friends and fans, the event is expected bring about 2000 people to Cessnock from April 3 to 7.
“It’s great for the town,” Cessnock Motorcycle Club vice-president Malcolm Hall said.
Hall said the enduro committee had hoped for a big response to the event on its return to its birthplace, but never expected the entries would sell out so quickly.
“We had hoped for it, in the back of our mind, but we knew it was a big ask,” he said.
The biggest A4DE in recent years was Dungog in 2014, which had 220 riders.
Hall said it was pleasantly surprising but logistically challenging to have so many riders, but that it was “a good problem to have”.
“We’re very happy, it’s going to be a big event,” he said.
“There’s a lot to look after, but we’ve got a lot of good helpers on board.”
Hall said the committee would still welcome volunteers to help out at the event, with roles including scrutineering, sign-on, marshalling, control points, test backup scoring and general setup.
The action will be centred around at Cessnock Showground, where racing will get underway from 7am on the Tuesday.
Racing will be held at the showground from 1pm to 5pm on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon, which Hall said will be a great after-school activity for local families, with entry by gold coin donation.
There will be trade stalls and the opportunity to see work crews up close.
Racing will also take place on motorbike trails around the Cessnock local government area.
The event will culminate with the final moto at Cessnock Racecourse on the Saturday, which Hall said will also be a great day out for the family, with kids’ amusements and plenty of fun.
“It’s very exciting, great for spectators, and it’s bringing back the nostalgia of the event, being 40 years since it was first held in Cessnock,” he said.
The success of the 1978 four-day enduro led to Cessnock hosting the International Six-Day Enduro in 1992, the first time the international event had ever been held in Australia, and still regarded as one of the biggest events in Cessnock’s history.
Peden’s Hotel will host a world six-day enduro reunion dinner on April 1, and will also host the A4DE presentation dinner on April 7.
Click on the photo below to check out our historic gallery of the 1992 International Six-Day Enduro in Cessnock.
