Todd Waters wins King of Capricorn 2021

Todd Waters has won the 2021 King of Capricorn over the weekend, with a consistent performance across the top two steps of the podium in the day’s races leaving him 20-points clear of runner-up Kirk Gibbs. Aaron Tanti completed the podium in third, with fourth through sixth a close affair between Jesse Dobson, Jai Walker and Levi Rogers, with a single point separating each rider, on 149, 148 and 147 respectively.

Todd Waters – P1

“Super fun weekend at the King Of Capricorn MX over the weekend. Taking out the overall in both the two-stroke and the King of Capricorn classes. Huge thanks to Mike Ward for pulling off the largest cash prize purse in Australian MX together with the RADMX Rockhampton Motocross, you guys rock.”

Kirk Gibbs – P2

“My Terrafirma Honda worked well all weekend and I felt competitive. My biggest setback were my starts. The format included 9 races, 5 of which were 3 lap sprint races. I got one out of nine holeshots. I definitely made life hard for myself all day and I know what I need to practice on. I really felt strong, and I could have made some aggressive passes, but I could have taken myself down as well. As much as I wanted to win the overall, I am glad I won the final race comfortably and I am in one piece to fight for the Queensland titles this coming weekend in MacKay.”

Kobe Drew claimed the Prince of Capricorn title, winning the class on 169-points, ahead of Jack Mather and Jett Burgess-Stevens, with Jake Cannon and Jet Alsop completing the top five.

2021 King of Capricorn Top 10

2021 Prince of Capricorn Top 10

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2021 International Six Days of Enduro returns to Italy

The 95th edition of the FIM International Six Days of Enduro will kick off in Lombardy / Piedmont on Augusta 30, marking the 11th time Italy has hosted the event, with only Great Britain holding a better record.

Italy’s long association with the ISDE – originally titled the International Six Days Trial (ISDT) – began in 1931 when the town of Merano had the unique honour of hosting the event in back-to-back years. The Italians triumphed on home soil on the first of these occasions before giving way to the British who won the main two trophies when the ISDE returned a year later.

It wouldn’t be until 1948 that the event would return to Italy, in San Remo, followed by Varese in 1951. 17-years later it would reconvene in San Pellegrino Terme, before heading to Camerino in 1974.

1981 was the next time that Italy would act as the host to the freshly named ISDE. Isola d’Elba was the venue for this memorable edition, and home nation won both of the new team classes – namely the now established World Trophy and Junior Trophy competitions.

Five years later as San Pellegrino Terme accommodated the ISDE for a second time and was the scene of the 1986 celebrations as once again the host nation won both the World and Junior Trophies.

After an extended break, Italy was back in charge of delivering another notable running of the ISDE in 1997. Brescia being the last venue where the Italians achieved home wins in both the World Trophy and Junior Trophy categories. The beautiful island of Sardinia was the host in 2013, which marked the tenth time that the ISDE had been held on Italian soil.

Eight years later, and after having been postponed twelve months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FIM International Six Days of Enduro is returning to the Italian heartland of Enduro and to some of the best off-road terrain in Europe. Lombardy / Piedmont will once again welcome riders from across the world for six demanding days in the saddle from August 30 to September 4, 2021.

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Leszno defeat Lublin 48-42 at the Alfred Smoczyk Stadium

Polish racers Przemyslaw Pawlicki and Krzysztof Kasprzak were the last-heat heroes as they secured Grudziadz’s spot in the 2022 PGE Ekstraliga and sent Zielona Gora down.

Grudziadz spent most of the season bottom of the table, but they stormed to a last-gasp 48-42 victory at home to Czestochowa on Sunday, which saw them leapfrog Falubaz for seventh spot and drop one of Polish speedway’s superpowers into the First Division for next season.

Pawlicki has endured a mixed campaign for Grudziadz, but delivered when it mattered most, top-scoring on 13 points.

