Motocross action returning to Pietermaritzburg this weekend

The 2020 Cannabis Energy South African Motocross Championship will return to action in a double header at the Thunder Valley track in Pietermaritzburg this weekend.

It’s been an excruciating seven month wait since the season-opening Rover round in Elizabeth in February, so every single rider will be itching to get back and fight it out. So what better than four races for each class over two days at one of SA’s best loved MX tracks?

Tristan Purdon will be the man with the target on his back in the big banger open class MX1 races aboard his Red Bull KTM. He will have Yamaha trio Lloyd Vercueil (Florstore on Trend), David Goosen (Out of Africa Monster), Anthony Raynard (Tintswalo Dragon) and KTM teammate Kerim Fitz-Gerald on his case. Factory Husqvarna rider and 2019 SA MX1 champion Maddy Malan will be out to prove a point after a difficult first round. So will Yamaha men Jesse Wright, plus KTM riders Cameron Durow, Marco de Vrye, Regan Wasmuth, Johan Vogelesang, and Dylan Mostert.

Championship leader David Goosen (Out of Africa Yamaha) will start as 250 cc MX2 favourite. Red Bull KTM duo Tristan Purdon and SA champion Kerim Fitz-Gerald, Slade Smith (Summit Yamaha), Anthony Raynard (Tintswalo Dragon Yamaha) and Maddy Malan (Husqvarna) are all capable of winning too. Add KTM riders Bradley Cox, and Joshua Mlimi, Yamaha pair Keegan Hickson-Mahony and Ryan Angilley and Seth David van den Abeele (Husqvarna) and you have the recipe for great racing.

Champion Ian Topliss (Motul Yamaha) arrives in KZN leading the MX3 chase. The over-40 Masters man will have over-30 Senior men Tyson Engelbrecht (The Roost KTM), Dwayne Kleynhans (Fast KTM) and Master rider Brett Bircher (Motul KTM) to deal with. Jonathan Hubbard (KTM), Alec Combrink (Husqvarna), Andre Swart (KTM), Husqvarna men Gerhard Hanekom and Jaco van Zyl and Sheldon Watkins (Yamaha) are all factors among the old men of motocross too.

Reigning champion Kayla Raaff (SA Bikewise Motul Kawasaki) will be keen to pick up where she left off with a double Ladies Motocross win last time out. Megan Jonker (Motul Leatt Husqvarna), Natasha Rugani (KTM), Pegasus Husqvarna sisters Jadene and Cheyenne de Lima, Kylie Kotze and KTM girls Savannah van Vuuren and Kelly Benn will definitely want to stop her though.

In the junior classes, Ugandan Stav Orland (Orland Brothers KTM) and Ethan Hoffman (Dirt Rider Yamaha) will be keen to continue their 125 cc High School duel. Liam Gilchrist (RPG Nutritech Husqvarna) and Christiaan Cilliers (Out of Africa Monster Yamaha) are both capable of winning too. Also keep an eye out for KTM five, Mark-Anthony Filip, Jonathan Mlimi and Cuan Conway, Miguel de Waal and Blake Young and Yamaha lad Josh de Hutton among this testosterone-charged lot.

Zimbabwean Daiyaan Manuel (KTM) was the 85 cc Pro Mini form man back in February, but Bryce Petersen (Linex Yamaha), Emmanuel Bako (KTM) and Kyle Townsend (Cannabis Energy KTM) will be keen to topple him in KZN. KTM kids Luke Grundy and Wesley McGavin, Tyler Tarantino and reigning SA 85 Junior champion Seth Young and Husqvarna riders Lucas Venter and Wian du Plooy will however ensure that it could now be anyone’s game, six months down the line.

The 85 cc Junior races promise a battle between last race winner Liam Botha (Eco Tanks Husqvarna), Alon Orland (Orland Bros KTM) and Pieter Brink (Orange County KTM). Don’t ignore Ryan Adler (Husqvarna),Timo Maximo Toepfer (Fast Motul KTM) and Joshua Williams (Linex Yamaha). Other factors include Blake Osner (Husqvarna), Nathan Verster (KTM) and Yamaha duo Louis Mostert and Kodi Goosen.

Primary school 65 cc champion Neil van der Vyver (Husqvarna SA) will be out for revenge over round 1 winner Jordan van Wyk (CIT Husqvarna), but never ignore Trey Cox (Motul Alfie Cox KTM), Jack Pullen (Husqvarna). Yamaha lighties Aiden Henley and Tyler Petersen, Husqvarna trio Sven Larsen, Christian Berrington Smith, Nicol Smit and Damien Venter (Yamaha) are also all ready to impress.

Last but not least, the 50 cc Motocross kids. Chase Bekker starts as favourite in the baby class aboard his Summit Racing Florstor on Trend Husqvarna. He will have Trenton Kretzmann (Air Auto Africa Fox Husqvarna) and KTM lads Maxwell Fourie and Aiden Retief all over him, while Michael Enslin, Husqvarna riders Rayden Woolls and Alex Cooper and the KTMs of Brody Bircher Evan Frost and Skyler de Kock will be out to impress too.

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