Thixton eyes glory in SA

Collin Matiza Sports Editor
YOUNG Zimbabwean motocross speed demon Ashley Thixton is relishing another opportunity of representing the country at this coming weekend’s tough 2013 FIM Africa Motocross of Nations at Syringa Park in Muldrist, north of Johannesburg, South Africa. The FIM Africa Motocross of Nations is the continental championship for all African countries affiliated to the world’s motorcycling motherbody FIM to compete in a Team Championship.

And the Bogwheelers Club, who run the motorsport event of motocross in Zimbabwe, are looking at sending a strong 19-member team of the country’s top junior and senior riders to this weekend’s big event in Muldrist and they will be led by young Zimbabwean champion rider Ashley Thixton.

At 20 years old, Thixton has already been crowned an African motocross champion twice, having won the 50cc Class in 2002 and the 85cc Class in 2005, at the same FIM Africa Motocross of Nations event which is staged annually in different African countries that are affiliated to the FIM.

And Thixton yesterday confirmed that he will be part of Team Zimbabwe for this weekend’s tough continental championship in South Africa where 19 Zimbabwean riders will be competing against other top motocross competitors from fellow African countries such as the hosts South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana and Zambia.

In Muldrist, Thixton will be carrying the country’s flag in the MXI Class together with fellow talented Zimbabwean motocross rider Jayden Ashwell and yesterday, the former Peterhouse College pupil was rubbing his hands with glee in anticipation of having another dance with the FIM Africa Motocross of Nations event.

Thixton has, in fact, competed in this continental event nine times and is set to make his 10th appearance at this exciting competition in Muldrist this weekend.

“Yes, I’m definitely going to compete in this weekend’s event in South Africa and I’m looking forward to it.
“My preparations for this event have been going on well. In fact, I’ve had some good practise sessions in the past couple of weeks with some of my fellow members of Team Zimbabwe.

“Only this last weekend, some of the junior and senior riders, who will be in the team for this year’s FIM Africa Motocross of Nations, got together and did a lot of training and team bonding at (the chairman of the Bogwheelers Club) Gary Grainger’s farm in Ruwa.

“There were about 12 of us and I think we are more than ready to compete in this weekend’s event in South Africa, where we all hope to raise the Zimbabwean flag high,” Thixton said.

But he conceded that their participation at this year’s FIM Africa Motocross of Nations event at Syringa Motocross Club in Muldrist will not be a stroll in the park for the Zimbabwean riders as they will face some stiff competition from South African and Zambian competitors.

“Our biggest worry is South Africa. They have got some really good riders but the team we will be aiming to beat will be Zambia because they are probably our next strongest rivals after South Africa . . . We are really bracing ourselves for some tough competition out there in Muldrist this weekend,” said Thixton, who has been a motocross rider for the past 15 years.

Apart from Thixton and Ashwell, other top Zimbabwean riders who are expected to take part in this weekend’s continental event in Muldrist are young Kuda Mhene, Ryan Masimo, Daiyaan Manuel, Big “BJ” Chitima (Junior), Davin Cocker, Mudiwa Chigumba, Tyler Mawarire, Wade Ashwell, Mike Mawarire, Aiden van Breda, Josh Thomas, Tafadzwa Mawarire, Barry Frederiksen, Trevor Thixton and Blaize Thomas.

They will be joined there by two of Zimbabwe’s top female motocross riders, Victoria van Breda and nine-year-old Tanya Muzinda.
At this weekend’s FIM Africa Motocross of Nations, four of Zimbabwe’s most promising young motocross riders, Mhene, Masimo, Manuel and Chitima (Junior), will represent the country in the 50cc Class while Cocker, Chigumba and Tyler Mawarire will be battling it out for the top honours in the 65cc Class.

Wade Ashwell and Mike Mawarire will also be fighting for the top three podium places in the 85cc Class as will Aiden van Breda, Josh Thomas and Tafadzwa Mawarire, who will be competing in the 125cc Class.

Seasoned campaigners Frederiksen and Trevor Thixton will also be travelling down to South Africa this weekend for the FIM Africa Motocross of Nations, where they have been entered for the Veterans Class while former national champion Blaize Thomas and his brother Shane will compete in the Masters Class at the same event.

Female riders van Breda and Muzinda will also be part of Team Zimbabwe in South Africa this weekend and they will represent the country in the Ladies Class and 65cc Class respectively.

Most members of Team Zimbabwe are expected to leave for South Africa by road tomorrow while Ashley Thixton indicated yesterday that he will be flying down to Johannesburg on Friday, a day ahead of the start of the 2013 FIM Africa Motocross of Nations.

The FIM Africa Motocross of Nations is one of very few Team events worldwide and gives the Zimbabwean riders an opportunity to compete as a Team at international level.

South Africa last hosted the event in 2010 at Dirt Bronco and the competition is set to return to the same country this year, where it will be staged at Muldrist’s Syringa Motocross Club which has a long history with motocross i.e. since the early 1960s and has hosted many successful international motocross events with many top international riders from both Africa and abroad competing at this well-known motocross circuit.