Kiwi rider shines at motocross c'ship

BANDUNG (JP): Damont Smith of New Zealand, riding a Suzuki RM, won the 125cc International Lucky Strike Motocross Championship here yesterday after collecting a total of 50 points.

Finishing second in the first moto, the New Zealander carded 17 points before he finished top of the second moto with another 20 points. In the third and final moto he hit trouble and was relegated to fifth. However, his score was more than enough for him to come out as the champion of the event.

Second was Australian Jeff Leisk with a total of 47 points (10 17 20) followed by Dutchman Alwin van Asten with 46 (20 15 11).

Van Asten, who hails from Eindhoven, took center stage on Saturday -- the first moto in the 125cc international race -- and collected 20pts despite the dirt track.

"The track was excellent but there was too much dirt," van Asten said.

The organizers, who seemed to understand riders complaints in the third round of the Lucky Strike race sponsored by PT BAT Indonesia, watered down the track yesterday. But it was unlucky for many local novices as they found the course was then too slippery, sending many of them sliding on their bikes.

In the 250cc international race, as in the first two rounds in Yogyakarta and Surabaya, the event was dominated by foreign riders.

Oscar Vromas of the Netherlands won the 250cc event after clocking the fastest time of 18 minutes -- 53.46 seconds ahead of Dale Briton of Australia. Both were riding Honda CR's.

Briton clocked in at 18.56.19 secs. Cameron Taylor of Australia took third with a time of 19.03.85.

Results

125cc International 1. Damont Smith (NZ) 50 points 2. Jeff Leisk (Aus) 47 pts 3. Alwin van Asten (Hol) 46 pts 4. Oscar Vromas (Hol) 41 5. Dale Briton (Aus) 31 6. Cameron Taylor (Aus) 27 7. Akira Hosono (Jap) 22 8. Frans Tanujaya (Ina) 22 9. Yuusaku Kobuta (Jap)21 10. Jovi Saulog (Phi) 16

Johnny Pranata (Ina) 16

National c'ship 1. Frans Tanujaya (Yamaha) 57 2. Johnny Pranata (Suzuki) 48 3. Iwan Ciss (Honda) 43 4. Pieters Tanujaya (Yamaha) 43 5. Oke Junjunan (Suzuki) 34 6. Wilman Jess (Honda) 29 7. Eddy Sumampow (Suzuki) 28 8. Deden Sanjaya (Honda) 24 9. Bandung Sunggoror (Suzuki) 20 10. Dadan Nugraha (Suzuki) 18