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FUTURE STARS . . . John and Regan Evans pose with their bikes yesterday ahead of today’s international race at Donnybrook

Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
THE two-day FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships roar into life at Donnybrook Raceway in Harare with 271 riders taking part in this big international motorcycling event today and tomorrow. Around midday today, the riders will have the first race and the other two races will be held tomorrow, starting from 10am.

The riders in this year’s African Championships will be competing in nine classes, and each class will have three races with the opening race for each class scheduled for today and the last two are set for tomorrow. This year’s event has attracted top junior and senior bikers from seven African countries — Angola, Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Shaun Whyte, the chairman of the Bogwheelers Club, who run motocross in this country, was yesterday convinced that Zimbabwe, who are fielding a big team of 76 junior and senior riders, will emerge as the overall winners of this big continental event. “I think we have the best Zimbabwe team at the moment and we only miss Sean Mitchell who is injured, but I believe Jayden Ashwell will make it tomorrow (today).

“We are here now. . . We had a lot of pressure (organising this event) and some of the visiting riders had some hustles (with Zimra authorities) at the border, but we managed to bring them here for this event. “The Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture also helped us to bring these foreign riders here, and we managed to get them in Harare last night (Thursday). All their bikes are here and we are going to have some good racing in the two days of competition.

“All the classes are well represented and all the riders are raring to go and ready to fly on the track,” Whyte said. The former South African Superbikes national champion also said that Team Zimbabwe are ready to tackle riders from their traditional rivals South Africa, who usually give them a hard time on the track, and they will give them a good run for their money.

South Africa are the defending champions of the African Championships after having won this continental event for the past two years at Syringa Park at home in Johannesburg in 2013 and at Kitwe, Zambia, last year. “South Africa have produced several world class riders, but us being at home, we will give them a good run for their money. They are a strong side but we tied with them in Zambia (during last year’s African Championships) and hopefully this time we will beat them.

“The guys (in Team Zimbabwe) know the track well, they have been here for the past couple of months preparing for this event,” Whyte said. Meanwhile, Zambia’s team captain, Nic Comana, said they were also prepared for this weekend’s race meeting and they hope to win the championships as well.

“Everyone was preparing for this big occasion and we had a whole week at a training camp at the Kitwe track which hosted last year’s event. “The team is good and we will be missing two key riders who have other commitments, but that will not make us less competitive. “Donnybrook is an iconic track and we are looking forward to ride on it. It will be fast and we are aware that the competition will be tough with Zimbabwe having some riders who were in South Africa and they (South Africa) have brought in a strong side.

“We have 25 riders who are here for this event,” said Comana. On the issue of travelling, Comana said for him he was lucky but his vice-captain had some hustles at the Chirundu Border Post. “We had to speak to (former Zimbabwean cricketer) Grant Fowler who managed to clear the bikes for us.

“They (Zimra) held them at the border and it happens in sport and it is not the first time that this has happened to us, but we are happy that we managed to make it for the competition.” South Africa’s rider Janes van Sandwyk said he has come to defend his 125cc Class title which he won in Zambia last year, and is looking forward to this weekend’s race meeting.

“I am looking forward to the race. It has been a long day after some struggles at the border and I am looking forward to defend my title. “I know there are other good riders but I will try my best,” Sandwyk said. So, everything is now set for the hosting of one of the continent’s biggest motorcycling events at Donnybrook today and tomorrow where entry fee has been pegged at $5 per person for adults while children under the age of 12 will pay $2.

There will be full bar and catering during the two days of action at Donnybrook, which is adjacent to Harare’s high-density suburb of Mabvuku and can be accessed through Acturus Road near Chikurubi Maximum Prison or Mutare Road.