Yogya hosts world motocross race

JAKARTA (JP): Yogyakarta, Indonesia's renowned tourists destination, is preparing to welcome rare foreign guests at the end of July when it plays host to the world motocross championships.

Indonesia, winning its bid for the world motocross series for the first time, after four years of struggle, has chosen the sultanate town for hosting the world's best crossers in the 125cc division, on July 29 and July 30.

Italian world number two, Alesso Chiodi, will lead a field of 15 crossers, who are ranked in the top 15, during the race, to be held at the Senturan circuit. The 1994 Pan Pacific champion Cameron Taylor and New Zealand prodigy Darryl Atkins will also line up in the parade of world-class crossers.

American world champion Bobby Moore has moved up to the 250cc class this year. The race in Yogyakarta serves as the 11th leg, the penultimate of the world series. The crossers pit their skills in France next week before entering Indonesia.

The Indonesian Motor Association failed yesterday to unveil the number of participants, but made sure that crossers from the U.S., Spain, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Hungary and Czech are included in the list.

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 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. (amd)