adminCollin Matiza Sports Editor
THE 2013 Zimbabwe Summer Series comes alive today with the staging of the opening round of the exciting four—day motorcycling event at the home of Zimbabwean motorsport – Donnybrook in Harare.
The Zimbabwe Summer Series is the country’s premier motorcycling event held annually during the second week of December and it consists of two motocross races and as many Supercross competitions spread over four days.
And this year’s event opens with a motocross meet at Donnybrook this morning and it will be followed by two Supercross events on the evenings of December 11 and 13. December 15 will see the staging of the last competition of the Series, a motocross event.
The Zimbabwe Summer Series usually attracts top international riders from the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana and Zambia, and this year’s event is no exception as it has already attracted a large number of seasoned competitors from South Africa. Gary Grainger, the chairman of the Bogwheelers Club who run motocross in this country, yesterday said more than five riders from South Africa have already entered for this exciting event.
“All the top riders from South Africa are in for the 2013 Zimbabwe Summer Series and they include Lloyd Vecaul, Wyatt Avis, United States-based Michael Docherty and the three Venters brothers,” Grainger said.
Exciting United States-based rider Docherty will be throwing dust in the main MX1 class at the Summer Series.
Two other top South African riders, Michael Cock and Ross Branch, were expected to arrive in Harare yesterday, a day ahead of the opening round of the Series at Donnybrook this morning.
“Two Ugandan riders are already in town for the Zimbabwe Summer Series and a whole bunch of top riders from Botswana are also expected to be part of this year’s competition. We will get the full picture of who has come in for this event after documentation tomorrow morning (today) but indications are that it’s going to be the biggest we’ve ever had in a long time,” Grainger said.
The Bogwheelers Club chairman said during this year’s Summer Series, Zimbabwean and foreign riders will take part in different classes ranging from the MX1 to 50cc.
“In fact, at the moment we have 11 entries for the MX1 Class and an equal number for the MX2 Class and we will also have a large number of entries in the 125cc, 85cc, 65cc and 50cc classes. We are also expecting a good number of junior riders to compete in the PeeWee Class as well,” Grainger said.
Top Zimbabwean motocross rider Ashley Thixton will be back on the track today, carrying the country’s flag in the main MX1 Class where he is likely joined by the supremely talented Jayden Ashwell if he fully recovers from a shoulder injury sustained a couple of weeks ago.
Ashwell is just a joy to watch when mounting his KTM bike. Another gifted Zimbabwean rider Tafadzwa Mawarire will also set the stage alight in the 125cc Class while Ian Toplis is coming out of retirement and will be competing in the Veterans Class.
A host of talented young Zimbabwean riders will also be showcasing their motocross riding skills at this year’s Summer Series and they include this year’s 50cc A Class champion Big “BJ” Chitima (Junior). Chitima (Jnr) was a ball of fire during both this year’s NetOne National Championship Series and club events in which he won almost all his races at Donnybrook.
In fact, Chitima (Jnr) has scored a first by becoming the first black rider from Zimbabwe to be crowned a 50cc A Class national champion.
Chitima (Jnr) is also the first rider to come straight from the PeeWee Class to 50cc A Class and getting the championship, beating all his rivals that were already in this class.
He also got the national championship, making it a double in one season. That’s a phenomenal achievement for the young rider whose father Big “Bigs” Chitima (Snr) is one of the country’s top motor rallying drivers and is also an active member of the Bogwheelers Club where he is championing the advancement of black motocross riders in this country.
Talented Zimbabwean female rider Tanya Muzinda will also be showcasing her motocross riding skills during this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series. Nine-year-old Tanya Muzinda, who competes with boys in the 65cc B Class, comes into this event bubbling with confidence after her father, Tawanda “Polycup” Muzinda, enlisted the services of three-time World women’s motocross champion Stefy Bau of Italy who will be working with her for the duration of this big international event.
Bau, who is based in Florida, United States, arrived in the country on Monday and immediately put young Tanya Muzinda under her wing during her preparations for the Summer Series at Donnybrook this week. And it will be interesting to see how young Tanya Muzinda will perform during this year’s Summer Series under the guidance of professional trainer Bau who also won five National Championships in the United States and seven National titles in Italy before her glittering career was cut short by injury in 2005.
In this year’s Summer Series, Tanya Muzinda will be kitted by an American motocross gear making company Axo in co-operation with Bau.
Tanya Muzinda’s fellow top local junior riders such as the exciting Daiyaan Manuel, Kuda Mhene (Jnr), Ryan Masimo, Regan Bond, Jordan Dewdney, Davin Cocker, Tyler Mawarire and Mudiwa Chigumba will all be in action during this year’s Summer Series at Donnybrook.
Online Reporter