dyton mupawaenda
Collin Matiza-Sports Editor
WHILE it was all work and no play for most local athletes in different disciplines across the country during this past weekend, it was the motocross riders who took centre stage at Donnybrook Park Raceway in Harare on Sunday.
Sunday saw local junior and senior motocross riders taking part in the sixth and final round of the 2023 Bogwheelers Club National Motocross Championship series on a newly laid down track.
The track had been reversed in the opposite direction, courtesy of the new motocross sponsors Better Brands Jewellery and Orca Plant Hire.
Earthmoving machines were on site on Sunday morning and this forced the organisers of the Bogwheelers Club National Motocross Championship series to delay the start of racing by almost three hours.
But when action finally got underway just before noon in front of about 1 500 spectators, it was all systems go for the local riders and spills and thrills were the order of the day.
Although most of the national titles had already been sewn up in the different classes by the time the gates opened on Sunday, the riders were just determined to burn the track as they jostled for places on the podium.
This was a phenomenal day of racing and the increase in participation (there were more than 50 riders on show) really shows the growing popularity of the sport in this country.
The day started with the PeeWees (riders under the age of seven) warming up the track before the senior riders took over the show.
Jamie Kerwin of the Bogwheelers Club noted how incredible it was to see the diverse range of athletes competing with the youngest just five years and the oldest being over 55.
“Today was a very good day for racing . . . Racing itself was very good and very competitive; and there were no injuries. Thankfully the rains held off.
“We are grateful to Better Brands Jewellery for their support and their machinery which was on the track.
“We are also grateful to Orca Group for their grader, which helped in laying down the new track. We are also grateful to Warren Thorne for doing the good work on the new track,” Kerwin said.
Visiting top South African riders Joshua and Jonathan Mlimi who once again graced this occasion as guest riders were the stars of the show in the seniors MX1 and MX2 classes.
The Mlimi brothers were spectacular on the day as they both ruled the roost in the MX1 and MX2 classes.
In the MX1 Class, Joshua Mlimi held off Ashley Thixton’s advances throughout the second half of the race, finally getting the first step on the podium ahead of the Zimbabwean champion rider.
Third place went to Dylan Zanin.
For Thixton, he went into the race meeting after having already been crowned as the MX1 Class National Champion for 2023.
Young Daiyaan “Dee” Manuel has also clinched the MX2 Class National title but on Sunday he was forced to play second fiddle to a fired-up Jonathan Mlimi.
Jonathan Mlimi was just untouchable in the MX2 Class in which he forced Manuel and Emmanuel Bako to settle for second and third place. The top three places in the MX3 Class went to Dougie Mellor, Ricky Whyte and Cameron Mellor.
There was no stopping Emmanuel Bako in the 125cc class in which he was just too good for his nearest challengers Riley Rocher and Karl van As.
After settling for second place in the 125cc class, Rocher redeemed himself by coming first in the 85cc class ahead of South Africa’s Kabelo Ledwaba and van As.
Nine-year-old Victor Nyamupfukudza stole the show in the 65cc class, beating National Champion Kudzwai Chitsurura and Seb Wright into second and third place.
And Nyamupfukudza, who has already walked away with the 50cc class national title, later came second in this class behind Cameron Fraser while Michael Krause settled for third place.
Nyamupfukudza’s father and manager, Simbarashe, could not hide his excitement after watching his son grab two places on the podium at the end of the day on Sunday.
“This has put an exclamation mark on what was a superb season for Victor who is now a National Champion in the 50cc Class.
“It all came through some hard work…Victor was really focused throughout the whole season.
“We are now going to prepare for the Zimbabwe Summer Series in December before he graduates from the 50cc to the 65cc class for next year and we have to get him a new bike for this journey and hopefully a well-wisher or well-wishers will come to our rescue,” said Simbarashe Nyamupfukudza.
Big “Bigs” Chitima, who trains both Kudzwai Chitsurura and Victor Nyamupfukudza, was all smiles after watching his “products” grab places on the podium at the business end of Sunday’s event at Donnybrook.
“Oh what a great feeling watching your charges being crowned as the National Champions in their respective classes.
“Kudzwai came into this race meeting after having already sewn up the 65cc class national title and I told him not to put pressure on himself . . . he was just riding for fun.
“The same thing with Victor. His bike was having clutch issues but I told him to take it easy as his national points were way ahead of his nearest challengers in the 50cc class.
“So for this year I’ve managed to produce or come up with two national champions in the 65cc and 50cc classes and what more can I ask for,” Chitima said after the race meeting.
With the 2023 season now complete, local riders can enjoy a bit of a short rest time, before they start preparing for the Better Brands Jewellery Zimbabwe Summer Series.
The season-ending Better Brands Jewellery Zimbabwe Summer Series, which usually attracts top international dirt bike riders from the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Botswana and Zambia, has been slated for December 6, 8 and 10 at Donnybrook.
It will consist of two Supercross (night racing) events on December 6 and 8 followed by a full day of motocross action on the final day on December 10.
Online Reporter