Morocco in historic comeback

Collin Matiza and Cloud Fusire
MOROCCO are this year set to make a historic comeback to the FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships after a decade of absence from one of the continent’s biggest motorcycling events.

The two-day annual event traditionally takes place during the last weekend of August and will this year be hosted by Zimbabwe at Donnybrook Raceway in Harare for the second time since 2015.

It will see top junior and senior male and female riders from across Africa coming together to battle for silverware.

And Jamie Kerwin, the public relations officer of the Bogwheelers Club who run motocross in Zimbabwe on behalf of Motorsport Zimbabwe, yesterday told The Herald that six countries, including Morocco, have already confirmed their participation at this year’s African Championships to be staged on August 31 and September 1.

Moroccan riders have been absent at the FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships for close to 10 years and were not at the last five editions of the continental event which were staged in South Africa (2014), Zimbabwe (2015), Kenya (2016), Zambia (2019) and Botswana (2018).

But the North African country have indicated that they will be available for this year’s championships and some of their top riders will be making their way to this part of the world next month where they will be joined by their peers from Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia and the hosts Zimbabwe at the two-day event.

Kerwin said they were still expecting more countries to confirm their participation at the African Championships before they close the registration today.

This year will mark the 20th anniversary of this continental event which was held in Botswana last year where South Africa once again emerged as the overall champions ahead of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe have already named a strong 56-member team that will represent the country at this exciting two-day event and the team will be led by MX1 Class rider Jayden Ashwell (23), who is now based in South Africa.

Ashwell takes over the captaincy of Team Zimbabwe from Ashley Thixton who has also been included in the same team despite his relocation to the Democratic Republic of Congo a few months ago.

At this year’s African Championships, Ashwell and Thixton will represent Zimbabwe in the main MX1 Class together with  Hamish Perry, Frik Prinsloo and Cameron Thixton.

Team Zimbabwe for the 2019 FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships

50cc Class: Willem Krause, Sebastian Wright, Benin Doran, Kudzwai Chiturura, Junior Bako, Jayden Kerwin, George Zieman.

65cc Class: Jordan Dewdney, Declan Barrett, Karl Van As, Blake Prinsloo, Munyaradzi Bako, Tariq Shelton, Riley Rocher, Jack Goby, Luke Southon, Campbell Rennie, Mugaro Kabasa, Ross Stewart.

85cc Class: Daiyaan Manuel, Emmanuel Bako, Jamie Doran, Ricky Whyte, Tristan Versveld, Dilan Faasen, Joshua Halkier.

125cc Class: Tristan Grainger, Liam Le Roux, Luke Doran, Cameron Mellor, David Evans.

MX1 Class: Jayden Ashwell, Ashley Thixton, Hamish Perry, Frik Prinsloo, Cameron Thixton.

MX2 Class: Regan Wasmuth, Joshua Goby, Ross Bredenkamp, Mitch Stead, Jacques du Plessis, Liam Robinson.

MX3 Class: Warren Thorne, Doug Mellor, Phil Dos Santos, Mark Ziemann, Adrian Olivier, Xenon Ekron.

Masters Class: Shane Thomas, Trevor Thixton, Lofty Versveld, Jim Perry.

Ladies 85cc Class: Celine Goodinson, Leigh-Anne Young, Bianca Beling, Tadiwanashe Nyamupfukudza.