Surge of local interest in MX for two-day meeting
THE big motocross two-day event has dodged multiple obstacles and is on course to tear up the Pleinmont track this weekend.
It may not be a full-blown Channel Islands Championship like the springtime showdown initially planned, but following an emergency club meeting this Monday, its revival with 50-plus competitors has come as a mini-miracle.
The next ‘if’ comes with the adverse weather that threatens to sweep this year’s event off course again.
Yet motocross stalwart Graham Waddingham has taken a lot of encouragement from the locally-based entry and some promising practice sessions.
‘There’s going to be some good racing, really good racing,’ Waddingham said.
The seemingly invincible George Symons headlines the A Class after a superb streak of victories before lockdown, yet old threats like Brett Pearce and Hamish Moriarty will be looking to challenge him.
The women’s field, meanwhile, has taken a welcome lift from the anticipated return of bright prospect Chloe MacDonald.
Although competitive MX has been on hold since before lockdown, several riders have kept themselves up to speed with hill climbs in the meantime, and Waddingham now expects this to play out in reverse.
‘It seems to have worked the other way round too,’ he added.
‘We’ve had a lot of other people who were thinking they want to have a go at it saying “Life’s too short, let’s do it”. People are realising that they have got to enjoy themselves while they can.’
Action is set to get under way with 10am practices on both Saturday and Sunday mornings and end before 5pm, with the winners fighting for class crowns over a six-race series.
