By Bernd Kroemer
As expected, the German-South African Collin Dugmore won the first leg of the Namibian Moto Cross Inter Series "Air Namibia Dash for Cash" and the big trophy sponsored by Air Namibia on October 29. Once again it was an event with many superlatives.
The sky was cloudy and the temperature moderate - ideal racing weather. In 2002 we had 3000 spectators who came to Gallina. This number hadn't been topped this year but still a great number of spectators, mostly teens, lined the fence around the Pepsi Party-Barn. The treasurer must have been very satisfied. Apart from that, exciting motorsport was offered which culminated in a dramatic "E.L. Sea Products King of the Dirt".
Unfortunately the paramedics from E-MED had to get active when young Sven Hart was involved in a crash with a 4-Wheeler on the southern part of the race track, but he soon recovered.
The young German ex-champion Gunnar Schuster was less fortunate. During the E.L. Sea Products King of the Dirt he had a tumble after which a broken leg was diagnosed. Up until that moment Gunnar was still fighting for a place on the podium.
The man behind the microphone, Fritz Kaufmann, as always led the spectators masterfully through the programme.
1st Heat Open Class
...the gate drops and Boyd Karsmakers from the Netherlands wins the holeshot, followed closely by Ronnie Adams, while Ross Branch and Collin Dugmore had to bulldoze their way through the field, with Gunnar Schuster following on their heels.
Karsmakers? race however came to an abrupt end when he crashed at the FNB-fence and totally twisted his front wheel.
Meanwhile, the German Benjamin Kolberg was putting on the pressure and pulled past Schuster halfway through the race. Namibia's multiple champion Ingo Waldschmidt couldn?t get past compatriot Ronnie Adams.
Results:
1. Collin Dugmore, Germany, Team Desert Logistics-Kawasaki, 20 points
2. Ross Branch, Botswana, Team Electro Light-Kawasaki, 17
3. Benjamin Kolberg, Germany, Team John Meinert-Yamaha, 15
4. Gunnar Schuster, Germany, Team John Meinert-Honda, 13
5. Robert Sturm, Germany, Team Circle Motors-Kawasaki, 10
2nd Heat Open Class
...now everyone is highly strung! Clutches jump and off they go! Boyd Karsmakers again wins the holeshot, but after four laps he is passed by Branch and Dugmore.
Ross Branch and Collin Dugmore once again play their breathtaking David vs. Goliath game, whereby "David" holds himself astonishingly well on his little 250ccm four stroke Kawasaki, against Collin Dugmore on his powerful de-Groot-Kawasaki.
Then in the northern curve, at the Namibian Breweries tent, it happens: Branch takes a turn too fast, gets stalled, and Dugmore passes him.
Schuster who is lying fourth, is under constant pressure from Kolberg and finally has to let him pass.
Round after round Waldschmidt follows Adams right on his muffler, intensifying the pressure, but then Ingo crashes and Tommi Gous pulls past.
Results:
1. Collin Dugmore, Germany, Team Desert Logistics-Kawasaki, 20 points
2. Ross Branch, Bostwana, Team Electro Light-Kawasaki, 17
3. Boyd Karsmakers, Netherlands, Team Coastal Couriers-Suzuki, 15
4. Benjamin Kolberg, Germany, Team John Meinert-Yamaha, 13
5. Gunnar Schuster, Germany, Team John Meinert-Honda, 10
Unfortunately the competition in the international 125ccm class was pretty weak and therefore somewhat less exciting.
1st lap 125ccm class
Ross Branch shoots off like a bullet at the start. Namibia's Björn Bierbrauer wards off the attacks by Robert Sturm, who starts building up the pressure.
In the northern curve, Bierbrauer takes a curve too fast and Sturm takes over the lead.
The Namibian Frank Klosta battles with Alexander Howard for the fourth rank. Andrew Frangeskides from Zambia and Cody Visser from Zimbabwe fight to keep up.
Results:
1. Ross Branch, Botswana, Team Electro Light-Kawasaki, 20
2. Robert Sturm, Germany, Team Circle Motors-Kawasaki, 17
3. Björn Bierbrauer, Namibia, Team Lerch & Co.-KTM, 15
4. Frank Klosta, Namibia, Yamaha, 13; 5. Alexander Howard, Namibia, Yamaha, 10;
2nd lap 125ccm class
A start-finish victory for Ross Branch!
