American Seth Stevens Wins Inaugural CAKE World’s Race

Gotland, Sweden (August 23rd, 2021) – Sweden’s famed Gotland Ring racetrack played host to the inaugural CAKE World’s Race from August 19th through the 21st. The event, which pitted 16 riders, male and female, competing head-to-head in a Round Robin 4x format, was contested on a track designed by Swedish Enduro rider, and CAKE World’s Race competitor, Robert Kvarström. The short track, only 365 meters long, was created specifically for the light, agile, and punchy CAKE Kalk OR Race. All riders competed on the same equipment, and since CAKE’s premiere off-road motorcycle tips the scales at a scant 165 pounds the race promised to be a true showcase of the riders’ skill. 

The event lived up to its billing and the athletes, with backgrounds in Enduro Motocross, Supercross, and Downhill Mountain Biking, put on a fine display of hard racing that highlighted their impressive driving skills. The two-day competition gave competitors a chance to face each other prior to knock out rounds in the semi-finals and finals. When the dust settled it was the American Seth Stevens who showed the skills that make him the one of the hottest new talents in gravity racing translated well to the limestone track at Gotland.  

“The weekend was great, I had a birthday and won almost all my races and won the final championship, so I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend,” said Stevens after conquering the inaugural event. Others echoed the American’s sentiment. Peter Weiss, a Danish Enduro racer, was effusive in his praise for the groundbreaking race, stating “It’s really fun. It’s something that we normally never get to do and it feels like the revolution of the sport.” 

The statement by Weiss touched on the true significance of the weekend. With a decline in motocross races in recent years, mainly due to pollution and noise, CAKE’s quiet electric motorcycles are paving the way for a new kind of race format. The CAKE World’s Race proved to be a successful test run for the CAKE Global City Racing Series that’s set to launch in 2022. Along with charting a path towards a more sustainable sport, this initiative is meant to inspire a more inclusive racing culture, with men and women competing together. 

“We are doing this to spread the joy of bike riding and showing that it’s possible to enjoy motor bike racing without polluting or disturbing the local community. Tragically, 70% of all motorbike races have been banned in the last 15 years mainly due to this, so our aim is to open the way for a new kind of race. It’s also important for us to work toward a more inclusive racing culture, which is the reason we wanted to invite both men and women to the race. With the light, electric bikes, the race also proved tight between the genders”, says founder and CEO Stefan Ytterborn.  

When asked about the experience of racing electric motorcycles on such a small track, Kirian Mirabet, a professional Enduro racer who hails from Spain, said “The difference is the intensity. The track is short, and the motor bikes all have the same power so it’s so easy to make small mistakes and have everyone pass you. It doesn’t matter where you come from or who you are, just enjoy it and have fun!” 

Compared to traditional motocross races, CAKE’s race format – with its short tracks, zero-emission vehicles, and inclusive racing culture with all competitors aboard the same machine – is easier and cheaper for host venues. The races can be set in urban areas without the noise pollution typically associated with loud, gas-powered bikes. That allows temporary tracks to be constructed in urban centers, and permanent tracks no longer have to be banished far outside city limits to avoid disturbing local residents. Bringing events and tracks closer to fans and participants alike will make the sport more accessible for all, lowering a major barrier to entry. CAKE is confident this will result in a shift from a pass-time for the elites into a popular sport for the masses. 

About CAKE

CAKE produces several models of its high-performance bike, the Kalk, for off-road racers and freeriders, as well as street legal versions. The brand has two models of the versatile and utilitarian commuter bike called the Ösa. CAKE’s product lineup also boasts the Kalk AP, a street-legal off-road bike designed in partnership with the Southern Africa Wildlife College to help in the fight against poaching in Africa’s National Parks. These lightweight bikes weigh less than 200 pounds and depending on model and riding style can deliver up to three hours or over 50 miles of fun unadulterated by the noise of an internal combustion engine. And because they weigh several hundred pounds less than their fossil fuel-powered counterparts, and don’t require riders to manage a clutch or shift gears, CAKE bikes make riding motorcycles more accessible to more riders.

Images and videos from the racing can be downloaded by clicking this link. For more information about CAKE and the CAKE World’s Race, please direct inquiries to Bobby Lea at bobby.lea@backbone.media.