“IT WAS THE
BEST RACE EVER.
ALSO BEST AFTER
PARTY EVER...
W
ith plenty of time to contemplate with
the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic
lock-down in March, April and May
curtailing any real sporting ambitions in the
short term, the now Thames-based former
Glen Eden man was able to weigh up an
answer to the question “Tell us Chris, what
was your best race ever?”
KTM rider Birch is an internationally
acclaimed enduro racer and off-road coach
of many years’ standing and during the
lock-down he had been creating informative
videos from his garage at home, free “Say
No To Slow” tutorial clips to satisfy his many
dirt bike fans.
His achievements at the ultimate level of
motorcycle racing worldwide are testimony to
his outstanding riding talent, his knowledge
of the sport and all its intricacies.
The now 39-year-old Birch won the New
Zealand Enduro Championships a staggering
eight times, his latest achievement being
when he won it three times in a row, in the
2013, 2014 and 2015 seasons.
He has been on the podium seven times at
the world famous Red Bull Romaniacs event
in Romania and he won it outright in 2010.
He has competed successfully in the world’s
biggest enduro races such as Erzberg
extreme enduro, Red Bull Last Man Standing,
Hell’s Gate, the International Six Days Enduro,
World Enduro Championships and European
Enduro Championships too.
These major international appearances have
made him an international star in the sport.
Since competing in, and finishing, the
Dakar Rally in 2012, Birch has developed a
following in the adventure bike world, and
he is one of KTM’s highest profile adventure
ambassadors worldwide.
After racing successfully for several years, he
has transitioned more to coaching, and he
KIWI RIDER 27