World top stars to race Yogyakarta championships

World top stars to race Yogyakarta championships

JAKARTA (JP): The top 15 finishers, after the France world
moto cross championships, headed by Italian Alessandro Puzar,
will see action when Yogyakarta hosts the 11th series of the
world championships on July 30.

This year's 125cc world championships have been fixed by FIA,
the world motorcycle governing body, to 12 legs, starting from
early March to August. France hosted the 10th leg in the series,
which were held last Sunday. The opening leg was held in Italy on
April 2.

After France, the series moves to Yogyakarta for its 11th
series, before going to its final leg in Germany, scheduled for
Aug. 13.

"The top 15 finishers in the France event must continue their
battle for top honors in Yogyakarta," committee spokesman Faryd
Sungkar told reporters yesterday.

He said 32 crossers, including those 15 current world leaders
from five continents, and eight local crossers, will be in the
field for the 11th leg of the world series, officially called
Bentoel Motocross World Championship.

Yogyakarta was named as the host after a four-year battle by
the Indonesian Autosport Association, the association's
secretary-general Doly Indra Nasution, said.

Puzar, on a Honda, leads the provisional standings after the
France leg with 287 points, followed by fellow countryman, Yamaha
rider, Chiodi Alession, five points behind. Third was France's
Tortelli Sebastian, on Kawasaki, with 201 points.

Host Indonesia is awarded two wild cards in the two final
races on July 30, at the expense of two crossers who finish in
38th and 40th places, during the qualifying leg on July 29.

The finals will take place in times of 40 minutes, plus two
laps each, twice longer than the national championship races.

National championship leaders Johny Pranata, the Tanujaya
brothers of Pieter and Frans, Edi Sumampouw, Satya Sunarso, Roni
Karno and Ardiansyah are vying for the wild cards.

The other world top riders to compete in Yogyakarta are
Claudio Federaci (France, Yamaha 171 points), Strijbos Dave
(Holland, Suzuki 168), Jimmy Button (USA, Honda 164 points),
Michael Maschio (France, Honda 142 points), Massimo Bartolini
(Italy, Honda 135 points), Michele Fanton (Italy, Kawasaki 134
points) and ranked 10th after the France event Paul Malin
(Britain, Yamaha 118 points).

According to Faryd, everything needed in the world
championships, including the pitch, located in the northern part
of Yogyakarta, has reached 90 percent completion.

"We are set to make the world motocross championship, the
first ever held in Indonesia, a success," Faryd enthused. (rsl)