Free State racer, Nicky Lombard on the Team Nako Suzuki, will be in action.
BOSHOFF JUNIOR NATIONAL NEXT ON CALENDAR FOR OFF-ROAD BIKERS
Young off-road motorcycle and quad racers will take their challenges to the Boshof Junior National, the third round of the 2010 World of Accessories (WOA) Junior National Off-road Championships that takes place on 10 April on the Bordeaux Guest Farm on the outskirts of Boshof in the Free State.
Organised by the Kimberley Off-road Club (KORC), this event was crowned Best Junior National of 2009 and participants can expect the same from this popular event this year. They will be able to continue their battles on familiar terrain although the routes have been changed somewhat.
After two rounds of the 2010 season, a clear winner has emerged in only one class – Can-Am Racing’s Giacomo Antiga has won the Senior Quad Class on both occasions, but due to inconsistent scoring by the rest, he has a lead of 14 points on his closest rival, Factory Racing’s Rorke Miller on the KTM. This is the biggest gap between the frontrunners in both the quad and motorcycle categories.
Four different riders scored podium positions in this class this season – Miller finished third at the previous event while his team-mate, Michael Wagner (KTM) was third at the opening round. Antiga’s team-mate, Michael van Zweel and Cornel Kannemeyer (Suzuki) finished second in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape respectively. Julian Greef-Hoffman (Factory Racing Yamaha), Nicky Lombard (Team Nako Suzuki) and Tinus Bredenkamp (CDV Racing Can-Am) are all in the overall top five.
In the Open Motorcycle Class, Scott Bouverie (Criterion Yamaha) and Tyron Miller (Miller Moore Sandton Honda) scored a victory and a second place each to share the lead in this competitive class. Behind them Miller’s team-mate, third-placed Gerald Campher and fourth-placed Meiring Vermeulen (Salley’s Yamaha) have been the most consistent although they are some points behind. Timothy Young (Yamaha Support) finished second at the previous event, but could not finish the opening race and will use the experience he gained at the senior off-road and enduro races to work his way up on the point’s ladder again.
Less than 10 points separate the top three in the Senior Motorcycle Class where Wade Young (Criterion Yamaha) leads after a victory and third place. Four riders have visited the podium during the season – Jason Helm (Honda) is second overall after a good second place at the last event while Kyle Flannagan, also on a Honda is third even though he has not been on the podium yet, but has been scoring consistently.
Willie Heyns (Honda) has won this class in the Eastern Cape and is now fifth overall; Angus Coetzee (Shimwells Yamaha) finished on the podium once, but crashed at the previous event and Craig Munton would like to repeat his podium position earlier this year and move up on the scoreboard.
The battle in the Junior 85cc Class between the leader, Calvin Wiltshire (Shimwells Yamaha) and second-placed Aeron Thompson (Keeler Racing Suzuki) will continue with both racers aiming for another victory. Alastair Drennan (The Roost KTM) finished on the third step after both races and is third overall with Dylan McGovern (Criterion Yamaha) fourth after a good second place in the Eastern Cape.
Three points separate the Junior 65cc Class leader, Tiaan Shattock (Kawasaki) from second and third-placed KTM riders Marco de Sousa and Lindsay Dean.
There are no comfortable leads in both the Junior Modified and Junior Open Quad classes. Two victories place Melchior Huskisson (Yamaha) on top of the Modified Class, but consistent scoring from Christopher Petersen (JAG Quad Racing Yamaha) and Wynie Steyn (FD Racing) place them on the overall podium although the rest are also following closely. There are, however, a few riders somewhat down on the scoreboard who can spring a few surprises. These include Brandon Darlow (Boesman Racing Yamaha) who finished second at the last event and Morné Fourie (CDV Racing Arctic Cat) who is normally a frontrunner
Shaun Smith (Honda) is leading the Junior Open Quads although he has not bagged a victory yet. Behind him the two Cape Town racers, Tara Falkenberg (Honda) and Tyronne Renwick (Yamaha) are sharing the runner-up position with CJ van der Westhuizen (Factory Racing Yamaha) and the rest somewhat behind. Heinrich van Gessellen (FD Racing Honda) made his debut in the Eastern Cape and has won the class – he will now aim for more points to work his way up on the overall scoreboard.
The Boshof Junior National will start with documentation on Friday (9 April) at the Bordeaux Guest Farm. The racing action will kick off with the junior classes at 09h00 on Saturday (10 April). Motorcycle and quad competitors compete on separate loops and the senior bike and quad classes will start their three-hour race at 12h00.
End
Photo:
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