adminCollin Matiza Sports Editor
MOST members of the Zimbabwe team for the 2013 FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations were expected to leave the country yesterday to take part in this tough two-day motorcycling event which will be held at Muldersdrift, north-west of Johannesburg, South Africa, this weekend. The FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations is the continental championship for all African countries affiliated to the world’s motorcycling motherbody — FIM — to compete in a Team Championship.
The event is held annually and it brings together top junior and senior motocross riders from South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
And the Bogwheelers Club, who run the motorsport event of motocross in Zimbabwe, recently selected a 19-member team of the country’s top junior and senior riders for this prestigious continental event which will take place at Muldersdrift’s Syringa Motocross Club on Saturday and Sunday.
Tony Rowley, the assistant secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Motorsport Federation, said yesterday that most members of Team Zimbabwe for this weekend’s FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations were scheduled to leave for Johannesburg by road yesterday.
But Rowley said one member of the team, one of the country’s top female motocross riders Victoria van Breda, is no longer going to compete in this weekend’s event at Muldersdrift due to injury.
“Victoria van Breda has been declared medically unfit to compete in this weekend’s event in South Africa. She injured her left ankle about three weeks ago and the doctor said she should not race for another couple of weeks and this has ruled her out of this year’s FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations.
“The rest of the Zimbabwean riders should be in Johannesburg either by Thursday (today) or Friday ahead of registration and scrutineering which will be done on Friday,” said Rowley, who is also a member of the FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Jury for this weekend’s event in South Africa.
Meanwhile, the unavailability of Victoria van Breda will see Team Zimbabwe being represented by only one female rider at this year’s FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations — nine-year-old Tanya Muzinda.
Muzinda, one of the few black female riders who are into motocross in Zimbabwe, is expected to fly out to Johannesburg tomorrow morning accompanied by her father and trainer, Tawanda Muzinda, and they should arrive there in time for tomorrow’s registration and scrutineering at Syringa Motocross Club.
At this weekend’s event at Muldersdrift, Tanya, a Grade Four pupil at Eaglesvale Primary School, will be representing Zimbabwe in the women’s 65cc Class and she will be making her maiden appearance at a major international motocross event outside our borders.
Tanya will be joined in Muldersdrift this weekend by other top junior and senior Zimbabwean motocross riders such as 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, Jayden Ashwell, Ashley Thixton, Barry Frederiksen, Shane Thomas, Trevor Thixton and Blaize Thomas.
They are all expected to converge on Syringa Motocross Club at Muldersdrift this weekend where they will first take part in a full-day practise session on Saturday before they plunge into the main event — the 2013 FIM Motocross of African Nations — the following day.
On Sunday, 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 carry the Zimbabwean flag in the 65cc Class.
Wade Ashwell and Mike Mawarire will do duty in the 85cc Class while the trio of Aiden vad Breda, Josh Thomas and Tafadzwa Mawarire will be fighting for the top honours in the 125cc Class.
Two of Zimbabwe’s champion riders Ashley Thixton and Jayden Ashwell will also be hoping to get podium places in the MX Class as will Frederiksen and Trevor Thixton who will be competing in the Veterans Class.
Online Reporter