As we welcome in brand new year, it’s time to look back one more time at 2024 and a few of our successful riders and teams. On Tuesday, I announced that Kaven Benoit was my pick for Rider of the Year, so congratulations to him. Kaven had a great summer as he battled Drew Adams right down to the final corner at the final round of the 2024 Triple Crown Series at Walton Raceway. Now, here are a few more of my 2024 iKoniK Insurance Award Winners!
Team of the Year: KTM Canada Red Bull Racing Team
As I mentioned above with KTM team rider Kaven Benoit and Jess Pettis winning their respective classes this past year. Not to mention the other two riders on the team, Josisah Natzke and Eve Brodeur also winning multiple races (Eve also won the WMX West Championship). When you have this type of success on the race track, it only makes sense to be named the Team of the Year for 2024. Back in early March I was lucky enough to have spent a few days watching this team train at the GPF Training Facility in Georgia. Even though they were just a few weeks into their 2024 season preparation, the three riders (Beniot, Pettis and Natzke) were already a cohesive unit led by Team Manager Matt Deroy. They rode and tested together, they ate together, and they went on long bike riders together. After spending almost three months training in the USA, the KTM Canada Team returned home and continued to train together. Obviously, this team dynamic worked as they dominated the 2024 Triple Crown Series, winning nine overalls and both the 250 and 450 class championships. It was one of the most dominating seasons we’ve seen from a team and that is why they’re the hands down winner of this award.
Event of the Year: The Corduroy Enduro
During this past year I was fortunate enough to experience some very cool events. From the Triple Crown Series, to the WCAN, ECAN and TransCan, to the exciting Daytona SX (which should be on everyone’s bucket list). It was an entertaining year for sure with races, bike shows, bike tests, and other media events. However, one event that really stood out to me this year was one that I had never been to before, and that was the 2024 Corduroy Enduro. The long running off-road event has been around for seven decades, and although it has changed quite a bit over the years, it still remains one of the largest motorcycle events in North America. Taking place on the challenging tundra of the Haliburton Highlands in Ontario, the Corduroy Enduro was the original ‘hard enduro’ before the phrase was even used in off-road racing. Although the main racing takes places on Saturday and Sunday with over a 1000 entries, the actual festivities begin early in the week, and the paddock begins to fill on Thursday. With kids races, demo rides, as well as a great vendor’s row, the Corduroy Enduro is an event for all ages. As I mentioned, this was my first time attending this event, I drove up on the Friday to check things out. I spent the day seeing and talking to people, some who I knew already, and some I was meeting for the first time. Almost all of our OEM’s were there with large displays and bikes for demo rides, gear companies like Leatt Canada were also in attendance. There was food, drinks, and live music in main paddock, located in and around the Gooderham, Ontario Community Centre. But, the best part of the day was a couple of the riders took me on a two hour hike of the famous Green’s Mountain Test course. This part of the race is famous for not only it’s difficulty, but also its scenic view at the top. If you can make it through this section unscathed, you’re doing very well. I thoroughly enjoyed my day at the 2024 Corduroy Enduro, and I will most likely head back there next year to hang out again. Even if you’re not competing in this event, it’s still a cool place to go and see in person.
Rookie of the Year- Drew Adams
This category was rather easy as it’s not very often that a rider almost wins a championship in their first year. But, that is exactly was what the young US phenom Drew Adams did in 2024, as he fought right to the final lap of the final moto at Walton Raceway. Unfortunately, Drew would come up just two points short of the 250 Pro/Am Class, losing to our Rider of the Year Kaven Benoit. It was a great summer for the teenager from Tennessee, who admitted after the Triple Crown Series that he learned a lot about pro racing. This year, Drew will be back in the USA and will be a member of the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki Team. It’s never easy being a rookie pro in any sport, but Drew Adams handled the role much better than most young riders do. His speed on the track was outstanding, and his maturity and professionalism off of the track was just as good. Congratulations to Drew Adam-Rookie of the Year pick for 2024.
