Eighteen-year-old Damon Garrel is a talented rider who lives in Eswatini. He studied at Pietermaritzburg College and has achieved remarkable success in Hard Enduro.
After starting out as a local junior rider, he transitioned to the world stage, capturing victory at the opening round of the Junior World Championship in Alestrem and ultimately claiming the Youth World Title after 6 rounds of the World Championship. Reflecting on his journey from regional racing to conquering the global arena alongside his long-term partners, Motul and the Trademore Sherco team, he has firmly established himself as a dominant force in the sport.
We ask him some questions about his incredible season.
Name: Damon Garrell
Age: 18
From: Eswatini
Favourite Race: Sea To Sky.
Who is your riding hero/inspiration? My dad. Too many reasons to list here.
“I think that living in Eswatini during the lockdown was a massive bonus. It allowed to me ride and train as often as possible.”
- You took maximum Youth points by winning all 6 rounds and wrapped up the FIM Hard Enduro Youth World Cup at Hixpania in Spain—what was the hardest moment of the season?
A: Managing to score maximum points throughout the season was a major highlight given everything accomplished. The most challenging moment came in America, where a severe crash caused a significant setback and required a tough fight to work back up to the front. Despite entering the season with no clear expectations, the team pushed through to make the most of every opportunity, making it a highly rewarding season and a valuable learning curve for the whole of the Trademore Sherco Team.
- Racing and finishing brutal events like Sea to Sky on a Sherco 125 SE Factory is an incredible physical test, considering the big change in altitude at a race like that, which affects the small bike much more. How did you squeeze every ounce of performance out of the bike to compete with the bigger capacity bikes?
A: Finishing major races like the Sea to Sky on a 125 was a significant challenge and a great achievement but luckily I’ve always enjoyed a good challenge so having the Sherco and staying in good shape throughout the season were essential to making these achievements possible.
- Hard enduro is brutally punishing on the body. What sort of off-the-bike training do you do and how often do you train?
A: Hard Enduro is a very demanding sport that requires extensive training both on and off the bike. My off-bike training schedule consists of cycling twice a week, going to the gym twice a week, and running twice a week. For on-bike training, I ride two to three times a week to maintain my skills and keep up my time on the bike, which I find very helpful.
- Looking back at your journey from a local junior rider to a world champion, what was the turning point that made you realise you could win on the global stage?
A: As a local junior rider, I was always finishing second or third locally and didn’t really think I could ever achieve success on the world stage. I was given the opportunity to go and do what I love internationally, for which I am truly grateful. Once we arrived and I managed to win that first round in Alestrem, I began to see this as a potential career. I put my head down, worked hard to achieve my goal of winning a world title, and we managed to accomplish that this year. I am deeply thankful for that.
- Motul has backed you personally and the Trademore Sherco team since your junior days as your official lubricant partner. Beyond that long-standing loyalty, how much of an edge does it give you to have world-class technical support?
A: Having Motul as a partner since pretty much day one is something I will forever be grateful for. Growing alongside them with Trademore Sherco – from my junior days all the way to winning a world title – is just brilliant. It is awesome to achieve something with a partner who has backed you since you were nothing, and I’ll always appreciate that support. Knowing that top global racers trust these exact same products give you real confidence on the start line.
- Sharing the paddock with your Trademore Sherco teammates this season has been huge – now that you’ve conquered the Youth World Cup, what’s next?
A:Doing the whole season with my Trademore Sherco family has been such a great experience, not just for the riders, but the entire team – we have essentially become a family. It is really great to have something so close and meaningful, especially when you are in this industry. Now that I have managed to win the Youth World Cup, my plans for next year are to definitely step up a class and race in the HEWC Junior Category. I don’t really have a strict goal set in mind for Juniors, so I am going into next year as well-prepared as I can to achieve whatever is possible. I would ideally like to podium in one or two races, but my main goal is to walk away with a top five finish in the championship.
This is the beginning of something seriously cool. Let’s keep an eye on this youngster!
