Race Report: CTMX Club Championship at Killarney
29 January 2015

Submitted by CTMX
Published with Permission

Clear blue skies and perfect weather conditions welcomed the riders to the beautifully prepped track and surrounds at Killarney last Saturday.
The atmosphere in the pits was relaxed, and yet there was an air of anticipation and excitement as the 2015 MX season was about to kick off.
Documentation was held on the newly installed deck – courtesy of the Rodger Family (FIREWERX) – it will soon be completed and will be adjacent to at least one of the containers that have kindly been donated by Simon Ledgerwood.
Riders briefing was a jovial affair, and a number of new riders were welcomed by the 2015 club chairman, Roy Pheiffer. Callie Steyn, our chief marshal and assistant CoC was given his first opportunity to run a full race day, and he did a fine job. One can say that it has been a highly successful race meeting when the only thing reported on the injury register is a bleeding wart!!!
Practise got under way with riders being treated to a nice, loamy track thanks to the copious amounts of water put down by the water trucks. Thanks must go to Gavin Williams, Global ASP, for sponsoring a second water truck for the day to ensure that there was little to no dust.
There was only one newbie rider, Andrea Mynhardt, who bravely mixed it with the 50cc Pro guys. He has certainly grown in confidence and riding skill. The 50cc boys put on a great show in all 3 heats, with the final heat of the day being the most exciting as Lucca Mynhardt took the win, closely followed by Krige Van der Merwe, Neil Van der Vyver and Liam Lambert, who battled it out right to the chequered flag. Reinier Van der Merwe had a good start to the day but had to retire after his clutch went.

Determined 50cc riders battle it out on the Killarney track – photo by Zigi Brodalka

The VMX class is starting to grow in numbers and the chaps had a good time out on the track. Those bikes may be vintage but they sure can go! The riders really enjoy the Killarney track design as well.
The 65cc and 85cc juniors are all solid riders, having ridden and competed from very young. It is rewarding to see such development in these classes – these are, after all, the riders of the future. There were some great dices within this class – Ike Klaassen and Calum Marriott fought it out right to the end, with Calum finding the extra bit of power in the 85cc to pip Ike on the line. Ike Klaassen won the 65cc class for the day, with Sebastian Wood second and John-Henri Vaughan, participating in his first 65cc race, taking third place.

Justin Sangster and Ethan Coleman motor into the holeshot corner, with Max Ledgerwood and Calum Marriott hot on their heels – photo by Zigi Brodalka

Justin Sangster, Ethan Coleman and Calum Marriott, all members of the Orbis Racing Team, finished in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place respectively.
Heat 1 of the Pro Mini/ 125cc class was, without a doubt, one of the most exciting races in a long time. The commentators were falling over themselves and spectators lined the fence, as they watched Justin Sangster challenge the 125cc riders. After stalling the bike on the start, Sangster chased down the older boys, and by the end of the first lap was in 4th place overall. He slowly but surely caught up to Bradley Sullivan, keeping him under pressure, until he was able to make a move into second place on the penultimate lap. Sullivan was not going to be outdone, and kept fighting all the way, managing to use the extra power of the 125cc to get past Sangster a few corners from the flag. Matt Van Galen took first place for the day, with Sullivan second, and Leslie Holmes, who rode a fantastic 2nd heat, in third place in the 125cc Class.

A determined Bradley Sullivan fought till the end in the Pro Mini/ 125cc race – photo by Zigi Brodalka

Justin Sangster took first place in the Pro mini class, with an improved Brett Roberts in second and Max Ledgerwood, racing on his brand new Husqavarna in third place.
The Stream 2 class is always well supported, with riders borrowing bikes to ensure that they get to race. There are always lots of individual battles within this class. Mark Guy has really upped his game and finished a worthy first in both heats. Byrone Billings, one of the senior “statesman” of CTMX, who really enjoys his sport, took second place overall with Michael Caldwell finishing third.
The Stream 1a class, for the faster riders, was dominated by Anthony Raynard. Dylan Stokes and Kevin Cassie had a ding dong battle at the start of heat 1, with neither rider giving an inch. Luke Du Toit, out on the 250cc for the first time, got better and better as the day went on and will surely be a force to be reckoned with in the not too distant future.

Luke Du Toit on his 250cc Yamaha, is cheered on by a fellow team member.

Nian Du Toit, on his 450cc, did himself proud in his first ever stream 1 race and finished in top spot for the day in Stream 1b. Leslie Holmes rode like a champ, finishing second, with newcomer, Mark Labuschagne, taking third.
At the well attended prize giving, riders were thrilled to receive their number boards – gold, silver and bronze. A huge thank you to the class sponsors for their generous support.
The next CTMX race at Killarney is scheduled for February 14th (to be confirmed). Check the CTMX website for details.

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