Great MX fighting spirit

The first leg of the Motocross (MX) National Championships this past weekend at Galinna saw at least 40 riders taking part in 10 different classes.

One was the women’s class, that saw at least four entrants.

The event scheduled for, last month, had to be postponed due to former president Hage Geingob’s funeral.

Speaking to Top Revs on the MX bastion outside Windhoek, Ingo Waldschmidt says although they had a slow start, they have found find a date for the event.

MX is not for the faint-hearted as it is all about jumping, mud, dust and skills, he says.

He says it is best is to start as young as possible to reach your peak as soon as possible.

“Obviously MX is demanding on the body, and you need to be very fit. Like with any other sport, the fitter you are, the better you perform, and would unlikely get serious injured,” Waldschmidt says.

Some MX bikes weigh up to a 100kg, making it difficult to manoeuvre it through the air and around tight corners.

Apart from physical and mental fitness, the elements also play a role in the sport.

Wind, like that occuring this past weekend, also interferes with the riders during jumps, Waldschmidt says.

The more and stronger the wind, the more the riders have to ride with momentum, he says.

Because of the risks involved in MX, riders must at all times wear the prescribed safety gear, like rider’s boots, helmets, gloves, and plates.

An ambulance and a team of paramedics have to be present at every event as per the rules and regulations of the International Automobile Association (FIA).

During this event a woman rider had a bad encounter when she fell, injured her collarbone, and had to be transported to hospital.

MX bikes today focus more on the suspension underneath the bike than speed, Waldschmidt says.

Better landings contribute less to rider fatigue.

“A lot of development is lately going into suspension, as all the bikes are actually fast nowadays. You can buy them off the showroom floor, and they are already super fast,” he says.

The next event is slated for Gobabis in the Omaheke region in April.

The results are as follows:

50cc: Carter Bouwer (first), Markus Pack (second) and Mason Meyer (third).

65cc: Oliver Mathews (first), Markus Pack (second) and Carter Bouwer (third).

85cc: Khian Kotze (first), Leander Metzger (second ) and Patrick Geiger (third).

Clubmans: Sanne Wittreich (first), Lourens du Plessis (second ) and JF van Eeden (third).

Women’s MX (WMX): Zoe Waldschmidt (first), Mezanize (second) and Gabrielle Still (third).

125cc Junior: Gero Friederich (first), Juan de Vos (second) and Mario Metzger (third).

125cc Senior: Mark Sternagel, the only rider in this class.

Open class: Sternagel (first), Rigo Wolf (second) and Tony Viljoen (third).

Veterans: Sigi Pack (first), Olaf Pack (second ) and Gino Meyer (third).

King of the Dirt (KoTD): Sternagel (first ), Friederich (second) and Sigi Pack (third).