He led Kasprzak to a 4-2 in heat 15, parting Lions pair Leon Madsen and Bartosz Smektala on turn two to send the home fans into raptures, while KK nipped past Smektala on bend three to break Zielona Gora hearts.

This was after Nicki Pedersen and Kenneth Bjerre raced to a 4-2 of their own over Jonas Jeppesen and Mateusz Swidnicki in heat 14, with Jeppesen just snatching second on the line to send Grudziadz’s relegation fight to the last heat.

Kasprzak has endured a tough couple of seasons, but lifted himself for Grudziadz’s biggest match of the year, delivering 10 paid 11.

Triple world champion Pedersen roared back into action with 11 points after his racing ban for remonstrating with a referee was put on hold by the Danish Sports Confederation. His contribution was telling for a team that has relied on him heavily all season. His compatriot Bjerre collected nine paid 10.

Madsen was Czestochowa’s top scorer on 10 paid 11, while Smektala scored eight and Freddie Lindgren registered four.

Grudziadz’s triumph throws the future of Zielona Gora’s big guns for 2022 into serious question as the club faces its first season out of the top flight since 2006.

Local hero Patryk Dudek may be forced to move away from his boyhood club for the first time in his career in search of PGE Ekstraliga action, while SGP regulars Max Fricke and Matej Zagar may also seek pastures new.

In the day’s other match, Lublin secured second spot in the PGE Ekstraliga table and booked a play-off semi-finals showdown with Gorzow.

Leszno defeated Lublin 48-42 at the Alfred Smoczyk Stadium. But with the visitors taking the bonus point, the reigning champions will now face a tough semi-final showdown with table-topping Wroclaw as they bid for a fifth straight league title.

Aussie icon Jason Doyle impressed for Leszno on 13 paid 14, while Emil Sayfutdinov tallied 10 and World Under-21 champion Jaimon Lidsey added eight paid 10. Jaroslaw Hampel was Lublin’s top scorer on nine.

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Max Fricke on the podium at SpeedwayGP Challenge

Polish racer Pawel Przedpelski admits he’s in dreamland after crowning the week he became a father by booking his place in the 2022 FIM Speedway Grand Prix series alongside Max Fricke and Patryk Dudek. The Torun icon topped the GP Challenge podium to take his place in the SGP World Championship for the first time next year.

Przedpelski tied on 12 points with Aussie champion Fricke, but triumphed in a run-off to win the meeting, while Fricke secured his SGP status for next year – regardless of where he finishes in the SGP 2021 standings.
Meanwhile, former world No.2 Dudek bagged third place on 11 points to earn an SGP World Championship comeback after just a season away.

Victory capped a week Przedpelski will never forget after he welcomed daughter Rozalka into the world along with partner Michalina on Tuesday.

Pawel Przedpelski

“I can’t believe it. This week couldn’t have been better for me. On Tuesday my daughter came into the world. That was unbelievable. Today I got into the GP, so it is like a dream. It cannot be real. It is a beautiful day.”

Przedpelski stormed to 11 points from his opening four rides to put himself within touching distance of qualification. He found himself at the back in race 18 behind Dudek and Jan Kvech, but Przedpelski powered past Slovakian racer Jakub Valkovic for third going into bend three to snatch the point that sealed his spot on the sport’s biggest stage.

Fricke endured a difficult start, fighting his way past former Belle Vue team mate Dan Bewley for third in heat four as he finished behind Przedpelski and Andzejs Lebedevs.

The Victorian ace racked up 11 points from his remaining four rides, rounding them off by winning a ferocious battle with compatriot Chris Holder to take victory in race 19 and seal a podium place.

But the Zielona Gora and Indianerna star is still targeting qualification via the SGP 2021 top six – even with his spot for next year secure.

Max Fricke

“It definitely takes the pressure off, knowing that I am in the championship next year. But hopefully we don’t need this place. That’s the aim of the game. Now I can go out and focus on every GP and try and put in the best possible results to finish off the year.”

