Foreign riders ready in Surabaya

Foreign riders ready in Surabaya

JAKARTA (JP): Within 24 hours of their arrival, overseas
riders who are expected to highlight the international motocross
championships in Surabaya, East Java this weekend accustomed
themselves to the track through morning and afternoon practices
yesterday.

Japan's Akiro Hosono, Kentaro Murahashi and Kenji Suzuki,
Australians Jason Marshall, Luke Sullivan and Greg Lane, Josh
Coppins and Damon Smith of New Zealand and Oscar Vromas and Roel
Verstegen, both from Holland, rode their motorbikes past the
grueling Grande Family Estate circuit, a new field in Surabaya's
eastern suburbs designed for supercross championships.

The crossers were among 10 foreign headliners at the two-day
race with Rp 11 million (US$5,150) in cash prizes up for grabs.
Suzuki, in a Yamaha, Coppins, on his Suzuki and Marshall, who
will also ride a Yamaha, are being billed as favorites to take
top honors.

Racing on his home turf, national championships leader Jhony
Pranata, nicknamed Kucing (cat) for his agility, will lead the
local challenge composed of the Tanujaya brothers of Frans and
Pieter, Satya Sunarso and Dwi Sugiarto.

The motocross event is the second leg of the four-round Lucky
Strike international championships series organized by the
Indonesian Motor Association and sanctioned by the world
motorcycle body FIM. The race will also serve as the seventh stop
in the national motocross championships series. (amd)