Summarize

South Africa’s 2019 TRP National Motocross Champions will be crowned at Terra Topia north of Johannesburg on Saturday and with most of those titles, they are quite literally poised on a knife’s edge, the action is guaranteed to be extreme. With only Dalton Venter crowned as this year’s High School champion at the previous races, a day of absolute drama is to be expected at the final round.

There will be no room for error between the top three in elite MX1, where Tristan Purdon (Red Bull KTM) has a scant 5-point lead over Maddy Malan (Q4 Fuels Husqvarna), with Lloyd Vercueil (Florstore OnTrend Summit Yamaha) close enough to upset in the open class title race. Vercueil is however fighting to be fit in time for Terra Topia following an overseas race injury, while David Goosen (Out of Africa Monster Energy Yamaha), Dylan Mostert (Honda), Husqvarna trio Cameron Odendaal, Marco de Vrye and Wesley du Plooy and Kevin Moran (Kawasaki) are ready to pick up any pieces.

It’s also super-close in 250cc MX2, where Red Bull KTM rider Kerim Fitz-Gerald’s recent five win streak has seen him to a 7-point title lead over Anthony Raynard (Tintswalo Yamaha), with Joshua Mlimi (Red Bull KTM) just two points further behind in third. They will have more than enough interference around them from the likes of Husqvarna riders Slade Smith and Ricky Raaff, KTM men Bradley Cox, Camden McLellan and Johan Vogelsang and Jesse Wright (Yamaha).

Over-40 riders Brett Bircher (KTM) and come from behind Ian Topliss (Out Of Africa Monster Energy Yamaha) are 'mano-a-mano' in another close title fight in MX3, where Tyson Engelbrecht (KTM) will want to see Jonathan Hubbard (KTM) and Sheldon Watkins (Yamaha) off for the over-30 title. Rodney Odendaal (Husqvarna), Rod Bergstrom (Suzuki) and Quentin Foster will meanwhile dice for over-50 honours.

It should be a formality for Kayla Raaff (Husqvarna) to wrap up the 2019 SA Ladies Motocross title, but Natasha Rugani (KTM) will be out to beat the dominant champion delegate again at Terra Topia. KTM sisters Jadene and Cheyenne de Lima, Tiegan Reed (KTM), Jenna Bohling (Husqvarna) and Carika Pieterse (Yamaha) are all lady motocrossers to keep an eye on too. 

125cc High School champion Dalton Venter (CIT Husqvarna) will be the only leading rider to arrive at Terra Topia without championship pressure, so he’s free to give it his all against the likes of KTM trip Camden McLellan, Miguel de Waal and Jonathan Mlimi, and Yamaha duo Calvin Jean-Jacques and Christiaan Cilliers.

Leonard du Toit (KTM) leads a tight 85cc Pro Mini title chase over Blake Young (KTM), while Nate McLellan (KTM), Luke Grundy (KTM), Lucas Venter (Husqvarna) and Bryce Petersen (Yamaha) will be out to stop both of them. It’s just as close in small-wheel 85cc Junior, where Seth Young (KTM) takes an 8 point lead to Jozi over Deegan Bloomfield (Husqvarna), with KTM lot, Timo Maximo Toepfer, Pieter Brink, Nathan Verster and Arno Erasmus also in pursuit.

Neil van der Vyver (Q4 Fuels Husqvarna) needs just six points to wrap up the 2019 SA primary school 65cc MX title, but Liam Botha (Husqvarna), Trey Cox (KTM) and Jordan van Wyk (Husqvarna) will do their best to make it as difficult as possible for him to pull off. KTM riders Damon Garrell, Blade Tilley and Thor Johnson; Husqvarna duo Jack Pullen and Damien Venter and Tyler Petersen (Yamaha) will also be in that chase.

Ethan Williamson (KTM) has a handy 50cc baby motocross championship lead in hand over Jake van Schoor (Husqvarna), with Keenan Strauss in third, but Christian Berrington-Smith (KTM) is the wildcard there and do not ignore KTM kids Jake Pretorius, Trent Valsecchi, Casey Tilley, Logan van Vuuren, WJ van Vuuren and Evan Frost, and Chase Bekker (Husqvarna) either.

 

Terra Topia is at Northern Farms on the R114 near Diepsloot, Midrand, so why not make a day of it? The culmination of the 2019 South African National Motocross Championship is sponsored by TRP Distributors will be a spectacle not to be missed.

The 2019 South African National Motocross Championship is sponsored by TRP Distributors, in association with Dragon Energy, Prepsol, Out Of Africa, Tintswalo, Bridgestone, Thor, Gaerne, FMF, Motul, Pro-Taper, Fly Racing, 100%, Ogio Luggage, Racestar Graffix and the Race Shop.