Dudek raced to two seconds and a third in his opening three heats. But he delivered a flawless finish, winning races 13 and 18.

Dudek’s fellow Polish star Janusz Kolodziej could have sealed a spot in SGP 2022 with second place in heat 20. But the Leszno man was left languishing at the back after a nightmare start and first turn, sending Dudek through.

Kolodziej had to make do with fourth spot on 10, although it could still be enough to secure his place in SGP 2022 in the event Fricke finishes in the 2021 SGP World Championship’s top six.

Kolodziej’s 10-point haul was matched by German ace Martin Smolinski in fifth. The Bavarian roared to victory in his opening two heats, before finishing second to Przedpelski in heat nine. But third places in his final two rides saw him fall short of a remarkable SGP comeback – just 15 months after recovering from serious hip and nerve injuries, which could have ended his career.

Latvian international Andzejs Lebedevs missed out on nine, while 2012 world champion Chris Holder, Dan Bewley, Jevgenijs Kostigovs and Jan Kvech all collected eight points.

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John Darroch tops WA State MX Round 4

Round 4 of the WAMX Senior State Championship ran over the weekend, with John Darroch taking a double win for the MX1 Pro victory, ahead of Charlie Creech and Stuart Eardley-Wilmot, with Luke Davis and Brendon Bayliss completing the top five.

In the MX2 Pro Class, Daniel Pajewski took the overall win ahead of Evan Browne, with each rider taking a win a-piece. Cody Chittick was third overall with a consistent 4-3 result.

Kayden Minear topped the MX3 class going 1-1, ahead of Deacon Paice (2-2) and Jordan Minear (3-3).

In the Veterans class Luke Few swept all three races for the win, ahead of Aaron Chircop and Trevor Unstead. Kara Cats meanwhile won the Womens class, ahead of Hannah Stewart and Che’Ebert.

WAMX Round 4 Final MX1 Pro Results

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AORC Rounds 9 & 10 in South Australia cancelled

The AORC management team have now officially cancelled Rounds 9 and 10 of the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship, presented by MXstore, due to the continuing COVID-19 state border closures and lockdowns.

The AORC management team worked closely with their South Australian counterparts and host club Keyneton MCC, but under the current regulations, with border closures and extended lockdowns in several states, it is not possible for the Kingston SE round to proceed.

The AORC management understand riders were very keen to hit the track, but with the current state restrictions, the health and safety of competitors, teams, officials and fans are paramount.

Despite this, the South Australian Off-Road Championships which were to run alongside the AORC will still proceed for South Australian riders at a yet to be confirmed new venue.

The AORC management team thanked Keyneton MCC for their significant work in preparing for the AORC rounds as well as the wider enduro community for their support and understanding during this difficult time.

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Under-16s Speedway Championships cancelled due to Covid

South Australian Sidewinders Under Sixteen Speedway Club have cancelled of the 2021 Australian Under 16’s 125cc Speedway Solo and Under 16’s 125cc Teams Championships due to COVID-19 State lockdowns and border restrictions. The Championships were to be held at Wingfield, South Australia on September 24 and 25.

Meredith Sterry – South Australian Sidewinders U16 Speedway Club Secretary

“In view of the Country’s current Covid 19 situation, and in particular the issues in NSW, along with the subsequent lock downs and border restrictions, we feel it would not be possible to conduct the event in the manner in which it deserves to be run.”

The Club and MA will work together in regard to next year’s Championships and to find a suitable date which will be announced in the near future.

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2021 Australian ATV National Championships cancelled

The Cretive48 have, in consultation with Motorcycling Australia, cancelled the 2021 ATV MX Nationals to be held at Kilcoy, QLD, October 16-17 due to current global pandemic of COVID 19 and the restrictions, lockdown and quarantine laws that vary from State to State that have resulted from this crisis.

