The 2025 FIM Sand Races World Championship reaches its thrilling conclusion this coming weekend (13-15 February) with the historic fiftieth edition of the fabled Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais – staged in northern France on the exposed coast of the Atlantic Ocean – providing a fitting finale to the series that continues to grow in popularity with every edition.
- FIM Sand Races World Championship signs off in northern France
- World’s best Sand Races stars converge for Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais
- Kellett and Verstappen defend slim leads in Moto and Moto Women classe
The major prize in the fiercely-contested Quad class was claimed last time out at Portugal’s Monte Gordo Sand Experience by France’s defending champion Pablo Violet – Drag’on Yamaha where Uruguay’s Fernando Rubio – Honda also sewed up the Moto Veteran crown, but there is still all to play for in the remaining categories with focus naturally centring on the main Moto and Moto Women classes that are both up for grabs.
With the Moto class upgraded to full FIM World Championship status, defending champion Todd Kellett – Drag’on Yamaha saw his bid to claim a third-straight crown derailed in Portugal at the end of November when a technical issue resulted in him adding just a single point to his total after sweeping the opening four rounds.
This allowed the chasing pack to close dramatically, although the British star’s team-mate Milko Potisek – who is the sole rider with a mathematical chance of deposing him – missed the opportunity to apply even more pressure when he could only finish third on the beautiful Algarve coast, reducing the deficit to fourteen points.
With a maximum of thirteen-hundred competitors allowed for the main three-hour race over the fifteen-kilometre course, the early laps will be crucial and the event – and title – could be won or lost at the start.
Bookending the championship after officially getting it under way just over twelve months ago, the Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais offers Potisek home advantage, although having won the event for the last three editions Kellett will be confident he can sew up the championship with fifth position good enough should Potisek – who is himself a three-time winner – take victory.
As well as challenging for the title, Potisek will also be defending his silver medal position from compatriot and 2024 runner-up Jeremy Hauquier – Yamaha who is assured of the bronze medal, though will be aiming to overcome a sixteen-point deficit to secure another second in the series.
2025 FIM Sand Races World Cup, Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais © Frederik Herregods Photography
The Moto Women action has followed a similar path to the Moto class with defending champion Amandine Verstappen – Yamaha from Belgium winning four of the five rounds and counting the cost of a no-score that has drastically reduced her lead. As a result, the twenty-six-year-old – who finished last season’s FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship in fifth – holds a slim seven-point advantage ahead of 2023 champion Mathilde Denis – Yamaha.
While unable to challenge Verstappen for the title, French racers Sara Jugla – KTM and Camille Viaud – Yamaha could both still overhaul Denis for second, although for either rider to do this nothing less than victory will be enough.
The Moto Vintage title will be decided between French season-long rivals Freddy Seguin – Honda and Sebastien Antony – KTM while the Junior class, that will compete on a shortened course over a ninety-minute duration, looks poised to go down to the wire as France’s Evan Demeester – Honda defends his seventeen-point lead over compatriot Matheo Gerat – Yamaha.
2025 FIM Sand Races World Cup, Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais © Frederik Herregods Photography
Although runaway winner Violet has dominated the Quad class, the fight for the remaining podium positions has been electric all season with Belgium’s Dirk Schelfhout – Honda and French rider Benoit Sebert – Yamaha locked together on fifty-two points each in second and Fabien Michel – Yamaha, who lies fourth, a further five points adrift.
While he is not a contender for any championship honours, Britain’s Henry Walker – Drag’on Yamaha, who dominated on his series debut in Portugal in November, will be in action and determined to extend his win-streak against some seriously quick opposition that includes fast Frenchman Keveen Rochereau – Honda.
Sebert and Schelfhout also sit one and two in the Quad Veteran class with Portugal’s Nuno Goncalves – Yamaha and defending champion Axel Dutrie – Drag’on Yamaha both still in contention.
The Quad class will get the main action under way on Saturday 14 February with the two-and-a-half-hour race scheduled to start at 14:30 (local time) before the deciding Moto class clash gets off the line at 13:50 (local time) the following day.
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