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Collin Matiza-Sports Editor
ONE of the country’s top junior motocross riders Emile Croisette has ruled himself out from representing the country at this year’s FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships due to pressing commitments in the United States.
The 2023 FIM Africa Motocross African Nations Championships are scheduled to run from August 11 to 13 at the popular Zone 7 track in Cape Town, South Africa, and this big continental motorcycling event usually attracts top junior and senior dirt bike riders from a number of African countries that include Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Bogwheelers Club, who run the motocross in this country on behalf of Motorsport Zimbabwe, have already picked a strong Team Zimbabwe squad comprising of more than 42 of the country’s top junior and senior male and female riders who will be led by former MX1 Class National Champion, Ashley Thixton.
But one of the country’s top junior riders Croisette will be conspicuous by his absence in Cape Town next month as he is currently in the United States preparing for the world’s largest and most prestigious amateur motocross race at the iconic Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, from July 31 to August 6.
Speaking to The Herald at the weekend from the United States where Croisette is currently training under one of that country’s top motocross trainers, Shannon Niday, the former’s father, Joe, said his 16-year-old son was ”definitely” out of this year’s FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships as he was already preparing to compete in the Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships later this month.
“Emile, after more than three months of intensive training with Shannon Niday, qualified in multiple high-ranked races and finally finished seventh overall and was admitted to participate in the National Championship at Loretta Lynn (as alternate).
“Loretta Lynn is the final of the American National amateur championship. Emile is today basically ranked as one of top 50 riders in the USA (in the MiniSenior 1 Class).
“He’ll be at Loretta Lynn Ranch for the full first week of August… We will receive official confirmation from AMA around July 12… The scoring to go to Loretta is a bit complex. I had to call AMA for them to explain to me.
“I’m waiting for the official results from AMA. They told me they’ll get back to me in mid-July. But AMA told me, he (Emile) needs to be ready for the Loretta Lynn finals… He did some amazing races… it wasn’t an easy and smooth path to be selected to compete against the top racers in the world.
“I have three weeks to find a Zimbabwean flag that we will hoist at these prestigious championships in the United States,” Joe Croisette said.
Meanwhile, promising junior motocross rider Victor Nyamupfukudza yesterday told The Herald that he was ”more than delighted” to be included in Team Zimbabwe for next month’s FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships in Cape Town.
He rides in the juniors 50cc and 65cc classes.
Nine-year-old Nyamupfukudza said he felt honoured to be part of a talented squad of junior and senior motocross riders that have been selected to represent this country at this big annual continental event in the Mother City next month.
This is the second time that Nyamupfukudza will be carrying the Zimbabwean flag at the African Championships, having represented the country at last year’s edition in Kampala, Uganda.
“Remember when we went to the last African Championships in Uganda, it was only me and my sister Tadiwanashe who were officially representing Zimbabwe and we did quite well there despite the difficult conditions in the East African country.
“But I gained some good and healthy experience there which I hope to take to this year’s championships in Cape Town and hopefully win a gold medal for my country.
“I am determined to do well there because I’ve been riding consistently well in the local motocross circuit this year,” said Nyamupfukudza, a Grade Four pupil at Eland Oak Junior School in Waterfalls, Harare.
The young, talented rider’s father and trainer, Simba, said they have been training hard for this year’s FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships since April this year.
”We’ve been putting in a lot of training hours both at the gym and at Donnybrook Raceway Park in Harare and I think we are good to go.
“We are scheduled to leave for Cape Town by road a week before the championships accompanied by (top senior rider) Ashley Thixton who’s got another major motocross assignment in South Africa before the African Championships.
”I think this is going to be another good experience for both Victor and Tadiwanashe as they will once again be coming up against some of Africa’s top junior riders at the iconic Zone 7 track in Cape Town.
“We are just hoping some well-wishers will contribute towards our food and accommodation during our more than one-week stay in South Africa,” Simba Nyamupfukudza said.
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