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WINNERS’ PARADISE . . . Kennedy Mateko, the NetOne customer care manager (back left), joins motocross young riders Craig Burl (back right), Tanya Muzinda (front left) and Big “Bj” Chitima (Junior) as they proudly display the shields and trophies they won during last Friday night’s Bogwheelers Club prize-giving function at Sables Motorsport Club in Harare

Collin Matiza Sports Editor
YOUNG Big “BJ” Chitima (Junior) wrote his own piece of history when he became the first black Zimbabwean motocross rider to win the Bruce Aitken Floating Trophy during the Bogwheelers Club’s 2013 club championship prize-giving function in Harare on Friday night.
The Bruce Aitken Floating Trophy is awarded to the most improved motorcycle rider of the year after each motocross season and eight-year-old Chitima (Jnr) scooped this prestigious award after dominating the scene in the 50cc A Class during last year’s Bogwheelers Club’s club championship series at Donnybrook in Harare.
The Bogwheelers Club run the motorcycling sport of motocross in Zimbabwe.

Chitima (Jnr), who on Friday night was described as “our next big thing” by the newly-elected chairman of the Bogwheelers Club, Shaun Whyte, received the award from Kennedy Mateko, the customer care manager of mobile network company, NetOne, who was the guest of honour at the prize-giving function which was held at Sables Motorsport Club.

NetOne were the official sponsors of both the Bogwheelers Club’s club and national championship series last year and Friday night saw the Zimbabwean motocross family coming together at Sables Motorsport Club to honour all their riders who did well on the track during their club championship series in 2013.

And young Chitima (Jnr) was among a number of young recipients who walked away with numerous prizes for coming out tops in the different classes that they competed in during the 2013 season which will go down as one of the most exciting seasons in the history of motocross in Zimbabwe.

Apart from winning the Bruce Aitken Floating Trophy, Chitima (Jnr), who will later this year be a Grade Four pupil at Harare International School, was also the overall winner of the 50cc A Class, beating two fellow young, talented riders Daiyaan Manuel and Kuda Mhene (Jnr) into second and third place.

That’s a phenomenal achievement by Chitima (Jnr), son of former motor rally driver Big “Bigs” Chitima, who was riding in the 50cc A Class for the first time after having just graduated from the Pee Wee Class, a section of riders who are under the age of eight.

Chitima (Jnr) was not only the biggest winner of the night on Friday as he was emulated by nine-year-old female rider Tanya Muzinda and Craig Burl who also won their own big individual awards.

Muzinda and Burl were both named as the most committed riders of the year for 2013 and walked away with a floating shield and a trophy, respectively.
The chairman of the Bogwheelers Club, Whyte, said Muzinda and Burl won these two top individual awards “for their commitment, love and dedication” to the sport of motocross.

This also came after both Muzinda and Burl had an outstanding season in 2013 in which they were crowned as the overall winners of the 65cc B and MX2 classes respectively.

Muzinda walked away with the top prize in the 65cc B Class ahead Dylan Roberts and Danielle Goby while Burl was the Bogwheelers Club’s club champion in the MX2 Class where he beat Cameron Thixton and Craig Archenoul into second and third place.

Zimbabwe’s champion rider Jayden Ashwell was also crowned the club champion for 2013 in the MX1 Class in which he battled for the top honours with Ashley Thixton, who took second place, and third-placed Doug Mellor.

The first three places in the 125cc Class went to Tafadzwa Mawarire, Josh Thomas and female rider Victoria van Breda while Phillip dos Santos was crowned the club champion in the combined Veterans and Novices section ahead of Hamish Perry and Russel Mellor. Lofty Versveld came out tops in the Masters section, scooping the award from under the noses of the Thomas brothers, Shane and Blaize.

Young Davin Cocker was also crowned the Bogwheelers Club’s club champion for 2013 in the 65cc A Class in which he was involved in some exciting duels with Mudiwa Chigumba, who came second, and third-placed Reagan Bond.