The Isegrim Enduro in Schwepnitz brought the 2026 AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany season to a close on Saturday. The setting for the seventh and final round could hardly have been better: perfect autumn weather, ideal track conditions and a new record crowd provided a fitting conclusion to an eventful HESG season.
Even before the event, the strong number of entries had indicated particularly high interest in the finale. On race day, this was confirmed by the crowds lining the course. More spectators than ever before attended the Isegrim Enduro, creating a special atmosphere, particularly around the well-known key sections.
The conditions also played into the organisers' hands. The course was in almost perfect shape and offered the riders exactly the right combination of grip and technical difficulty expected from a Hard Enduro.
Particular attention this year was focused on the significantly extended course. For the first time since 2019, a larger forest section was once again integrated into the Isegrim Enduro. During the planning process, special care had been taken to ensure that this section would also be manageable for hobby riders without losing the typical Hard Enduro character. The concept worked well: the new section fitted perfectly into the existing course and added even more variety to the race.
Of course, Schwepnitz's traditional key sections were also part of the course. Above all, the long rock garden in the spectator area once again demanded everything from the riders while offering the many fans a perfect view of the action.
Another premiere gave the season finale additional significance. For the first time, the Isegrim Enduro was part of the Hard Enduro World Ranking as a Challenger Event. In addition to the final championship points of the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany, riders were therefore also competing for points towards the international ranking.
From a sporting perspective, the most important decision had already been made before the finale. Henry Strauss had secured the 2026 Championship two weeks earlier in Meltewitz, claiming his second overall title after 2024. However, numerous class championships were still undecided in Schwepnitz, ensuring plenty of excitement right up to the final race of the season.
Facts – Isegrim Enduro Schwepnitz, September 26, 2026
Weather: 21°C, cloudy
ACE Bikes Prolog Award winner: Henry Strauss (Husqvarna)
Winner: Henry Strauss (Husqvarna)
Champion Öl Fastest Lap: Leon Hentschel (Beta), 6:38.846
Strauss Once Again Sets the Standard in the Prolog
The ACE Bikes Prolog Award once again demonstrated that Henry Strauss was the benchmark in this discipline in 2026. The already-crowned Champion set the fastest time of the day on the Schwepnitz Prolog course with 3:14.304 minutes, clearly distancing himself from the competition.
Henry Strauss
Behind Strauss, Arvid Meyer on the Stark Varg set the second-fastest time. His 3:22.415 minutes left him 8.111 seconds behind the leader. Just behind him, Milan Schmüser once again confirmed his strong form following his comeback in Meltewitz. The 2025 Champion finished third in 3:23.601 minutes, with Leon Hentschel following in fourth.
There was also an important signal in the still-open X-GRIP Junior title fight. Championship leader Luca Kropitsch finished an impressive fifth overall and was the fastest Junior.
For Strauss, the fastest time of the day also brought another achievement at the end of a remarkable season. In addition to winning the Prolog in Schwepnitz, the 17-year-old also secured the 2026 overall standings of the ACE Bikes Prolog Award. Alongside the overall Championship and PRO title, Strauss therefore also claimed the season-long Prolog classification.
Strauss and Hentschel Win the Group Races
The two 90-minute group races then determined who would qualify for the big final. In the first race, Henry Strauss continued his strong performance. The newly crowned Champion completed nine laps and won with a 3:42-minute advantage over Milan Schmüser. Luca Kropitsch finished third overall and was also the best X-GRIP Junior. Strauss additionally set the fastest lap of the race with a time of 10:13.798 minutes.
Loris Solbrig also delivered an impressive performance. The already-crowned 85cc Champion won his class and, with seven completed laps and 20th place overall, even qualified for the big final.
Loris Solbrig
In the second group race, Leon Hentschel took control. After nine laps, he won with a 1:14-minute advantage over Arvid Meyer, while Eric Seifert finished third on the second Stark Varg. With a lap time of 9:55.598 minutes, Seifert also recorded the fastest lap across both group races.
Another championship was decided in this race. As usual, the Women competed in the second group race. Julia Bittner prevailed over Dorothea Maaz with six completed laps and, with another class victory, definitively secured the 2026 Women's Championship.
Julia Bittner
HESG Kids Also Provide Plenty of Action
Schwepnitz also marked the end of the season for the HESG Kids. The 50cc and 65cc riders competed in two short races and provided plenty of exciting action in front of the large crowd.
In the 50cc class, Eddy Martin was the dominant rider of the day. He won both races and claimed the overall victory with the maximum score of 50 points. Behind him, Emma Donath and Arthur Mehlhose were tied on 42 points. Donath's second place in the decisive second race gave her second overall, with Mehlhose taking third.
The 65cc class was particularly close. Kian Leppelmeier took the overall victory after finishing second in both races and scoring 44 points. Behind him, Szymon Klepacz and Oskar Renner were separated from the winner by only one point, both scoring 43. Klepacz won the second race and therefore took second overall ahead of Renner.
