adminCollin Matiza Sports Editor
A STRONG 19-member team will represent Zimbabwe at the 2013 FIM Africa Motocross of Nations at Syringa Park in Muldrist, north of Johannesburg, South Africa, on August 31 and September 1.The FIM Africa Motocross of Nations is an annual motorcycling event which brings together top motocross riders from African countries such as South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
And this year’s event will be hosted by Motorsport South Africa who recently announced that Syringa Motocross Club will host this exciting competition over two days on August 31 and September 1 where Zimbabwe will be represented by 19 of their top motocross riders who will be led by national champion Ashley Thixton.
The other top Zimbabwean motocross riders who are expected to take part in next weekend’s FIM Africa Motocross of Nations are 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, Barry Frederiksen, Trevor Thixton, Blaize Thomas, Victoria van Breda and Tanya Muzinda.
Tony Rowley, the assistant secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Motorsport Federation, said yesterday that four of Zimbabwe’s most promising young motocross riders, Mhene, Masimo, Manuel and Chitima (Junior), will represent the country in the 50cc Class during next weekend’s international event in Muldrist.
Cocker, Chigumba and Tyler Mawarire will carry the country’s flag in the 65cc Class at the same event where they will be joined Wade Ashwell and Mike Mawarire who will both compete in the 85cc Class.
Next weekend’s event in Muldrist will also see Zimbabwe’s Aiden van Breda, Josh Thomas and Tafadzwa Mawarire fighting for the top honours in the 125cc Class while two of the country’s champion riders Jayden Ashwell and Ashley Thixton will be hoping to get podium places in the MXI Class.
Frederiksen and Trevor Thixton will also be flying the Zimbabwean colours in the Veterans Class while former national motocross champion Blaize Thomas and his brother Shane will comepe in the Masters Class at this year’s FIM Africa Motocross of Nations event in Muldrist.
Zimbabwe have also entered two female riders for this event — Victoria van Breda and exciting young rider Tanya Muzinda.
Rowley said Victoria van Breda will be the country’s flagbearer in the Ladies Class while nine-year-old Muzinda, who is set to make her maiden appearance at a major international motocross event outside Zimbabwe, will take part in the 65cc Class.
Muzinda is one of the few black female motocross riders in Zimbabwe, having been introduced to this exciting sport by her father, Tawanda Muzinda, at the young age of five and it will be interesting to see how this talented Eaglesvale Primary School’s Grade Four pupil will handle the pressure when she competes against some of Africa’s top female riders in the 65cc Class during next weekend’s event in Muldrist.
Tanya’s father, Tawanda, said yesterday that his daughter was “very excited” about going to South Africa where she will be representing Zimbabwe for the first time at a major international motocross event outside this country.
“In fact, Tanya has for the past couple of weeks been putting in extra hours during her practise sessions preparing for this big event and I’m convinced that she will not disappoint us… She’s determined to do herself and the country proud at this competition in South Africa.
“This is Tanya’s stepping stone in her quest to become the first professional female motocrosss rider in Zimbabwe and I’m quite sure she will win or steal a lot of hearts with her performances in South Africa next weekend,” Tawanda Muzinda said. Tanya’s teammate in Team Zimbabwe for the FIM Africa Motocross of Nations, Kuda Mhene, is also another exciting young rider and will be making his second appearance at a major motocross event outside our borders having first competed in the South African Northern Region Championships in Polokwane in April this year.
Meanwhile, Rowley said all the members of Team Zimbabwe for the 2013 FIM Africa Motocross of Nations have been practising hard for the past couple of weeks and were raring to go.
The riders will be leaving for South Africa on an individual basis from next Wednesday and we are hoping to have them all there by next Friday ahead of the start of this exciting major continental motocross event.
“Zimbabwe have been competing in this annual African event since 1999 and as usual we are hoping to achieve some good results at this year’s competition in South Africa,” said Rowley who is also a member of the FIM Africa Foreign Jury for this event.
Gary Grainger, the chairman of the Bigwheelers Club who run the motorsport event of motocross in Zimbabwe, will also be travelling to South Africa next week as the team manager of Team Zimbabwe.
The FIM Africa Motocross of Nations is the continental championship for all African countries affiliated to the FIM to compete in a Team Championship.
FIM Africa is the continental body of the FIM which is the controlling body for all motorcycle events and is the only authority in Africa to award the hosting of this event. 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 returns to the same country this year where it will be held next weekend at Syringa 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 overseas competing at this well-known motocross circuit.
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