Summarize

Factory Husqvarna OR2 rider Davin Cocker made the 2023 Trademore South African Cross Country Championship season opener his own at Legends Park outside Pretoria on Saturday. Cocker took an early lead and managed it throughout, to take the day from KTM trio Kerim Seniors winner Fitz-Gerald in second, OR1 winner Bradley Cox and second in OR2, Scott Heygate.

Michael Pentecost came home fourth overall on his OR1 Franchise Co Honda, ahead of OR3 winner Wian Wentzel’s Pepson Plastics Kawasaki, Honda trio, OR1 man Gareth Cole, Erik Merry’s OR3 machine and OR1 rider Hayden Louw, and Ryan Pelser’s Factory OR3 Husqvarna.

Cox may have taken the time trial from Pentecost, but Cocker led the main race from the outset. Davin set the quickest opening lap by a minute, from where he consolidated his advantage on every lap of the five. The real race was behind. Fitz-Gerald fought Cox off for second, while Heygate and Pentecost battled for fourth. Wentzel meanwhile held a watching brief as he kept Cole at bay in sixth.

Davin Cocker’s Husqvarna was close to nine minutes clear of second OR2 rider, Scott Heygate’s Brother Leader Tread KTM. Ride KTM Durban man Kyle Eggar was third in the 350cc 4-stroke class from KTM trio, lady racer Leah Heygate, who delivered an impressive ride ahead of Matthew Snyman’s 2-stroke 250.

Another Brother Leader Tread KTM lad, Bradley Cox took the open class 450 cc OR1 by almost four minutes from Franchise Co Sleepover Tork Craft Honda trio Michael Pentecost, Gareth Cole, and Hayden Louw in chase. Kawasaki lad Jaycee Nienaber and Ian Rall’s Honda were next home in the big bore class.

Wian Wentzel took a four minute debut 250cc OR3 victory for Pepson Plastics Scottish Cables Motul Factory Kawasaki. He beat Erik Merry’s Bikers Warehouse Honda and Ryan Pelser’s Factory Husqvarna Motocrosser Ryan Angilley made an impressive Cross Country debut for Kawasaki in fourth from Haydn Cole’s Honda, Branden Swanepoel’s Sherco, Ross Ramseyer’s KTM and Honda trio, Tyron Beverley, Noah Maartens, and John Botha.

Second overall, newly graduated Kerim Fitz-Gerald’s Brother Leader Tread KTM 350 took an utterly dominant 41 minute Seniors win from Wynand Delport on a Franchise Honda 450 and Louwrens Mahoney’s KTM 450. Rob Mulholland’s KTM 450 ended fourth from Club class duo Jandre Bosch on a Husqvarna 250 and KTM 300 man Kobus Jonck.

Pieter Holl’s Pepson Kawasaki KX 450 X took a two and a half minute Masters’ win from Warrick van Schalkwyk’s Franchise Honda 450 and Mielies le Roux’s KTM 450. Wayne Farmer was next on his KTM 300, from Anthonie van der Walt on a Sherco 300 and Francois Swanepoel riding his Husqvarna 500.

Luke Walker took a dominant four and a half minute Highschool win on his ASP Alfie Cox KTM from Ride KTM Durban lad Thomas Scales and Daniel Peckham’s Trademore Sherco. Rory Donaldson’s KTM was fourth in this highly competitive 125cc class, from Brandon Clarke and Blake Young’s KTMs, Yamaha lad Derek Karam, and KTM trio Nathan Westerdale, Andrew de Kock and Alecz Grobbelaar.

It was a good day for Husqvarna in the junior classes. Franchise Co Sleepover Tork Craft lad Murray Smith took National 85 cc honours ahead of Franco Fourie’s Roost KTM, Corbin Muller’s 444 Husqvarna. Mackenzie Bam and Drikus Van’s KTMs were fourth and fifth from Husqvarna kid Werner Kleinhans.

Willem Botha took his Megs Waterberg Husqvarna to IPC 85 cc honours from Hanju de Kock riding a similar Biker’s Warehouse machine and Behn van Schalkwyk’s Kawasaki. They were followed by KTM trio Katelyn Pretorius, Alexander Dillman and Gabriella Fotheringham.

GJ Coetzee and John-Luke van der Westhuizen made it another Husqvarna 1-2 in National 65 cc from Matthew Meyer‘s GasGas. Joshua Fotheringham’s KTM was next from Wilco Du Plooy’s Yamaha, and Cambeul du Preez’s KTM. And Dylan Bezuidenhout led Query Degenaar to a Kawasaki 1-2 in Junior Club from Ruben Rooza’s Husqvarna, Travis Levey’s Honda and Eben Scholtz on a GasGas.

The 2023 Trademore South African Cross Country Championship heads to Jolivet in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands for its second round on Saturday 15 April.