Pierre Alexandre Renet from France leads with a maximum number of 60 points.
COMING Saturday all motorsport fans, ravers, punks and party animals meet at the Gallina Moto Cross Park for the entertainment event of the year! One ticket gets you first class international Moto Cross, Freestyle and the evening’s highlight: two performances by Snotkop as part of the Tafel Lager Punk Night. But for motorsport fans there is only one thing that counts: who will become Namibia’s International Champion?
This person will also go home with a big cheque in his pocket. The spectacular racing day last weekend showed that there are a couple of aspirants. “Pela” Pierre Alexandre Renet from France leads with 60 points, closely followed by the Russian Vitaly Tonkov in the Neo Paints Open Class. There is still a chance for the Russian to win.
Local hero Tommy Gous has a good chance as well, but lady luck will have to be on his side. The South African Liam O’Farrel could keep up in the heats but in the E.L. Sea Products King of the Dirt, he only achieved a disappointing 6 points. The same goes for his fellow countryman Lloyd Vercueil, who lost good points in the King of the Dirt due to a disqualification.
Christoph Schade from Germany started with a good sixth place, but slacked later. In the Bike & Quad Clinic 125cc Class, Ross Branch from Botswana is in the leading position with 57 points, ahead of the champion from South Africa, Richard van der Westhuizen. Third is the Namibian Björn Bierbrauer, who now lives and rides in Germany. Ryan Frerichs offered a solid performance and ranks fourth at the moment.
The “Flying Dutchman” from the Netherlands, Mart de Jong, started with an exceptional second place, then a good fifth place, but unfortunately made a blunder in the King of the Dirt race. These points will be dearly missed in the end. Kai Pritzen, former Namibian rider who lives in Johannesburg, ranks sixth. His position could have been better but he lost good points due to a crash in the second heat.
Women vice-world champion Steffi Laier from Germany probably hoped for more but she stayed in the front-third and made two seventh and one eighth place. One also expected more from the German Gunnar Schuster, who was very unhappy with the power of his Suzuki. He probably spent most of the week tuning his bike.
Another rider from Germany, the former Namibian International Champion Benjamin Kolberg, was seen more in midfield, but in the King of the Dirt he did well with a fifth place. However, on Saturday everything is still open and everyone is eager to see who will be the overall champion and be crowned the Namibia International Champion.
Youngsters will also be participating. In the Castrol 65cc Class nothing seems to get past Tristan Muller from Okahandja. Michael Barlow and Matthew Nederlof will battle for second place. In the Honda Pupkewitz 85cc Class it is the German Stefan Eckerold who is leading with 57 points, closely followed by the Namibian poster-child Mark Sternagel with 54 points.
Tristan Muller and Pauli Loots will both want the third vacant podium spot. In the Joker’s Pizzeria Clubmen’s Class the Angolan Jose Teixeira achieved a maximum number of points, an achievement he definitely wants to repeat on Saturday.
But his opponents, Namibians Frank Steyn and Mark Ratheiser, aren’t sleeping, and Carsten Kölling from Germany also wants a podium spot. In the Red Square Quads A-Class South African Eric Williams representing Honda Pupkewitz leads with 50 points.
He is followed by the young Namibian Jean Venter with 49 points. Michael Behnke is in third place with 48 points. This class may be good for some surprises. In the Wire Industries Quad B-Class it’s Ecki Spoerer leading ahead of Eugene Slippers and Gideon van Sittert. These guys are so much alike in terms of skills that a prediction is impossible.
In the Spot Motor Spares Ladies Quads Mandy Huysamen from Windhoek is in the leading position but has to reckon with strong opposition from the South African Leandry van Blommenstein (sponsored by Honda Pupkewitz). Anneke Steenkamp from Namibia also made a good impression while Namibia’s “wonder girl” Cee-Anne Greyling tries to keep up.
The Afribeer Quads-Clubmen’s Class is run internationally but the two Angolans Caldeira and Guannios did not leave a big impression, so it will become a solely Namibian affair between Leigh Jean Skoppelitus, André Basson and Tertius Joubert.
So don’t forget: The Wesbank- MX Dash for Cash Moto Cross race and the Shell Helix Gladiator Freestyle Show, followed by the highlight of the day, the Tafel Lager Punk Night with Snotkop from South Africa, will take place on Saturday.
