Motocross champions crowned in thrilling season finale

The past weekend’s Bloemfontein’s double header Cannabis Energy South African National Motocross Championship finale delivered thrilling title cliffhangers and nine new South African Motocross Champions.

Tristan Purdon is the 2020 SA MX1 champion, David Goosen took the MX2 title, Ian Topliss came up on top in MX3 and Kayla Raaf is the SA ladies Motocross champion. Jonathan Mlimi took the 25 cc High School title, Bryce Petersen under-15 85 cc Pro, Liam Botha under-13 85 cc Junior, Neil van der Vyver is the under-11 65 cc champion and Trenton Kretzman took all the baby 50 cc crown.

Anthony Raynard leads the MX2 field

KTM MX1 star Purdon took three moto wins and a third to clinch a dominant 2020 premier class MX1 title. The on-form Anthony Reynard was second four times in a row, which meant that Maddy Malan had to win Sunday’s final race to ensure he clinched that title third by just a point from Reynard. David Goosen meanwhile did enough over to hold on to second in that championship.

Championship outsider Reynard was in imperious form as he marched to four 250 cc MX2 wins on the trot. It was just not enough however. David overcame a Saturday retirement to provisionally hold on to the championship by a single championship point! Slade Smith was second in most of the weekend’s races, but just lost the championship second to Reynard in a Yamaha 1-2-3.

Newly crowned ladies champion Kayla Raaf

Topliss meanwhile beat Brett Bircher and Alec Combrink to an over-40 MX3 clean sweep in all four races. Topliss steamed to the championship in the process. Raaff and her Kawasaki went unbeaten in Ladies Motocross this year as she stormed to another South African title. Jadene de Lima delivered a quartet of seconds to draw level with Natasha Rugani in the ladies title chase to take the title second. Provisionally, on a count-back with five second places to Rugani’s four.

KTM rider Mlimi won the final six 125 cc High School races on the trot to clinch that title. His closest rivals, Christian Celliers and Miguel de Waal shared out most of the seconds and thirds this past Bloemfontein weekend. Celliers did enough to take the provisional championship second, by just two points.

MX2 champion David Goosen

Two seconds on Saturday and a couple of wins on Sunday were not enough for Wian du Plooy to catch Saturday’s race 2 winner Bryce Petersen in the under-15 85 cc Pro championship. That, despite Petersen retiring from the first race of the weekend. It was enough for du Plooy to beat the consistent Lucas Venter to second in that title race.

Botha took three wins and a third to clinch a dominant SA under-13 85 cc Junior Motocross championship. Pieter Brink however broke Botha’s unbeaten run of wins this season with a Saturday race 2 win. Botha did enough to pip Ryan Adler to second in the title chase over the weekend.

Jonathan Mlimi rode away with the 25 cc High School title

Van der Vyver took all four under-11 65 cc victories as he raced to a second consecutive championship for Husqvarna. His closest title rivals, Jordan van Wyk and Trey Cox swapped the seconds and thirds throughout the weekend. Last but not least, Trenton Kretzman took all four Bloemfontein baby 50 cc moto wins over Brody Bircher. Kretzman took that championship from Bircher and Chase Bekker.

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