Crossers fight for top honor in Yogya

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Italy's world leading crossers Alessandro Puzar and Alessio Chiodi ranked first and second respectively after the 10th series of the World Motocross Championship in France, and each has vowed to beat the other in the 11th series on Sunday.

Puzar, on a Honda, has garnered 287 points, and Chiodi, on a Yamaha, is only five points behind him. They will both battle fiercely on Sunday to stay on top of the world ranking list.

"I must go all out to retain the top position I got in France when we battle for top honor in Yogya on Sunday," Puzar confidently said. If beaten in Yogya by Chiodi, Puzar added, "that means I must relinquish my top spot."

Chiodi, on the other hand, will also make a do or die effort to surge ahead of Puzar. If he wins in Yogya he will collect 20 points and lead by 15 points.

"I think I have the chance to win the race despite the stinging heat and the high humidity here," Chiodi said.

Thirty-one world leading crossers of the scheduled 36 have all arrived here for the race, 15 of them being the top 15 after the France event held last month.

"Five of the scheduled 31 crossers were not able to come to Yogya due to injuries they sustained in the France race," commit tee official Faryd Sungkar said.

While the world top crossers mostly were confident of doing their best it win the race, that was not the case with local riders who top the national ranking list, saying that making the best 10 "was something for sure they could not do. To be among the best 20 is more than enough if we could do it," national leading crosser Johny Pranata admitted.

However, eight of the home best hopes have been lucky as they are automatically eligible for the race without going through the qualifying time trial because of the absence of world rated riders due to injuries.

They are Johny Pranata, Satya Sunarsa, Eddy Sumampauw, Dwi Sugiarto, Irwan Adiansyah, Ronny Karno and brothers Tanujaya, Pieters and Frans.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, the organizing committee of the race, headed by Faryd and official of the world motor racing body official, made a courtesy call on Sultan Hamengku Buwono X. (rsl)