ROAD NEWS
2024 BMW INTERNATIONAL GS TROPHY ANNOUNCED
BMW surely had their hands full when it came to topping its last two outings of the International GS Trophy . After showing off both little ol ’ NZ followed by Albania , it was anyone ’ s guess where the next trophy would be held . That mystery was finally revealed with BMW ’ s confirmation that the 2024 BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy will take place once again on African soil with Namibia named as the host country . That means after traversing most of the continents on offer , the International GS Trophy now returns in 2024 to where it all began in 2008 . Namibia as a riding location seems to be perfect for motorcycle adventure with natural attractions including magnificent landscapes as well as unique flora and fauna . When night falls after a hot day has drawn to a close with a deep red sunset , a spectacular starry sky stretches out over this paradise located on the Atlantic coast of southwestern Africa . In short , the journey into fascinating Namibia will be an entirely unique experience in many respects – well-seasoned with a good portion of that GS spirit . As is tradition , qualifying rounds will start taking place over the coming months in countries fielding teams . For the first time , the 2024 edition will see an International Team joining the expedition with qualifying for the International Team to take place at the 2023 BMW Motorrad Days . In order to secure a place on one of the 22 national teams , participants are required to perform GPS navigation exercises , off-road rides and technical tests . The women ’ s teams that prevail at a national level will win a trip to the international female qualifying round , where a total of six women ’ s teams will be selected for the much-coveted seats on the plane to Namibia , along with the 16 men ’ s teams . New Zealand has never fielded a team for the International GS Trophy , largely because of the sheer cost of such an endeavour being far too expensive for our local market to support . If you think you ’ re one of the best GS riders in the world , you can have a crack at qualifying for the international team during the BMW Motorrad Days taking place in Berlin from July 7-9 , 2023 . If you think you ’ ve got what it takes , a link to the sign-up page will be available on gstrophy . com in March 2023 .
KIWI RIDER 25