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Collin Matiza Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE’S champion rider Jayden Ashwell has buried the hatchet with the Bogwheelers Club and availed himself to ride for the country during next month’s FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championship in Harare.

The FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championship is an annual event which brings together all the top riders from seven African countries – Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

This year’s event was initially scheduled to take place in Botswana but that country’s motorsport federation decided to pass on the baton to the Zimbabwe Motorsport Federation who gladly accepted to host this exciting event at Donnybrook in Harare on August 29.

And the Bogwheelers Club were asked by the ZMSF to organise the staging of this big international event on their behalf but there were reports that the former had fallen out with the country’s top senior rider Ashwell who was reluctant to take part in this competition.

Ashwell, who rides in the MX1 Class, has this year been mostly riding in South Africa where he is taking part in the Monster Energy South African National Championship series.

But Shaun Whyte, the chairman of the Bogwheelers Club, said yesterday that the differences between the club and Ashwell have now been resolved amicably and the talented rider has agreed to ride for Zimbabwe at the FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championship at Donnybrook on August 29.

“Jayden Ashwell has made himself available to ride for Zimbabwe at the African Championship which is nice because he is currently our top rider and this is a big boost for us all,” Whyte said.

He also said that they were now busy preparing to host the African Championship and tomorrow will see them hosting a motocross and an enduro (cross) event at Donnybrook as part of their preparations for the continental competition.

“On Sunday (tomorrow) we are going to host a restricted motocross and an enduro event which is all part of the build-up to the African Championship.

“The enduro is a fun class which we have created and it will see riders going over different obstacles, testing their riding skills. This a great build-up to the African Championship due to be held here in Zimbabwe at the end of August.

“All our top junior and senior riders will be there on Sunday except for Jayden Ashwell who is currently in South Africa but he will be available for the continental competition next month,” Whyte said.

Temba Mazvimbakupa of the Zimbabwe Motorsport Federation added on his Facebook wall yesterday: “Team Zimbabwe is preparing for the Motocross Nations Cup coming up in August. Come to Donnybrook this Sunday and watch the guys who will do battle for Zimbabwe. Come and watch a growing sport where Zimbabweans are on top of their game. Full bar and the usual swag associated with Zim Motorsport will be available. See u there.”

And tomorrow will once again give the local motocross fans the opportunity of watching most of the country’s top riders in action as some of them will be fresh from competing in last weekend’s fourth round of the 2015 Monster Energy South African National Championship series in Durban.

Among the country’s top junior and senior riders who will be in action tomorrow will be eight-year-old Emmanuel Bako who is making waves in this year’s South African National Championship series where he is riding in the 50cc Pro Class.

Bako, a Grade Three pupil at Heritage Primary School in Harare, has been a revelation on the track this year where he has won most of his races in the 50cc Class both at home in Zimbabwe and in South Africa where he is sitting pretty at the top of the standings with three rounds to go.

Kuda Mhene (Jnr), Daiyaan Manuel, Regan Wasmuth, Davin Cocker and Jordan Dewdney who also took part in last weekend’s event in Durban will be back on the home turf at Donnybrook tomorrow competing in the motocross and enduro event.