This past Saturday, the 8th round of the Namibian Motocross Championship was held in Gobabis. It was also the first event this year, where both our riders were competing together again. After Tommy’s eight months in Germany and Matthew having recovered from a broken arm, the anticipation was high to get racing again.

Tommy had only returned on Tuesday and a practice session in Windhoek left him gasping for oxygen. By Saturday, he had not acclimatized properly yet and was still suffering from the thin air as well as the extreme heat in Gobabis. He did however put in a good performance making sure that we would come out on top in his class.

In the first heat, he took the holeshot with ease and settled into the race pretty quickly. After three laps and still in the lead of the Open class, the energy started to run. He however had a substantial lead over the second placed Open rider and he could hold on to the lead until the end.

The second heat, although he was not able to holeshot the start, went pretty much the same as the first heat. By the end of lap one, he was the leading Open class rider and again made sure that he would hold on to the lead until the end.

The third het, and also the ‘King of the Dirt’, saw Tommy take the holeshot again. Unfortunately the extreme heat and the shortage of water on the track, forced officials to stop the race for safety reasons after the second lap. By now the dust was so thick that visibility was only a few meters. Not having completed the required 75% of the race duration, the third heat was not to be classified as a completed heat. With two class wins under the belt, Tommy won the Open class on his first race back in Namibia.

Matthew also had a strenuous day, competing in both the 50cc and 65cc class, but both competing on a 50cc bike. After 6 months riding a 65cc bike, getting back onto a 50cc bike came with ease. He easily won the first 50cc heat lapping everyone up to third place. With only a 45 minute rest period, he started in the 65cc class. He was getting faster as the laps passed and finished the heat a good 4th place.

The second heat in the 50cc class again saw Matthew just disappearing in the distance. His lap times were getting better and better and this time lapped everyone up to second place. The heat and the short rest periods drained his strength however and we decided that he would not start the second heat of the 65cc class.

Before the start of the 3rd 50cc heat, Matthew had decided that he would lap everyone in the field. By now the track (the 50cc raced on the senior track) had really become rough especially for a 50cc bike.

His times however were still getting better and better and Matthew’s fasted lap of the day was his last lap of the third heat. He did what he set out to do and lapped every rider in the field, some even twice.

He had a bit left in the tank and decided to start in the third heat of the 65cc class. Maybe not at the top of his game in this heat, he still finished in a very comfortable 4th place.

A good day for the Zenner Racing Team with both riders winning their respective classes. The next Namibian races are the International Series which will be held at the beginning of November. There are two AMU Southern Challenge race between now and the Inter Series and the Team is seriously considering competing at these events.

Until the next event, thank you again for all your assistance,
The Team