Touratech’s Iain Glynn Wins the 2010 BMW GS Trophy

Castaic, CA – (May 1, 2010) In a display of tremendous balance, precision handling, and total control of the BMW R1200GS, Touratech’s Iain Glynn put on a show for spectators by out-maneuvering the field of competitors at the 2010 BMW GS Trophy Challenge, earning the top position, representing the USA at the International GS Trophy in South Africa this November.

To qualify for the GS Trophy event, over 50 riders first competed in the Rawhyde Adventure Rider Challenge (ARC) on Saturday, covering rough terrain and obstacles including a large ravine, mud pit, downhill slalom course, giant teeter-totter, and rocky hill climbs. The 20 best riders from the ARC advanced to the GS Trophy on Sunday, of which Glynn barely qualified, coming in at 17th place on Saturday. On Sunday however, for the GS-Trophy Challenge, Glynn put on a stellar performance.

All riders are watched intensively by the scoring judges who deduct points for going off course, failing maneuvers or touching feet to the ground. It’s like a trials event, except all riders compete on one 2010 BMW R 1200 GS. The competition is carried out under strict guidelines from BMW Motorrad in Germany to ensure consistent standards in every country around the world.

For Sunday’s competition, Glynn kept a cool head through both rounds of competition producing two nearly perfect runs. On his second run, he killed the motor twice, and re-started without even flinching, much less touching a foot to the ground. When asked how he managed to keep his composure in the high-pressure final rounds, Glynn responded.

"I’m always calm and happy once my helmet goes on. I was really just out there having fun and managed to keep my feet on the pegs for both runs. I definitely was not expecting to win."

Along with the second and third place finishers, Bill Dragoo of OK and Shannon Merkel of WY, Glynn (WA) will be heading to South Africa this November to compete in the International BMW Motorrad GS Trophy, an event designed to test riders of BMW GS motorcycles in all kinds of conditions and terrain. The event is held every two years, and is a 10-day long skill test that requires teams of riders from countries around the world to cross rivers, traverse massive sand dunes, and test their mechanical and navigational skills, all while camping and travelling through beautiful South Africa with the best riders from around the world.