The past weekend saw both the South African Cross Country and SA National Enduro Motorcycle Championships getting off to a flying start at the unique Live Lesotho Double Header races near Maseru. It was a great meeting for KTM riders, Friday’s Cross Country winner Charan Moore and Saturday’s Enduro winner Travis Teasdale, while Bradley and Dylan Cox both scored double wins over the weekend.
Friday’s Live Lesotho Cross Country Moto race proved a dream come true for local expert and a man central to the pioneering race weekend as Charan Moore achieved a twelve year ambition by blasting his Live Lesotho Roost KTM to a compelling maiden Cross Country victory. He beat Brett Swanepoel (Pepson Plastics Husqvarna) and Brother Leader Tread KTM duo Bradley Cox and Jarryd Coetzee home with Gareth Cole (KTM Durban) and Kenneth Gilbert (Pepson Plastics Husqvarna) closing off the top six overall.
Local hero Charan Moore also took the open class OR1 win from Kenny Gilbert, who was delighted to be back on a bike following his season-ending testing injury last September and is now looking forward to a rapid return to full strength. Husqvarna trio Wynand Delport, Jaycee Nienaber (Holeshot Racing) and John-Care de Lange were next up in the open class ahead of Helderberg Yamaha rider Devan Marais.
Second overall, Brett Swanepoel meanwhile served notice of his intentions with a dominant 350cc OR2 class win over Jarryd Coetzee, Gareth Cole and 9th overall Ian Rall with Taki Bogiages (Pepson Plastics Motul Husqvarna) fifth in class from Darren Gray (Trimborn Yamaha). A chip off the old block, Alfie’s son Bradley Cox (Brother Leader Tread KTM) was in similarly imperious form in 200cc OR3, where Scott Heygate and 8th overall Davin Cocker completed the small class podium ahead of Stefan van Deventer (Mitas Yamaha), Ryan Pelser (Q-Kon EMD KTM) and Erik Merry (KTM).
Top ten finisher Wade Blaauw topped the thirty-plus Senior Cross Country race from Hannes Saaijman (Q-Kon EMD KTM), Werner Kennedy (KTM) and Achim Bergmann (Pepson Plastics Motul Husqvarna) with Marco Cocci (Yamaha) and Shabeer Moosa (KTM) next up, while Wayne Farmer (Biker’s Warehouse Husqvarna) won the over-40 Masters race from Martin Poole (Yamaha) and Jan Bernining (KTM).
At the other end of the Cross Country age divide, Dylan Cox (RBS Yamaha) took a dominant High School win from Matthew Wilson (MCA Husqvarna), Kyle Mckenzie (Sherical Husqvarna), Etienne Zybrands (Droomers Yamaha) and Branden Swanepoel (KTM). The weekend opened a new Cross County era in the new 85cc Junior Interprovincial class, where Cobus Bester (MCA Husvarna) held Krige van der Merwe (Eddie 2 Race Husqvarna) and Stefan Zybrands (Droomers Yamaha) off for the win ahead of Brandon Clarke (MCA Husqvarna), Reinier van der Merwe and Johny Luck (MCA Husqvarna).
Several of the Cross Country riders were back in action against the cream of the Enduro racing crop in the second half of the weekend’s Live Lesotho Double Header in Saturdays South African National Enduro pipe opener, where E2 Open class rider Travis Teasdale rode his Cleanrite Sole KTM to the overall win over Kyle Flanagan (Bidvest Yamaha) and double-duty duo Brett Swanepoel (Pepson Husqvarna) and Jarryd Coetzee (Brother KTM).
It was a good day for Bradley Cox (Brother KTM) who added the E1 200cc win to his weekend tally ahead of Lloyd Kirk (Bidvest Yamaha) and Matt Green (Pepson Husqvarna), while Graham Hedgcock (KTM Cape Town) took Senior honours over both day riders Hannes Saaijman (Q-Kon KTM) and Achim Bergmann (Pepson Motul Husqvarna). Bidvest Yamaha duo Bruce May and Denzil Torlage beat Chris Rawlins (KTM) to Masters honours.
Dylan Cox (RBS Yamaha) was another rider to do the Live Lesotho double by also winning Saturday’s Enduro High School class from Alfie Cox Motul KTM duo Cayden Purchase and Calvin Calow, while Cobus Bester (MCA Holeshot Husqvarna) and Tristan Hedgcock (KTM Cape Town) were the only two new Junior Interprovincial riders to make Saturday’s finish.
The next SA Cross Country national is in KwaZulu Natal on 18 April, with round 2 of the South African Enduro Championship being the Rover in Port Elizabeth on 14 March.
