| www.motorsport.co.za | 08 September 2010 |
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The 2010 SA National Off-Road Motorcycle and Quad Championships will kick off on 12 and 13 February with the Ermelo Toyota 400, the winner of the coveted “Best Event of the Year” award in 2008. This event provided a lot of drama in 2009 when the race had to be shortened due to extremely heavy rain and floods before and during the race, but despite this, the event was highly rated by competitors. The Ermelo Toyota 400 will not only form the opening round of the national championship series, but will also form the first round of the African Motorcycle Union (AMU) Southern Off-road Championship (SORC). It will also be the first round of the Northern Regions regional championship for both the motorcycle and quad competitors For 2010 the organisers of the Ermelo Toyota 400 will have an all new route albeit again in the Sheepmoor region just outside Ermelo in Mpumalanga. This area has more than adequate spectacular terrain in terms of mountains, forests and lakes. The race will consist of two loops of about 120 kilometres each which will be traversed twice by all national competitors. Another new facet of the 2010 Ermelo Toyota, is that the time-trial on Friday (12 February), that determines the starting times and positions for the main race on Saturday (13 February) will take place just outside Ermelo. This means that local motorsport enthusiasts will be able to be part of the action when they can observe the motorcycle competitors doing the time-trial from 11h00 and the quad racers from 13h30. This event, now in its third year, is known for its spectacular scenery and the balanced race route encompassing technical parts as well as tight and relatively fast sections. The organisation has always been top class and will this year – for the first time probably in the history of off-road racing – be totally under the control of ladies. Lizelle van Aardt, regarded as one of the best Clerks of the Course (CoC) in South Africa, has been appointed CoC with Alana Geerdts, who is also a qualified CoC and hails from the Western Province ATV Club who received the 2009 “Event of the Year” award, acting as a deputy for motorcycles while Lindy Vermeulen, another qualified CoC, looking after the quads. In addition, Gillian Dykes from Botswana will be CoC for the AMU SORC Championship. These ladies intend to proof a point by having the best organised national off-road race in the history of the sport at Ermelo. The prizegiving will be held at the Ermelo show grounds that can comfortably seat 500 people and the attendees will be entertained by an entertainer and Master of Ceremonies of note from Namibia. What will also add even more flair to the 2010 Ermelo Toyota 400, is the “Night of the Champions” – a prizegiving for the 2009 national off-road championships. Entries have opened (visit www.ermelotoyota.co.za) and accommodation can be arranged through Ermelo Toyota (Theresa Cloete - 017 811 0622) who has visited all the guesthouses in the area in order to make proper recommendations to all competitors wanting lodging. Enter now for a race that promises to be one hell of a ride (and an even a bigger party afterwards). Issued by the organisers of the 2010 Ermelo Toyota 400 For more information, contact Ermelo Toyota (017) 811 0622 / jimmyloubser@ermelo-toyota.co.za Visit www.ermelotoyota.co.za |
