“Whaddaya think, dude? Is it tough enough?”
Lance considered the course, made a few tweaks to cones, then pulled on his helmet and started up his R 1200 GS. He then pulled through the entrance and navigated the labyrinth with thoughtful precision. When he finished the course, he returned to the starting gate and ran it again. Then again. “Two outta three,” I thought, “Damn.”
Building competition courses was new to my brother and me. We usually set the difficulty for each element by testing it ourselves to see how tough it was. If either of us could complete it three times with just one successful attempt, we knew we were onto something. If we managed it more than that, it was probably too easy.
It was 2010, and Lance and I–known as the “Adventure Brothers”–were two of the newest employees at RawHyde Adventures in Castaic, California. We were assigned to build a competition course for the upcoming BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy, set to take place in South Africa. The three-day qualifier would end with a final challenge, where the top 20 riders from the weekend would compete on our course. Of those riders, the top three would advance to the final event later that year.
This was the second GS Trophy held. The first, in 2008, took place in Tunisia. Qualifying for that event was slightly different then. Interested participants had to submit an “adventure resume” to BMW, with the top six resumes earning a spot in the final through a qualifier event. I submitted a resume and was selected as contestant seven. So close, yet so far.
Two years later, my bitterness at not being chosen had faded…mostly. My remaining resentment was focused on creating the most diabolical final course the world had ever seen–but it still needed to be doable. The GS Trophy was about showcasing the skills of amateur riders; those with racing licenses weren’t allowed. To that end, my brother Lance was good at making sure I didn’t take my course-building antics too far.
Once the course was finished, we faced a new issue Lance dubbed “Sour Calf,” referencing his horsemanship days where roping calves would lift their hooves and refuse to be chased by horses and riders.
“We’ve run it too many times, we’re too good at it now,” he explained.
To fix this, we called our friend and fellow RawHyde employee Jeff Irvin, who had never seen our new course. Jeff happily ran the gauntlet while we watched and completely aced it on his first try.
“Damn,” Lance and I said in unison, and we set about making it harder.
Over the years, my understanding of what the GS Trophy was all about has evolved several times. At first, I thought BMW had an image issue: The GS was a bike that was bought, outfitted with all the greatest off-road upgrades and then mainly used for weekend rides to Starbucks, where its shiny accessories and unscuffed bash plates were showcased in strip mall parking lots. As a passionate and aggressive off-road rider, I knew this was somewhat unfair, although sometimes it was also true. So, what better way to demonstrate what a GS could do than to put them in the hands of everyday riders and hold friendly competitions in extraordinary locations?
As time marched on, the GS Trophy continued faithfully, with a qualifier every odd year and a final event every even year. In 2012, competitors rode in South America, 2014 in Canada, and in Thailand in 2016, always aboard the newest or most popular GS model in the lineup. The USA always sponsored a team, and interest in the event slowly but surely began to grow throughout the Americas.
In 2017, preparations for the next Trophy—scheduled to be held in Mongolia—were underway. As the newly minted BMW Motorrad Brand Ambassador specializing in Adventure motorcycles, I was tasked with helping organize the U.S. qualifiers. As before, Team USA would consist of the top three riders from the qualifier event. This year, for the first time, a second qualifier was held exclusively for women.
One of the challenges BMW faced with the GS Trophy was a noticeable lack of female riders. It wasn’t for lack of effort; women competed in every U.S. qualifier and many others worldwide. However, men consistently took the podium in these qualifiers, which kept female participation absent from the final events. As the fastest-growing segment in motorcycling, addressing this gap was important. To do so, BMW introduced a new category where the top two women from each participating country would move on to a second qualifier. The winners of this stage would form two international women’s teams to compete against other teams in the final event. This approach effectively gave women two opportunities to win. If a woman was among the top three riders overall, she would advance to Mongolia with her country’s team. If she didn’t place that high but was among the top two in the female riding category, she would then compete for a spot on the International Women’s teams. This strategy achieved its goal, leading to record-breaking female participation in the qualifiers.
My first trip to an actual GS Trophy final came in 2018, as each country was allowed an embedded journalist to shadow their team, and I was chosen to accompany Team USA. I had never been to Asia, let alone Mongolia, and likewise, two members of my team had never even left the USA (during the event, U.S. competitor Matt Kelley could famously be found clutching a backpack full of Clif bars, as he refused to eat virtually any of the Mongolian food).