Mitch Van Vliet

“We had big plans for the 2021 ATV MXN and the event was looking to be the biggest and best nationals yet. After the crazy year we had in 2020 it was looking promising for the event to go ahead 2021, but with the uncertainty and ever-changing laws from State to State the safest thing we could do at this point in time is cancel the event. We had some great sponsors lined up and for the first time we were planning on having the event Live streamed for the ATV World to tune in to see just how fast us Aussie are. I am still very passionate about growing the sport and plan on giving all ATV racers the most professional events that continue to get bigger and better every year. We are currently in negotiations with Motorcycling Australia in regards to the 2022 and 2023 ATV MX Nationals and will be making an announcement in the near future regarding those events. In the meant time please stay tuned to the Facebook page and instagram for any updates.”

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FOX Racing teams up with Australian Supercross Championship

The Australian Supercross Championship have entered into a naming rights partnership with global motocross apparel giant FOX Racing, with the FOX Australian Supercross Championship to boast a complete rebrand and all-new look.

Domestically, FOX have held a strong partnership for the best part of three decades with Australia’s successful racing outfit, CDR Yamaha, with a large collection of number one plates going to the Craig Dack run operation.

Mikey Rangel – FOX’s Global Director of Marketing

“The team at FOX is beyond excited and grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Australian Supercross Championship. The work Adam & the crew have done to drive a premier race experience through this series is admirable. We’re eager to kick off further collaborative efforts to celebrate Supercross in Australia with our activations on-site, presence in the domestic marketplace, and through FOX’s global platforms.”

Adam Bailey – AUS SX Holding

“To say that we’re excited to be partnering with a global and iconic brand like FOX is a massive understatement. FOX is synonymous with dirt biking, globally. Their ability to build and market a brand is second to none and their designs and products they have built over the years are etched into some of the most memorable moments in Motocross and Supercross. We can’t wait to see what we can do together, with Supercross in Australia.”

Following a tumultuous two years which has been plagued by the Covid-19 pandemic, sports fans across the world have demonstrated their thirst for the return of actions sports. The 2021 FOX Australian Supercross Championship was scheduled to kick off in Queensland on October 16 and conclude in Victoria in late November, with events also confirmed in SA, WA and NSW. The current Covid-19 outbreak however has put this on hold until further notice.

‘It’s obviously been a tough period for everyone and for Supercross fans it’s been no different. We felt like as a Championship we were hitting our straps in 2019, culminating with 35,000 fans inside Marvel Stadium, so it was a huge shame to miss out on backing that up in 2020.

An official schedule for the 2021 FOX Australian Supercross Championship is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

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Adrien Metge wins 2021 Rally dos Sertões

The third round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship took place in Brazil on a route between Tamandaré and Tibau do Sul, offering a diverse challenge over stony and sandy terrain, rolling tracks and magnificent landscapes.

It was also a difficult route because of logistical issues created by the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, and as a result few riders were able to participate, while the last stage was cancelled after torrential rain inundated the region.

Adrien Metge (Yamaha) led the motorcycle category from the Prologue to the end of the rally. However, the Frenchman experienced GPS issues on the first stage and over-speeding cost him a 16-minute time penalty and he finished the section in ninth. The Yamaha rider then went on to win all the stages, with the exception of the last one, that fell to Gregorio Caselani (Honda).

On SS6, Metge almost didn’t finish when his engine gave signs of weakness and gave in at the end of the special. Fortunately, team-mate Tulio Malta – who had started far behind after experiencing a problem on stage five – was able to tow him to the bivouac.

Jean de Azevedo (Honda), for his part, made a comeback at the handlebars of a Honda and demonstrated that he had lost none of his ability to finish second overall, ahead of Bissinho Zavatti (Honda), Tulio Malta (Yamaha) and Gregorio Caselani (Honda).

Ricardo Martins (Yamaha) fell on the fourth stage and was forced to retire with fractured ribs.

With all the aforementioned riders registered in Rally2, Metge won Rallye dos Sertões and the Rally2 category, while the victory in RallyeGP went to Caselani.

