What Trademore Feeds SA Cross Country Round 2 Preview
Where Jolivet, KZN
When Saturday 15 April 2023
Community South Africa National
Tough KZN terrrain, wildcards to challenge SA’s finest
The 2023 Trademore South African Cross Country Championship heads to the Coles’ Farm at Jolivet in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands for its second round on Saturday 15 April. Set to be a cracker of note, not only will the typically tough undulating KZN sugar cane and forest conditions challenge riders, but several wildcard entries will be out to play interference.
OR2 hero Davin Cocker may have won from Senior upstart Kerim Fitz-Gerald, OR1 victor Bradley Cox, Scott Heygate, Mike Pentecost, and first OR3 man home Wian Wentzel last time out. But the presence of enduro quartet Brett Swanepoel, Will Slater, Travis Teasdale and Heinrich Aust at Jolivet is very likely to shake this weekend’s order up.
Davin Cocker’s factory Husqvarna dominated 350 cc four-stroke and 250cc two-stroke OR2 last time out over Scott Heygate’s Brother Leader Tread KTM, Ride KTM Durban man Kyle Eggar and KTM riders, lady racer Leah Heygate, and Matthew Snyman.
Bradley Cox took 450 cc OR1 honours in the Pretoria first round on his Brother Leader Tread KTM from Franchise Co duo Michael Pentecost and Gareth Cole. Cole is one man to look out for at this race through his back yard, but that trio has more than their fair share of disturbance to contend with this weekend.
Reigning double SA Cross Country Brett Swanepoel has entered the open class on a Trademore Sherco, as have enduro men Travis Teasdale on a Factory Husqvarna and Brother Leader Tread KTM man Will Slater. All three of them are experts in the tougher and enduro-like conditions prevalent in KZN, which also makes for an epic six-way fight.
It’s a similar situation in hugely competitive OR3, where Wian Wentzel dominated for the Pepson Plastics Scottish Cables Motul Factory Kawasaki team in Pretoria last time. This week Wian not only has to face Erik Merry’s Bikers Warehouse Honda and Ryan Pelser’s Factory Husqvarna, but his enduro teammate Heinrich Aust is also in for the ride.
Others to look out for in the 250 cc class include Motocrosser Ryan Angilley who made an impressive Cross Country debut for Pepson Plastics Kawasaki in fourth last time out, local experts Haydn Cole’s Honda, Branden Swanepoel on a Sherco, Ross Ramseyer’s KTM, and Franchise Co Honda trio, Tyron Beverley, Noah Maartens, and John Botha.
It’s just as interesting in the Seniors, where newly graduated Kerim Fitz-Gerald’s Brother Leader Tread KTM 350 faces up to 2022 champion Kenny Gilbert’s Pepson Plastics Scottish Cables Motul Factory Kawasaki for the first time in class. Also watch for Wynand Delport on a Franchise Honda 450, Louwrens Mahoney’s KTM 450, and a swarm of local wildcards too.
Even more big news in the Senior class line-up came as we closed for press. Multiple former SA champion Lowrens Mahoney will return to the saddle aboard a Franchise Co Tork Craft Honda at Jolivet. The madala Cross Country racing class certainly is becoming a Battle of the Legends in 2023.
Pieter Holl’s Pepson Kawasaki KX 450 X leads the Masters’ charge to Jolivet. He will encounter resistance from Warrick van Schalkwyk’s Franchise Honda, KTM pair Mielies le Roux and Wayne Farmer, Anthonie van der Walt on a Sherco and Francois Swanepoel riding a Husqvarna.
Luke Walker is the 125cc Highschool lad to beat on his ASP Alfie Cox KTM. Ride KTM Durban’s Thomas Scales, Daniel Peckham’s Trademore Sherco; KTM gang Rory Donaldson, Brandon Clarke, Blake Young, Nathan Westerdale, Andrew de Kock and Alecz Grobbelaar, and Yamaha lad Derek Karam will be out to stop him.
Murray Smith’s Franchise Co Honda leads the National 85 cc race to Jolivet ahead of Franco Fourie’s Roost KTM, Corbin Muller’s Husqvarna, Mackenzie Bam, and Drikus Van. Willem Botha and Hanju de Kock’s Husqvarnas, and Behn van Schalkwyk’s Kawasaki are the kids to beat in IPC 85 cc, while Husqvarna lads GJ Coetzee and John-Luke van der Westhuizen, and Matthew Meyer‘s GasGas top the 65 cc table.
The Jolivet 2023 Trademore South African Cross Country Championship race commences with the time trial Saturday morning 15 April, before the tough main race through the day. Learn more at www.saxcnationals.co.za.
Issued on behalf of Trademore SA Cross Country
Photography by: Action in Motion
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