Off-roader Kayde races to national title
The South Coast has an abundance of offroad riding talent.
IT’S harder on the nerves in the pits than it is on the riders… I think. That’s how Deon Mante felt after watching his 12-year-old son Kayde clinch the national Junior 85cc Class title.
This came after the Kamberg Junior National that formed the fourth and fifth rounds of the 2013 Junior National Championship in the Kamberg area in KwaZulu-Natal last weekend.
It was a long, tough season but it’s all been worth it as Kayde has emerged as yet another South Coast rider with a bright future in the sport.
Saturday was overcast and cold when the riders started the 24km course. Kayde led from start to finish and finished a very impressive three-and-a-half minutes ahead of the pack. His closest competitor, David Odendaal, had a few crashes along the way and only managered a fourth place.
This took the pressure off Kayde a little for the racing on Sunday. “After loads of calculations and possible scenarios we worked out Kayde could finish the race in third place and still take the SA title. The strategy was to race sensibly, no unnecessary risks, and finish no further down the order than third place. Kayde raced with maturity above his age in the slippery and wet conditions and completed the race in second place,” said his proud dad.
With the best four out of five events raced counting for points, his three victories (Junior Roof of Africa, Winterberg and Kamberg), and a second place (Rhysmiersbilt ), secured him the title.
In the Open Motorcycle Class there were two consecutive victories for the defending champion, Andrew Wren (Extreme Yamaha Support), but two third places after rear brake problems for Travis Teasdale (Husaberg Alfie Cox Racing) secured him the title for 2013. Criterion Yamaha Portable Shade teammates, Kyle Flanagan of Paddock and Damien Scott each scored a second and a fourth place while Mauritz Meiring (McGee Yamaha Lydenburg) finished fifth on both days to complete his first year in the Junior National Championship.
Like Teasdale, Angus Coetzee (Criterion Yamaha) also claimed his second Junior National Championship title in his short career by winning the 125cc Class Championship. He did so by scoring a victory and a second place (he experienced a small mechanical issue) while two more victories during the season supported his cause.