For Szymon Klepacz, this result was enough to secure the most important prize: he became the 2026 HESG 65cc Champion. Alongside the already-crowned 85cc Champion Loris Solbrig, another HESG Kids Champion was therefore confirmed in Schwepnitz.
Strauss Crowns His Championship Season with Victory in the Final
In front of packed spectator areas, the highlight of the Isegrim Enduro took place late in the afternoon. A total of 46 riders had qualified for the final over 55 minutes plus one lap. The race was held on the well-known final course, where the tricky uphill rock garden once again provided spectacular scenes and demanded everything from the riders at the end of a long race day.
Start zum Finale
At the front, Henry Strauss once again demonstrated why he had already secured the 2026 Championship in Meltewitz. The 17-year-old completed nine laps and won the final race of the season in 1:02:49.513 hours. Leon Hentschel followed in second, 3:24 minutes behind. Milan Schmüser once again confirmed his strong form following his comeback in Meltewitz and completed the podium in third.
Behind them, Eric Seifert and Arvid Meyer finished fourth and fifth on their Stark Vargs. The fastest lap of the final went to Hentschel, who recorded 6:38.846 minutes on lap five.
For Strauss, the victory had another very special meaning. Despite all his previous success in the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany, he had never won the Isegrim Enduro before. In 2026, he finally achieved his first victory in Schwepnitz – and with it earned the right to take home the coveted Schwepnitz wolf trophy for the first time.
The unique trophy was carved on site with a chainsaw. Once again this year, the wolf was created by Manuel Wondrak, German Champion in chainsaw carving. Strauss therefore left the final round of his Championship-winning season not only with the race victory, but also with one of the most distinctive trophies of the entire HESG season.
Henry Strauss
Kropitsch, Blazovich and Woesner Secure Their Titles
The X-GRIP Junior Championship remained exciting until the very end. Luca Kropitsch delivered exactly the result he needed in the title fight. The Austrian completed eight laps and finished an impressive sixth overall. At the same time, he won the Junior classification ahead of Linus Albert and Felix Strauss, securing the 2026 X-GRIP Junior Championship.
Luca Kropitsch
Emil Kessler, who had celebrated a successful comeback in Meltewitz, finished fourth among the Juniors and 13th overall. Karl Rink and Fynn Böhme followed him in the Junior classification.
The Amateur Championship was also decided in the final. Jakob Blazovich left nothing to chance. With six completed laps, he finished as the best Amateur in 17th overall, taking not only the class victory but also securing the 2026 Amateur Championship.
There was a particularly interesting situation in the Senior class. After previous championship leader Kai Uebe had suffered an injury in Meltewitz and was unable to compete in the finale, Manuel Woesner was given one final opportunity to fight for the title. Woesner made the most of it: with five completed laps, he won the Senior classification and secured the 2026 Senior Championship at the final race of the year.
Another notable performance came from Loris Solbrig. After winning the 85cc class in his group race and qualifying for the final, he also took on the full final course aboard his KTM SX 85. Solbrig completed three laps and finished 37th overall.
With the final chequered flag of the year, all remaining championship questions had therefore been answered. Henry Strauss ends the season as overall Champion and PRO Champion, Luca Kropitsch is the X-GRIP Junior Champion, Jakob Blazovich the Amateur Champion and Manuel Woesner the Senior Champion. Peter Fakler won the HESG-E. Julia Bittner had already secured the Women's title in the second group race, while in the HESG Kids categories Szymon Klepacz won the 65cc Championship and Loris Solbrig the 85cc title.
Team X-GRIP Wins the WEBER #werkeholics Team Award
The final decision in the annual WEBER #werkeholics Team Award standings was also made in Schwepnitz. After a season in which the teams collected points at every round, Team X-GRIP came out on top and secured the 2026 Team title.
It was another success for X-GRIP at the end of the season. Alongside strong individual results throughout the year, the team's consistent overall performance ultimately made the difference in the annual WEBER #werkeholics Team Award standings.
Championship Awards Ceremony Brings the 2026 Season to a Close
The Schwepnitz finale was far from over after the sporting action had finished. In the evening, the successful riders of the season once again took centre stage during the official AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany Championship Awards Ceremony.
In front of the record crowd in Schwepnitz, an eventful season came to an end – a year that challenged the riders with a wide variety of courses and race formats. From the season opener in Neuhaus-Schierschnitz to Reetz, the premiere in Kronach, the anniversary double-header in Reisersberg, the special race format in Meltewitz and finally the grand finale in Schwepnitz, the 2026 season provided numerous highlights.
And it was the already-crowned Champion himself who provided the final sporting statement: Henry Strauss won the Prolog, his group race and the final, and claimed the coveted Schwepnitz wolf trophy for the first time.
With that, the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany brought the 2026 season to a fitting conclusion – while attention now already turns towards the 10th season in 2027.
The latest information on the AUNER HardEnduroSeries Germany is always available at www.hardenduro-germany.de and via the series' social media channels.
Photos: Michel238pic/Michel Kuchel