Purdon off to a perfect start
TOUGH CONDITIONS: MERCURY HITS 380C, HUMIDITY AROUND 75% ON TESTING DAY FOR RIDERS
Second round of the 2020 championship in Cape Town on 28 March.
The 2020 South African Motocross Championship kicked off in demanding style at the Rover Raceway near Port Elizabeth on Saturday, with 38°C temperatures and approximately 75% humidity taking its toll on riders.
Topping proceedings were two MX1 races, both won by Tristan Purdon on his Red Bull KTM.
In the opening heat he was chased to the finish line by Lloyd Vercueil (Florstore on Trend Yamaha) and David Goosen (Out of Africa Monster Yamaha).
In race two, Purdon led home his Red Bull KTM team-mate Kerim Fitz-Gerald and Anthony Raynard (Tintswalo Dragon Yamaha).
David Goosen (Out of Africa Monster Yamaha) got his MX2 season off to a perfect start with a double win, over Tristan Purdon (Red Bull KTM) in race one and Slade Smith (Summit Yamaha) in the second moto.
The consistent Anthony Raynard (Tintswalo Dragon Yamaha) was third in each race.
Reigning MX3 champion Ian Topliss (Motul Yamaha) started his over-40 Masters Motocross title defence with a double win ahead of over-30 Senior men Tyson Engelbrecht (The Roost KTM), Dwayne Kleynhans (Fast KTM) and Master rider Brett Bircher (Motul KTM).
Defending champion
Kayla
Raaff (SA Bikewise Motul Kawasaki) picked up where she left off last year with a double Ladies Motocross win.
Megan Jonker (Motul Leatt Husquvarna) and Natasha Rugani (KTM) swapped the respective second and third places.
Ugandan Stav Orland (Orland Brothers KTM) took the opening 125cc High School win, ahead of Liam Gilchrist (RPG Nutritech Husqvarna) and Christiaan Cilliers
(Out of Africa Monster Yamaha).
Ethan Hoffman (Dirt Rider Yamaha) won race two from Orland and Cilliers.
Zimbabwean Daiyaan Manuel (KTM) made 85cc Pro Mini his own by winning both races.
In race one he was followed by Kyle Townsend (Cannabis Energy KTM) and Luke Grundy (KTM).
Bryce Petersen (Linex Yamaha) and Emmanuel Bako (KTM) filled out the podium in race two.
Liam Botha (Eco Tanks Husqvarna) stamped his authority on the 85cc Junior races with two wins, each time ahead of Alon Orland (Orland Bros. KTM) and Pieter Brink (Orange County KTM).
Neil van der Vyver (Husqvarna SA) won the first 65cc Primary School moto, followed by Jordan van Wyk (CIT Husqvarna) and Trey Cox (Motul Alfie Cox KTM).
Van Wyk took race two ahead of Cox and Jack Pullen (Husqvarna).
Chase Bekker enjoyed the perfect start to his Baby 50cc Motocross season with two wins aboard his Summit Florstor on Trend Husqvarna over Trenton Kretzmann (Air Auto Africa Fox Husqvarna) each time.
KTM lads Maxwell Fourie and Aiden Retief shared the respective third places.
The South African Motocross Championship is presented and sanctioned by Motorsport South Africa in partnership with Cannabis Energy, TRP Distributors, Prepsol, Bridgestone, Thor, Gaerne, FMF, Motul, Pro Taper, 100%, Fly Racing, Ogio, Racestar Graffix and the Sunoco Race Shop.
The second round of the 2020 championship will be at Cape Town’s Zone 7 on Saturday 28 March.