Motocross: Uganda finishes fifth in Zambia

By Johnson Were

National team captain Arthur Blick Jr is the only rider that got a podium finish in the FIM Africa Motocross Championship in Zambia on Sunday where Uganda finished fifth overall.

Blick finished third in the veterans category of riders between the age of 35-52years on the challenging sandy track.

In the MX1 category Olivier Van Pee and Maxime Van Pee finished eighth and ninth respectively with Abdul Ddamba finishing fourteenth.

Blick attributed the performance to lack of funds to take the best performers in the sport especially in the totos category where Ali Omar, Waleed Omar, Imran Nkrunziza and others didn’t travel yet those are the classes that collect the most points for Uganda.

“We missed some good riders in the junior classes because of finances and am sure if they were all on board, we would have gotten a podium finish,” Blick stated.

“I think this a wakeup call for FMU to start sourcing for funds early enough in preparation for such international events,” He added.

The team was facilitated by businessman Patrick Van Pee and City Tyres.

Overall team Results:

1. S.Africa 646pts.
2. Zimbabwe 646pts.
3. Zambia 523pts.
4. Kenya 221pts.
5. Uganda 184pts.
6. Botswana 166 pts.

Individual results: 50cc Class

1. Diyaan Manuel 60 pts
2. James Thompson 49pts
8. Esther Mwangala (Uganda) 24pts

65cc Class:

1. Johnathan Mlimi 55pts
2. Davin Cocker 54pts
9. Ben Nsumba (Uganda) 18pts
10. Fortune Sentamu (Uganda) 15pts
17. Joshua Mwangala (Uganda) 3pts

85cc class

1. Janes Van Sandwyk57pts
2. Regan Wasmuth 54pts
10. Alistair Blick (Uganda) 18pts
13. Paddy Blick (Uganda) 12pts
 
MX2 Class:

1. Bradley Lionnet 60pts.
2.  Zane Farquharson 51pts.
17. Ssekito Shafique (Uganda) 1pt.

MX1Class:

1. Ross Branch 60pts.
2. Wade Den 51pts
8. Olivier Van Pee (Uganda) 20pts.
9. Maxime Van Pee (Uganda) 19pts.
12. Ivan Guya (Kenya) 13pts.
14. Ddamba Abdul (Uganda) 7pts.

Ladies Category:

1. Brittany Cuthbert 55pts.
2. Nanda Swiegers 54pts.
11. Sharifa Nansereka (Uganda) 5pts.

Veterans Category:

1. Dale Holliday 60pts
2. Geoff Den 51pts.
3. Arthur Blick Jr (Uganda) 43pts.