Holcombe Storms to Victory on Sherco UK Debut at the 2026 Santon Enduro
Sherco Secures 1–3 Finish as Holcombe and Chater Impress in Thetford Forest
It was a sensational weekend for Sherco UK as Steve Holcombe made his first UK race appearance on board his Sherco and stormed to victory at the Santon Enduro in Thetford Forest, Norfolk.
Set within the sandy woodland of Thetford Forest, Santon is always a true test of rider skill and machine performance. With a superb special test and notoriously tight time checks, the event demands both outright speed and complete precision through tight trees all the day.
Holcombe was simply unstoppable. Riding the Sherco 300SE 2-stroke, he dominated from the opening test, winning all four special tests in commanding fashion and securing the overall victory by an impressive 27.51 seconds. Keeping it clean on time from start to finish, it was a faultless display of speed, control and consistency — the perfect way to mark his first UK outing on Sherco machinery.
Steve Said, “I love this event! It’s a short, intense special test, and the day finishes off with some tight transfers between the trees. Pumped with P1!”
Adding to the celebrations, Charlie Chater delivered his best-ever Santon result with a superb 3rd place overall aboard his 250SE 2-stroke, securing a fantastic 1–3 overall finish for Sherco.
Charlie said, “A great start to the season for me, in my first proper race on the new bike. I loved being back on a 2-stroke and felt right at home on the 250se – really happy with 3rd overall and thanks to everyone who helped today.”
Championship Class Strength
Further success came in the Championship class, with Ben Zeale claiming 8th place, closely followed by Jack Probert in 9th and Nieve Holmes with a strong 18th-place finish — all representing ET James Racing on their Shercos. Jack Sheppard completed the day in 26th, rounding out a solid showing for the team.
Expert & Clubman Success
In the Expert class, 16-year-old Tomos Jones made his Expert debut — and his first race on the new 125SE — delivering an outstanding performance to finish 8th quickest in class. Adam James followed closely in 9th, further underlining the pace and depth of Sherco riders in the category.
In Clubman, Aaron Bates secured a fantastic 2nd place aboard the 250SEF four-stroke, finishing just three seconds shy of the win. Hot on his heels was teammate Ben Evans, only a further three seconds back, taking a strong 4th-place finish to cap off a brilliant day for the team.
A Race to Remember
From Holcombe’s dominant debut victory with Sherco in UK soil, to podium finishes and standout performances across every class, it was a hugely successful weekend for Sherco at Santon.
Congratulations to all Sherco riders who represented the brand so strongly in the demanding sandy conditions of Thetford Forest — a true team effort and a performance to be proud of.