2021 Rally dos Sertões Results

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Speedway of Nations Semi-Final line-up revealed

The line-ups for the 2021 Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Semi-Finals in Daugavpils on September 17 and 18 have been revealed.

Poland, Sweden and Denmark have all been drawn into a stacked Semi-Final 1 on Friday, September 17 with the nations boasting 15 FIM Speedway World Cup titles between them. They’ll battle for places in the Monster Energy SON Final in Manchester on October 16 and 17.

They are joined in the meeting by 2020 finalists, the Czech Republic, plus the USA, Slovenia and Finland.

Hosts Latvia take their place in Semi-Final 2, which sees them come up against reigning champions, the Motorcycle Federation of Russia.

Their national heroes FIM Speedway Grand Prix world title contender Artem Laguta and double European champion Emil Sayfutdinov have won all three Monster Energy SON world championships since the competition was launched in 2018 and will hope to make it number four in Manchester.

They will be determined to deliver a big performance in neighbouring Latvia as they also take on 2019 SON bronze medal winners Australia, Germany, France, the Ukraine and Italy.

The top two teams after 21 heats in each Semi-Final will automatically join hosts Great Britain in the Monster Energy FIM SON Final in Manchester.

The third and fourth-placed countries in each Semi-Final will then face off in the Final Qualifier, with the teams that triumph also taking their places at Manchester’s National Speedway Stadium.

• SEMI-FINAL 1 LINE-UP:
  • Poland,
  • Denmark,
  • Sweden,
  • Finland,
  • Czech Republic,
  • Slovenia,
  • USA.
• SEMI-FINAL 2 LINE-UP:
  • Motorcycle Federation of Russia,
  • Australia,
  • Latvia,
  • Italy,
  • Ukraine,
  • Germany,
  • France.

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Toni Bou finishes Andorra TrialGP 1-3

Toni Bou sneaked the win by the narrowest of margins in the first of the two TrialGP World Championship trials held this weekend in Sant Julià de Lòria, Andorra, before finished the fifth round on the third step of the podium, retaining the overall championship lead.

The difficulty level of the twelve Andorran sections made for a closely-fought trial on the first day of competition at the Andorra TrialGP, filled with tough, highly-demanding sections. In addition, several riders were further penalised for exceeding the maximum time limits.

Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou fought neck and neck against long-term arch-rival Adam Raga for the triumph throughout the two laps of the Andorran course. Bou and Raga constantly traded places at the head of the table, but in the end it was Toni Bou who claimed the win, in spite of finishing on 46 marks, the same number as his rival. The tie-breaking factor proved to be the total time taken in completing the route, with the Repsol Honda Team rider finishing one minute ahead. Another fine result sees Toni Bou continue to top the championship leaderboard, now holding a thirteen-point advantage in the general standings.

The second trial of the Andorra TrialGP turned out to be an arduous task for the Repsol Honda Team riders. Andorra, while always a gruelling event for riders, also usually makes huge demands on the bike due to the high altitude of the sections and the high temperatures. Day 2 proved a struggle for all the competitors over the two twelve-section laps of the Sant Julià de Lòria course.

And it was Toni Bou’s turn to struggle in Andorra. Right off the bat, in section two, he picked up a puncture, before committing several errors which would eventually cost him the lead and rob him of a potential tenth win in Andorra. The Repsol Honda Team rider had to settle for third place in the end, but Bou keeps hold of the overall championship lead with an eight-point advantage over pursuer Adam Raga, winner of today’s trial.

Competitors will get little rest in this week with the forthcoming sixth trial of the 2021 TrialGP World Championship to be held next weekend in Cahors, France.

Toni Bou

“This weekend was really complicated. Finishing first and third is a great result, considering that we struggled so much. Despite all the problems, the team has worked hard and I am very grateful for that. Now we just have to work to recover the good feelings on the bike and be in the fight for the win in France next week.”

2021 TrialGP or Andorra Results

Source: MCNews.com.au