Team Manager of the Year: Matt Deroy
When you manage your race team to three championships over the course of three months, you’re definitely the winner of the Team Manager of the Year Award. From start to finish, Matt Deroy had the KTM Canada Red Bull Racing Team running like a well-oiled machine in 2024, and because of that his riders rewarded him with multiple titles. From Kaven Benoit to Jess Pettis, to Eve Brodeur, 2024 was a very successful season for the Orange Brigade, and Matt was a big reason for this. Also, managing the 450 class championship battle between teammates Jess Pettis and Josiah Natzke couldn’t have been easy. However, Matt kept everyone focused all summer long on the task at hand. Congratulations to Matt Deroy on a great season in 2024, and we wish him all best in 2025 as the KTM Group navigates their way through its challenges.
Comeback Rider of the Year: Wyatt Kerr and Tea Ferguson
Although injuries are part of this sport, it’s always concerning when we see riders have crashes and injuries. As a fan, it’s terrible when you witness your favourite rider suffer a big crash, as a parent that feeling is multiplied by a million when it’s your child lying on ground. However, injuries happen and sometimes facing adversity in life and sport can make you a better person in the end. Recovering from a serious injury is never an easy or simple process, and in some cases it can take months, or even longer. I witnessed this first-hand in 2023 as my son had a big crash at the WCAN in BC, and suffered some very serious injuries. His injuries at the time were so serious that he had to be airlifted straight from the track to a hospital in Kamloops. We all know that awful feeling when we’re at race and we hear the sound of a helicopter coming into land at the track. We know why it’s there, and we instantly feel bad for the poor rider and their family who have just had their day ruined, and in some cases their lives change forever. Thankfully, my son had surgery and healed up and returned to the track later on in 2023, and after some very hard work in the off-season, he had an amazing season in 2024.
Two other riders who suffered even worse injuries than my son in 2023 were Wyatt Kerr and Tea Ferguson. Wyatt, as you may recall had a massive crash at the Calgary National and was done for the season. Wyatt’s back injury required surgery, and at that point if he had walked away from the sport, I don’t think anyone would’ve blamed him. However, he didn’t, and thanks to Social Media we were able to watch and draw inspiration from his recovery. Long walks turned into runs, then bicycle rides and gym work followed, then a year ago he announced that he would be back racing in 2024 aboard a Priority MX KTM. It was a great recovery and a solid return to racing for Wyatt in 2024. Not only did he finish 5th overall in the 250 Pro/Am Triple Crown Series, but he also had a podium moto finish at round two in Lethbridge. Wyatt is also a great guy off of the bike, and because of this he is a well-liked rider in the paddock, and in 2024 he had everyone cheering him on.
When Tea Ferguson had her big crash at the 2023 ECAN, the situation went from bad to worse very quickly. Thankfully, members of the Ferguson family speak French, so the language barrier wasn’t an issue, but her hip and pelvis injuries, once diagnosed, turned out to be very complicated and would require surgery. Unfortunately, things don’t happen too fast at certain hospitals in Canada, and for this reason poor Tea had to lay in a Quebec City hospital for over a week waiting for surgery. It was an awful ordeal and like Wyatt Kerr, no one would’ve blamed Tea for not wanting to ride and race again. However, the moment she was released from the hospital Tea wanted to return to the race track to see her friends, and sisters race. To her, this was step one in her healing process, and from there she returned home to Manitoba to try and fully recover from her serious injuries. After working hard all winter, Tea returned to the race track in the spring, and when the gate dropped on the 2024 WMX West Series in Calgary, she was on the starting line alongside her three sisters. What followed was an amazing summer of racing that included a 6th overall in the WMX West Series, as well as a successful and gutsy performance at the 2024 Deschamabault ECAN, the track she had her crash a year prior. Tea should be very proud of her comeback in 2024, and we’re sure she’s looking forward to the 2025 WMX Series. To these riders, as well as to every rider who was able to come back after facing adversity, well done and we cannot wait to see you in 2025.
Female Rider of the Year: Eve Brodeur
All of last summer the word was that 2024 would be Eve Brodeur’s final season of racing. I honestly had my doubts as I couldn’t not picture the WMX Class without Eve on the starting gate. Since I met her almost a decade ago, Eve has impressed me with her not just her riding, but also her kindness and professionalism off of the track. Over the years, Eve has always had time to chat, whether she was coming off a good performance or not. This is part of what has made Eve a fan favourite, as well as an inspiration to riders of all ages in Canada. Eve will be missed this summer when the gate drops on the 2025 WMX Series, but due to her love of the sport, I’m sure we’ll still see her and her family at the track with big smiles on their faces. Congratulations on an incredible career Eve, and also for winning our Female Rider of the Year!
