Pro motocross heads to Busiika

Intense racing. Stav Orland goes airborne in the 85cc class during the national championships. There will be more of this at Busiika today when the the best ever field of riders attack the race track for the Armed Forces MX Championships. PHOTO BY JOHN BATANUDDE

What you need to know:

  • Joshua Mlimi, 20, from South Africa who was here last year, is looking forward to the big crowd and intense racing.
  • Over Shs750m (approx. $200,000) has been spent on the event whose proceeds will go towards giving a face-lift and equipping AF hospitals and schools.

The build-up to the inaugural Armed Forces Motocross Championship has been immense for the past one month. Now it’s time for action.

Fans are in for a treat as nearly 100 riders of which 30 are foreigners from Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands, Israel, USA and Canada will assemble at Uganda Sports Arena, Busiika today.

The event which has prize money of approximately Shs80m ($21,000), is the biggest ever held here.
The riders will battle from 50cc juniors to MX Vets while the top 10 boda-boda riders will also leave Busiika happy as they will share Shs5.9m.

Maxime van Pee, Team Uganda captain has termed the event a good opportunity for the local riders to show the progress we have made since we hosted the FIM Africa nation’s championship in 2012.
“We have come from far, last year we hosted South African and USA riders and it showed there is still a gap,” the four-time national MX1 champion told the Sunday Monitor.

Podium finish
The American pair of Austin Black (19 yrs) and Ryan Surratt both in MX1 expect podium finish despite riding in Uganda for the very first time.
“We know the competition is tough, we have participated with some of the Uganda riders in California, we are here to win,” Surratt, 22, said.
Joshua Mlimi, 20, from South Africa who was here last year, is looking forward to the big crowd and intense racing.

Over Shs750m (approx. $200,000) has been spent on the event whose proceeds will go towards giving a face-lift and equipping AF hospitals and schools.
Some of the companies which has contributed to the event include: Africell, Axcl, National Council of Sports, Coca-Cola, Pangea Aviation Academy , Uganda Lodges, Stanbic, NCR as well as Tamarai Restaurant and Bar.

Armed forces mx - prize money

MX1 $6,000
MX2 $6,000
MX Vets $2,000
MX Open Shs6m
MX125cc Shs6m
MX85cc Shs6m
MX65cc Shs3.5m
MX50cc Shs3.5m
MX50cc peewee Shs1.85m
Boda-boda Shs5.9m
Entrance: Shs15, 000