Round 4 of the 2016 Monster Energy TRP Distributors SA National Motocross Championship took place at Syringa Park in Muldersdrift, Gauteng over the weekend. A huge turnout of both riders and spectators made for one of the best stops of the season.
After a little winter chill in the morning, the day soon warmed up over a fast and unforgiving track. It was hard-pack and technical and resulted in some exciting racing, as well as some minor spills.
The MX2 division saw a full gate resulting in the most intense racing of the day. In Heat 1 Kerim Fitz-Gerald took advantage of a good start and was unstoppable. Anthony Raynard was running in a strong 2nd place but David Goosen, racing in MX2 for the first time this season, managed to catch up and make the pass.
In Heat 2, Fitz-Gerald went down in the first turn, Raynard got the lead and ran away from the pack. Goosen found himself in a lonely 2nd position but put the hammer down and closed the gap on Raynard lap after lap, eventually making the pass in the closing stages of the race. Fitz-Gerald managed to make his way through the pack for a respectable 3rd place finish.
Goosen claimed the overall with a 2-1 finish, Fitz-Gerald finished in 2nd for the day with his 1-3 finish and Raynard rounded off the podium in 3rd with his 3-2 finish.

The MX1 division was not short of its thrills and spills. Heat 1 saw Kerim Fitz-Gerald replicate his MX2 start and run away with the race. Richard van der Westhuizen found himself chasing in 2nd place but was eventually overtaken by Sacha Naude. David Goosed crashed off the start coming out the first turn and managed to climb his way back for a 4th place finish.
Heat 2 saw all the top runners from the first heat with a good start. Naude came out the first turn in the lead but a slight mistake saw him jump across the track almost taking Fitz-Gerald and Van der Westhuizen out. Goosen took advantage and slotted into 2nd place. Van der Westuizen finished in 3rd and Fitz-Gerald in 4th.
Naude took the overall with a 1-2 finish, Fitz-Gerald took home 2nd with his 1-4 finish and Goosen took 3rd with his 4-2 finish.

The MX3 division saw the return of Ryan Hunt to the winner’s podium. He placed ahead of Ian Topliss in second, while Brett Bircher came in third.

In the Ladies division there was an encouraging 10 ladies who entered, and it was Nanda Clowes who edged ahead of the perennial Brittany Cuthbert, with Kayla Raaff in third.

Round 5 the 2016 Monster Energy TRP Distributors SA National MX Championship is set to take place at Thunder Valley, Maritzburg on the 6 August.
2016 SA Motocross Nationals Round 4 Syringa Results
MX1
1st Sacha Naude
2nd Kerim Fitzgerald
3rd David Goosen
MX2
1st David Goosen
2nd Kerim Fitzgerald
3rd Anthony Raynard
MX3
1st Ryan Hunt
2nd Ian Topliss
3rd Brett Bircher
MX High School
1st Marco De Vrye
2nd Keegan Hickson-Mahony
3rd Regan Wasmuth
Ladies
1st Nanda Clowes
2nd Brittany Cuthbert
3rd Kayla Raaff
Pro Mini
1st Cameron Durow
2nd Dalton Venter
3rd Camden McLellan
85cc Juniors
1st Christiaan Cilliers
2nd Jonathan Mlimi
3rd Hayden Tully
65cc
1st Hayden Tully
2nd Blake Young
3rd Daiyaan Manuel
50cc
1st Neil van der Vyver
2nd Jordan Dewdney
3rd Jordan Van Wyk
Senior Support
1st Bevan Christie
2nd Mason Buist
3rd Marc Leightley
Photos by Eric Palmer