04 Aug 2024

Local motocross bikers are shaping up ahead of the closely contested FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations (MXOAN) to be held in Morocco in October.

Speaking on the sidelines of the third and fourth round of the Botswana Motocross (BMS) national championships at the Mmopane motocross track on Saturday, chairperson of the host club, Bontleng Motorclub Sport, Motlapele Majama said they were working round the clock to assemble a team of bikers to take part in Morocco.

He said the team that would soon be assembled and called to camp and would be eyeing the first continental prize in motorsport after the title eluded them in the last edition held in Cape Town last year.

Botswana’s highest finish at the competition was a fourth best finish and local leading rider Ross Branch remains the only rider to win the title in 2015 and 2016 before losing it on home soil in 2017.

Since then, local riders had struggled to secure a podium finish at any MOAX championship.

Majama said they were hopeful that riders to take part at the event were warming up perfectly to take to the rough terrains of the North African state.

Some of the countries expected to give local riders a run for their money are Angola, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa, among others.

Majama announced that Botswana had made a request to the motorsport governing body to bid to host the MXOA 2026 edition after successfully hosting the event in 2017.

Meanwhile, the combined third and fourth round of the BMS championship attracted a disappointing number of riders to the Mmopane track over the weekend. Majama said most clubs cited different reasons for lack of showing up at the weekend’s event.

High riding motocross sensation, Kosmas Mamaloukos grabbed 50 points to finish ahead of his closest rival, Euan Harmse and Tabona Tafa in the MX2 high class category.

In the 65cc class, Hendrico Barwise went ahead of Zibo Moabi and Liam Pretorius who came second and third with 44 and 40 points respectively.

In the lower 50cc division, Luke Van Zyl scooped 50 points ahead of Athena Mamaloukos on 44 points. Radikolo Linchwe scooped first position in the 85cc class.  ENDS