Rolf Witthöft

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Rolf Witthöft (2013)

Rolf Witthöft (* 1944 ) is a German enduro athlete and entrepreneur. He was a multiple European champion and a member of the victorious German trophy and silver vase teams at the International Six Days.

Life

Rolf Witthöft was born as the son of the Bad Oldeslo vehicle workshop owner Heinrich Witthöft. In 1960 he began an apprenticeship in his parents' company. At the same time, he dared to take his first steps in what was then still off-road sport, known as enduro sport. In 1962 he took part in trial , motocross , grass track and enduro events as a “badge driver” on a 50 cm³ Kreidler . From 1964 he drove a 100 cc Hercules . Thanks to his success, he became a works driver during the season. In 1966 he won a gold medal at the Six Days on the Isle of Man . In 1967 he became German cross-country champion for the first time and again won a gold medal in the six-day race in Zakopane, Poland .

Since Hercules withdrew from motorsport at the end of the season, Witthöft switched to the Austrian manufacturer Puch . In 1968 and 1969 he won the German Championship and the newly created European Championship in the 125 cc class. In 1969 he was a member of the victorious silver vase maker at the Six Days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen . In 1970 Witthöft moved to Zündapp . In the years 1970 to 1976 he won the German off-road championship five times, 1970 to 1973 and 1975 the European championships, won six gold medals at the Six Days by 1976 and was the driver with the best points in 1973 . As captain, he was instrumental in the victories of the German trophy team at the Six Days in 1975 on the Isle of Man and in 1976 in Zeltweg , Austria .

In order to be able to dedicate himself more to his own motorcycle business, he ended his active career in 1976 - but not for long. In 1978 he started in the new class "over 750 cm³" with an off-road motorcycle developed himself based on the Kawasaki Z 750 road machine. Rolf Witthöft thus became German champion and beat the BMW works team . This therefore obliged him for the following year. In 1980 he then succeeded in winning the European Championship and winning a silver vase with the German team at the Six Days in Brioude, France .

Since BMW then withdrew from enduro racing and limited itself to the Paris-Dakar rally , Witthöft ended his work at the factory. He occasionally took part in enduro competitions with a self-made Kawasaki Z 510. In the years 2000 to 2007 he was a frequent participant in so-called “classic enduro” with historical motorcycles.

successes

German off-road championship
from 1967 18 titles in classes 100, 125 and over 750 cm³
European Championship
Class up to 125 cm³: 1968 to 1973, 1975
Class up to 1000 cm³: 1980
International six-day trip
1969 , 1980 : silver vase
1975 , 1976 : Trophy
1973 : overall winner

Awards

Rolf Witthöft has been the holder of the Silver Laurel Leaf of the Federal Republic of Germany since 1973 .

literature

  • Leo Keller: Rolf Witthöft - winner in all saddles . In: ENDURO . ENDURO-Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, January 2008, ISSN  0948-2881 , p. 72-74 .
  • Steffen Ottinger: International six-day race 2012 . The story since 1913. HB-Werbung und Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Chemnitz 2012, ISBN 978-3-00-039566-6 , p. 46 ff .
  • Steffen Ottinger: Around Zschopau . The story of an off-road motorcycle ride. tape 1 . Druck- und Verlagsgesellschaft Marienberg, Marienberg 2004, ISBN 3-931770-49-4 , p. 60 ff .
  • Steffen Ottinger: Around Zschopau . The story of an off-road motorcycle ride. tape 2 . HB-Werbung und Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Chemnitz 2011, ISBN 978-3-00-036705-2 , p. 20th ff .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Witthöft, Rolf
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German enduro athlete
DATE OF BIRTH 1944