It was during the Mongolia event that my understanding of what the GS Trophy was about first began to evolve. The riding was EXTREMELY hard. Twelve-hour days were not uncommon, mostly through little more than sandy dunes and rocky desert roads. The competition elements were more challenging, requiring precise control of the bike as they navigated tight turns and rocky ascents, all in blistering heat. Indeed, showcasing their motorcycles doing cool things in epic places was still a cornerstone of what BMW was trying to achieve. More than this, what really shined through was the camaraderie that comes from shared experiences. It takes courage to push oneself and their machine to the kind of limits the GS Trophy demands. Doing so exposes the raw, delicate underbelly of personality, not only of the riders but also of their teammates and spectators, who invariably cheer one another on and lend a hand when the challenges are too hard to handle alone. And the convergence of countries and cultures intermingled as competitors came to know a world outside their own. I will never forget sitting in 97° Mongolian desert heat, sharing hot tea with team China, none of whom spoke a word of English. Still, the bond occurred.
In 2020, 2022, and 2024, the GS Trophy was held in New Zealand, Albania, and Namibia, respectively. My presence at both the qualifiers and final events was solidified, with my role shifting from journalist to on-screen personality, recapping the day and hosting live social media exhibitions. Each year, the USA selects a team, and each year, they choose their top female riders to compete in the semi-finals.
This year started with little news about the upcoming GS Trophy. Amid widespread economic uncertainty, insiders openly questioned whether BMW would cover the costs for another event, as the logistics and expenses might simply be too high given tighter budgets. When the usual window to announce the next GS Trophy location passed without any word from the company, enthusiasts suspected that the event was quietly being canceled.
New life slowly began to breathe its way into the competition. Countries began announcing their qualifier dates, and while there was no word from Germany on where or when the final would take place, it still signaled that something was happening. Local riders were stunned when, for the first time since the GS Trophy started, BMW North America announced that they would not sponsor a U.S. Trophy team. For those practicing and preparing for the upcoming events, this was a huge disappointment because they had no chance of fulfilling their dream of competing in the prestigious International GS Trophy.
However, BMW Germany offered one last chance to join a team. For those aspiring participants wanting a shot at the Trophy but whose countries had opted out, an International Qualifier was to be held at the renowned BMW Motorrad Enduropark in Hechlingen, Germany. In this qualifier, two male and two female competitors would be selected from participants from European countries, and another two men and two women would be chosen from non-EU countries, all to compete in the final to be held in Romania.
Competing in a GS Trophy qualifier each year is no small feat. It requires precise riding through exceptional balance, clutch, throttle, and braking control of an adventure motorcycle weighing over 500 pounds. Judges watch riders carefully, occasionally causing a distraction with loud callouts like “DAB!” and “FALL!” It’s a lot of pressure even on the best days, but the International Qualifiers present an even greater challenge. Interested competitors must travel to another country, where they face unknown terrain, language barriers, and fellow competitors eager for their chance to attend the next final.
In October 2025, 67 riders from 20 countries gathered in Germany to compete in the International Qualifier, including 10 men and seven women from the USA, representing the largest turnout from any single country. All of them shared the goal of achieving a slot at the 2026 final in Romania.
Tom Weinmayr–head of TWT Moto, the company responsible for organizing the last three Trophy events–was excited to facilitate the International Qualifier. “It is a tremendous effort to organize and facilitate a Qualifier event, but it’s worth it,” said Weinmayr. “It’s important to give passionate people a chance to be a part of the Trophy, regardless of whether the country they’re from is participating.”
From the day of arrival, it was obvious this qualifier would be special. Gone were the stolid I’m here to win attitudes one might expect from competitors; replacing those attitudes was genuine excitement about being surrounded by like-minded enthusiasts from all over the world. Marshals divided the riders into nine groups, mixed the nationalities together to encourage camaraderie.
“People who go to the Trophy bond in a special way,” Weinmayr explained. “We want to duplicate that here at the qualifier. They will compete together and hopefully leave as friends.”
Over two days, participants faced nine separate challenges, all named after previous Trophy locations. While the Mongolia Challenge involved navigating a motorcycle through muddy and sandy terrain, other challenges–like the Thailand Challenge–were specifically designed to test and reward teamwork. Riders were scored based on dabs, drops and going out of bounds, with occasional additions such as time trials and a willingness to help each other.
In the end, 18 competitors ascended to the final event, including three men and three women from the USA. Riders faced a final challenge, including rocky traverses, hill climbs and descents, off-camber riding and water crossings. Competitors rode well into the night, with staging lights barely illuminating the terrain.
When it was time to announce the winners, the energy was that of a united group of enthusiasts, excited to cheer whoever had come out on top. When the winners were revealed, the cheers and applause showed that whatever the GS Trophy was meant to achieve, it had become something to connect and celebrate people.
Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 International GS Trophy Qualifiers, with special recognition for USA first-place winners Stephanie Townsend of the International Women’s team and Jordan Wiley of the International Men’s team.
