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RARING TO GO . . . Young Zimbabwean motocross rider Emmanuel Bako is back from a two-week training camp in South Africa ahead of this week’s Zimbabwe Summer Series which gets underway tonight with a Supercross race meeting at Donnybrook in Harare

Collin Matiza Sports Editor
THE motorbikes and riders have arrived, the special gazebo tents are ready, the exclusive VIP facilities are decked out and the level of excitement at the home of local motorsport – Donnybrook Park in Harare – is striking as the country’s premier motorcycling event – the Zimbabwe Summer Series – bursts into life tonight.

This year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series, which will consist of two Supercross (night racing) events and one full day of motocross racing, lifts off tonight and it will feature an all-star cast of junior and senior riders from Germany, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique.

Tonight will see the staging of the first of two Supercross events which will be followed by another one on Friday night before a full day of motocross racing wraps up the 2017 Zimbabwe Summer Series on Sunday.

And according to one of the event’s organisers, Yasmin Manuel, “quite a big number” of riders from Germany, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique will once again add an international flavour to this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series.

“We will be doing our registration tonight (last night) but what I can tell you at the moment is that we are going to have quite a big number of entries from Germany, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique.

“In fact, four riders from Zambia and three from Botswana have already confirmed their participation at this week’s Zimbabwe Summer Series and a number of riders from Mozambique will be coming here as well for this event and they have indicated that they will take part in Friday night’s Supercross event and then Sunday’s motocross.

“They (the Mozambicans) will also be bringing quite a big group of riders for the quads and this is going to make this year’s event more exciting,” Manuel said.

One rider from Germany – Alexander – is already in the country and he will be competing in the 65cc Class. The Mlimi brothers – Jonathan and Joshua – of South Africa are also expected to lead a big entourage of riders from their country and it will include four bikers from Johannesburg-based Team Vision Racing Team which is owned by one of South Africa’s top motocross trainers Grant Florey.

Florey was expected to arrive in Harare late yesterday with his four riders and they will take part in this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series as guests of Brighton “Bucks” Bako, the father to one of the country’s top junior riders Emmanuel Bako.

In fact, Emmanuel spent the past two weeks training with Team Vision Racing Team in Johannesburg as part of his preparations for this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series and his father, Brighton, told The Herald yesterday that apart from his son, Florey will be fielding four more riders from his stable at this year’s event at Donnybrook.

“Grant Florey is bringing in top four riders from Team Vision Racing Team who will compete in different classes during this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series and I’m quite sure they will give the local lads and other foreign competitors a tough time at this event,” Brighton Bako said.

He also said his son, Emmanuel, is also raring to go after spending the past two weeks “being polished up” by Florey at a training camp in Johannesburg.

“At this week’s Zimbabwe Summer Series, Emmanuel will compete in both the 65cc and 85cc classes; and I’m quite convinced that he will be among the medal winners after some extensive training under Grant Florey’s Team Vision Racing Team in Johannesburg in the past two weeks,” Brighton Bako added.

In the 65cc A Class, Emmanuel (12) is set to resume his rivalry with his “old foe” Daiyaan Manuel (13) while in the 85cc Class, he will be fighting for the first step on the podium with Daiyaan Manuel, Tristan Grainger and the country’s top female rider Tanya Muzinda.

Muzinda has had a fruitful season this year as she won two bronze medals at two major international motocross events in England in May and September. But Muzinda is likely to miss tonight’s Supercross event, which gets underway at 6pm, as she is expected to attend the ANSA awards function where she is vying for the Junior Sportswoman of the Year award.

She is expected back on the track on Friday night for the second Supercross event and then on Sunday for the final day of this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series. Entry fee for the spectators has been pegged at $5 per person while children under 12 will get in for free. There will be full bar and catering during the three days of racing.