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Collin Matiza

Sports Editor

IT will be all work and no play for the country’s top junior and senior motocross riders when they tackle some of the continent’s and world’s top dirt biker racers in this year’s three-day Zimbabwe Summer Series which explodes into life at Donnybrook Park Raceway in Harare this afternoon.

The season-ending Zimbabwe Summer Series consists of two Supercross (night racing) meetings, which have been slated for today and tomorrow, and a full day of some motocross action on the final day of the three-day event on Sunday.

And fireworks will be the order of the day during each day of this exciting event which has attracted more than 20 foreign riders from the United States, the UK, South Africa and Zambia. They will be battling for the top honours with the local bikers in the different classes they will be competing in at this big international motorcycling competition.

In fact, the United States will be represented by two riders Tyler Hawk (125cc Class) and Ramyller Alves (MX1 Class) while Shaun Simpson (MX1 Class), Bryn Field (MX3/Vets classes), Seth Moir (MX1 Class) and Jason Moir (MX1/Vets classes) will be representing the United Kingdom.

These riders from overseas will be joined by eight riders from South Africa — Tristan Purdon (MX1 Class), Joshua Mlimi (MX1 Class), Jonathan Mlimi (MX1 Class), Ryan Hunt (Masters), Reece Hunt (125cc Class), Tyler Tarantino, Karackle Edward and Louis Mostart (50cc/65cc classes).

Zambia will also be fielding eight riders who will be led by that country’s seasoned campaigner Dale Holiday who will be competing in the Masters Class. The other bikers from Zambia, who are set to compete in this weekend’s Zimbabwe Summer Series, are Stewart Parkes (MX3 Class), Caitlin Parkes (125cc Class), Shane Parkes (125cc Class), Rory Donaldson (125cc Class), Michael Struik (125cc Class), Darren Gray (MX2 Class) and Leo Eastcourt (50cc/65cc classes).

And this big field of international motocross riders will be tested to the limit by Zimbabwe’s top senior and junior bikers who will be led by the country’s former champion rider Ashley Thixton, Jayden Ashwell and teenage sensation Emmanuel Bako.

Thixton and Ashwell will be looking for some solid results in the seniors main MX1 Class where they will have their hands full as they will be fighting for the top step on the podium with the supremely talented South African rider Purdon who is equally at home when he rides at Donnybrook.

Purdon is no stranger in the Zimbabwe Summer Series scene and boasts a number of accolades in the MX1 Class.

The likeable seven-time South African champion, who recently signed to race in the UK with the Gabriel SS24 KTM team and becoming a Red Bull athlete, will be out to stamp his authority at this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series but he should expect to be given a good run for his money by Thixton and Ashwell.

All eyes at this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series will also be on 16-year-old Zimbabwean rider Bako who has, of late, emerged as one of the country’s top motocross racers.

Nicknamed “Bakoballs’’, Bako is an eight-time Zimbabwean champion and was in 2021 crowned the 85cc ProMini Champion in South Africa where he is now a household name.

At this weekend’s Zimbabwe Summer Series, Bako will compete in the 125cc and MX2 classes where he will be racing under Team Better Brands Petroleum which also has promising young Zimbabwean riders – Judah and Mudiwa Sakupwanya, Junior Bako, Munyaradzi Bako and Emile Croisette — in its ranks.

They will all be under the guidance of seasoned motocross trainer Stanley Mugiyo while Fortune Mverechena is the team’s manager.

All these six riders last month spent about 10 days training under one of South Africa’s top motocross trainers, Joe Tavares, as part of their preparations for this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series and the South African mentor was expected to return to Zimbabwe yesterday to oversee their participation at this weekend’s big event at Donnybrook.

Speaking to The Herald yesterday, Emmanuel Bako’s father and manager, Brighton “Bucks’’ Bako’’, said after having spent more than a week training under Tavares, all members of Team Better Brands Petroleum are raring to go and will be out to pick up a number of podium places during this weekend’s Zimbabwe Summer Series.

‘’The youngsters picked up a number of some good motocrossing tips from Tavares during his short training stint with them last month and they are all itching to get on the track this weekend. They are all promising some fireworks and we all can’t wait to see them in action at this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series,” Brighton Bako said.

Apart from members Team Better Brands Petroleum, Zimbabwe will be well represented by other top junior and senior riders such as Willem Krause, Lofty Versfeld, Elroy Anashe, Jordan Dewdney, Cameron Morgan, Victor Nyamupfukudza, Tadiwanashe Nyamupfukudza, Benji Morgan, Adriaan Olivier, Mark Orchard, Regan Wasmuth, Ricky Whyte, Russell Mellor, Sebastian Wright, Brett Wright, Michelle Wright and Tristan Grainger.

So, it’s all systems go for this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series where racing today starts at 3pm while tomorrow’s meet gets underway at 12 noon. The last day of competition on Sunday will rev off at 9am.

There will be full bar and catering during the three days of action and tickets will be on sale on the day at the entrance at Donnybrook at US$5 per person. Children under the age of 12 will get in for free.