2025 U.S. Hard Enduro Round 8 Results

| May 27, 2025

The 2025 Bullet Proof Designs U.S. Hard Enduro Series, presented by IRC Tire, once again saw FMF KTM’s Trystan Hart atop the podium at the second race of the Memorial Day weekend’s Keystone Challenge, the Locked ‘N’ Loaded Hard Scramble, held in Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania, on May 26.

Trystan Hart at 2025 Locked ‘N’ Loaded Hard Scramble — **Trystan Hart completed the Keystone Challenge sweep by winning the Locked ‘N’ Loaded Hard Scramble.**

Story and Photos by Stephanie Vetterly

Located just 30 minutes north of the Tough Like RORR race, which was held on Saturday and Sunday, the Locked ‘N’ Loaded Hard Scramble was part of the weekend’s Keystone Challenge. The L’N’L race consists of three laps. The first one is 16 miles long, while the second and third laps are shorter at just eight miles each; however, they include more challenging sections. Unlike the RORR venue, Sugarloaf’s terrain drains much more slowly, and the rain that fell earlier in the week was still evident on the course, adding an extra challenge to the gnarly rock gardens and loose hill climbs in the final laps.

From the start, it was Trystan Hart and FactoryOne Sherco’s Will Riordan vying for the holeshot. Riordan took a wider line, allowing Hart to seize the lead as they entered the trees. After the first eight miles, it was Rocky Mountain Yamaha’s Cody Webb leading into the EnduroCross section. With an upcoming trip to compete at Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, Webb had two different bikes prepared to help minimize prep time. He admitted that the engine he chose for Tough Like RORR could have been a better call, as he found himself spinning out more than he wanted, especially on the first lap when the rocks were dry. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder LeBlond managed to make a pass for the lead as the first lap progressed but lost time and his advantage during a hillclimb when Hart flew up cleanly.

Cody Webb at 2025 Locked ‘N’ Loaded Hard Scramble — **Cody Webb again finished second.**

The second and third laps utilized the latter part of the opening lap, and the course quickly deteriorated. Lines became saturated with mud, and traction was almost impossible to find. With riders on their first lap attempting to maneuver themselves and their bikes out of the way for the leaders, the only option to advance was to seek out new and innovative lines. Between the loose hills, which offered little to no traction, and the rocky climbs where nearly every rock was loose and would spin at the slightest throttle twist, the race evolved into a grueling battle to the finish, six inches at a time.

Hart managed to start distancing himself from Riordan and Webb, eventually extending his lead to nearly 30 minutes by the time he saw the checkered flag. Webb was more than five minutes behind LeBlond as he entered the second lap but utilized his trial skills to conquer a challenging rock garden and secured third place. He replicated this on the final lap, passing Riordan in the same spot and finishing over eight minutes ahead to claim second place. Riordan maintained his position to round out the podium.

Will Riordan at 2025 Locked ‘N’ Loaded Hard Scramble — **Will Riordan finished out his long weekend on the podium, like he did at Tough Like RORR.**

In the amateur class, Niko Piazza from Dalton Gardens, Idaho, secured the win, having led since the third checkpoint. Maverik Thaxton took second place, while Jobel Coronado claimed third. Despite winning at Tough Like RORR, Makana Barger struggled with the loose rocks, losing time while navigating around lap riders, and ultimately had to settle for fourth place.

In the Women’s Pro class, Canadian Katie Hall-Leah once again established herself as a formidable competitor. Rieju USA’s Rachel Gutish managed to pull almost a 20-minute lead over Hall-Leah, despite having broken her finger at the National Enduro round the day before. However, she fell back after the rock gardens in the Stairway sections. By the end of the five-hour time limit, Katie was able to push past one more checkpoint, overcoming the challenging section known as Tombstone and navigating through the enduro transfer.