Björn Bierbrauer starts off in front of Sturm, but in the end he has to give way. Despite this he clearly defends his position against his fellow countrymen Klosta and Howard.
Results:
1. Ross Branch, Botswana, Team Electro Light-Kawasaki, 20
2. Robert Sturm, Germany, Team Circle Motors-Kawasaki, 17
3. Björn Bierbrauer, Namibia, Team Lerch & Co.-KTM, 15
4. Frank Klosta, Namibia, Yamaha, 13
5. Alexander Howard, Namibia, Yamaha, 10
After the protagonists had completed their heats, everyone met for the deciding " E.L.Sea Products King of the Dirt" race, which turned out to be probably the most exciting race witnessed on Namibian soil this year.
Before the race, the nervousness and strain of the riders was tangible. Again the two-stroke engines scream and the four-stroke engines roar...the gate drops and Boyd Karsmakers wins his 3rd holeshot of the day.
While Dugmore and Branch start hunting Karsmakers down, there is another battle developing behind them, with Benjamin Kolberg, Robert Sturm, Gunnar Schuster and Ronnie Adams continuously changing the lead.
Behind the four, Ingo Waldschmidt battles with the fit Zimbabwean Cody Visser and the Namibian Tommi Gous. But Zambia's highly-rated Russel Foyle cannot make it into the Top 10 on the day. Collin Dugmore wins a deserved 3rd heat and receives the big trophy sponsored by Air Namibia. This was Moto Cross at its best!
Results E.L.Sea Products King of the Dirt:
1. Collin Dugmore Germany, Team Desert Logistics-Kawasaki, 20
2. Ross Branch, Botswana, Team Electro Light-Kawasaki, 17
3. Boyd Karsmakers, The Netherlands, Team Coastal Couriers-Suzuki, 15
4. Robert Sturm, Germany, Team Circle Motors-Kawasaki, 13
5. Benjamin Kolberg, Germany, Team John Meinert-Yamaha, 10
6. Ronnie Adams, Namibia, Suzuki, 9
7. Ingo Waldschmidt, Namibia, Team Lerch & Co.-Yamaha, 8
8. Cody Visser, Zimbabwe, Team Waldschmidt Eggs-Yamaha, 7
9. Tommi Gous, Namibia, Zenner-Yamaha, 6
10. Björn Bierbrauer, Namibia, Team Lerch & Co.-KTM, 5
Of course there were exciting races in all classes in the supporting programme.
In the 50cc junior class there was an exciting duel between Harris Cloete, William Smith and Michael Barlow, with Cloete winning.
The 50ccm senior class was also exciting with Martin Paterson from Botswana winning with maximum points, followed by Namibia?s ?princess? Claire Brendel, and Elandre van Eck.
The boys in the 65ccm class were extremely fast. Here the Namibian Mark Sternagel proved his mettle against the boy from Botswana, Ian Dykes and Zimbabwe's Jayden Ashwell.
In the 85ccm class the overall winner was Zambia's Barry van Blerk, after Björn Bierbrauer quit in the 3rd heat after having won the two preceding heats. Björn then concentrated on the 125ccm class. Namibia's Alexander Howard came second after holding off a strong challenge by compatriot Jaco Loots.
In the popular Clubmen's Class the Angolan Jose Texeira won with ease, followed by Jeffrey Welsh and Germany?s Carsten Kölling. Carsten arrived late for the second heat, after the race had already started. He however, gave a strong performance to fight through the field and eventually finish in sixth position.
After the award ceremony in the Pepsi Party-Barn, good music was played by DJ Coco, which was followed by Jägermeister foam-party! Gallina went nuts! Approximately 500 more party-hungry youths had arrived in the meantime and the place was packed.
Windhoek will talk about this party for days to come - that?s for sure
The action continues on November 5 with the second leg of the Inter Series, to be known as the ?Air Namibia Pepsi Dirt Busters? at Gallina Race Track.