EWXC June 2010

Aprilia RXV 450 On Top of Podium Again in Extreme Event!
by Steven Matthews

Saturday, June 12th was the day of the second round of the EWXC MX/ENDURO Extreme Series held at Zone 7 in Cape Town. This event has surely got to be one of, if not the, best event on the South African motorsport calendar. It is nothing but action packed. Spectators line the course alongside the sixteen man-made obstacles, to get an unrivalled trackside view of the gruelling, blood, sweat and vloeking, as the psycho riders fight their way around the track.

Tackling the sixteen man-made obstacles requires technical riding ability. Doing them at race pace takes about six to eight minutes per lap, and absolutely obliterates your energy levels after a couple of laps, making the obstacles seem even more hectic as you repeatedly try summon up power to get over them. By lap five, you start praying for the end of the race as you struggle to stay in a straight line. Each time you pass the finish line you hope in vain to see the checkered flag until finally, like a dream come true, there it is and the battle is over. Yeeeeeehaaaaaa!

Due to several factors like World Cup soccer, Springbok Rugby, a few other motorsports events and rain in the week leading up to the event, (not to mention the lack in size of cahoneys on many regular enduro racers), the entries were low and some classes had to be combined. I entered Novice B - riders with less than two years riding experience. My class was put with Novice A (more than two years experience). I gave it horns and won Novice A in both heats and thus took the top step on the podium. My wife Tanith had a fantastic race; won Ladies and came third overall in Social class.