THE region’s best and brightest stars on two wheels go up against each other as Speedworld Circuit, located at the SM Bicutan Open Grounds, Doña Soledad Avenue, Bicutan, Parañaque City, Philippines, hosts the FIM Asia Supercross Championship starting today until Sunday.
Led by defending champion Takase Tanaka of Japan, the motocross field is practically a who’s who of the best motocross aces in the Asian continental championship, which is one step away from the world championship level of the FIM competition program.
Standing in the way of Tanaka will be Guam’s motocross great Sean Lipanovich, Thailand ace Thanarat Penjan, wildcard riders from Russia and the Philippines’ very own reigning Rider of the Year Kenneth San Andres in the motocross spectacle backed by Foilacar, Karcher, Monark Cat, Shell Advance, Shell V-Power, SM Bicutan, ICTSI, Maynilad, Asia Brewery, KYT, Alpinestar, Partas Bus, YSS, Shakey’s and 4 BROS Racing.
Shooting for Asian supremacy and bragging rights are national motocross champions from Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, India, China, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
The annual Asian motocross series is organized by the National Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association, the sole governing body for the sport in the Philippines, duly affiliated with the Philippine Olympic Committee, FIM Asia and the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme of Suisse. It is headed by Stephan Macky Carapiet, who is also the FIM Asia president.
Carapiet also announced that there will be an FIM Asia Officials License Seminar to be held for international officials today, to go with the FIM Asia Supercross Advance Riding Academy.
Riders from various parts of the country are also expected to join the event in their quest for individual supremacy and the trophies with cash prizes up for grabs.
“The Supercross track in Manila is of international standards and surely, the FIM championship will be the most exciting motorsports’ event to hit Manila this year, with high thrilling jumps and aerial maneuvers from the top Asian MX riders,” said Carapiet. “It will be a fierce battle for Asian supremacy and bragging rights. Motocross enthusiasts will be in for a treat.”
Also joining the fray in the Asian tournament are Guam’s Stanley Yasuhiro, Frank Rios and Raymond Obermeyer; China’s Yukun Wang, and Ke Wang; India’s Sandeep Kondedeshmukh, Yuvrajsinh Kondedeshmukh, Rustom Patel, Shrikant Chavan, Sarthak Chavan, Sankhet Shanbag and Ikshan Shanbag; Indonesia’s Frans Tanujaya, Fernandy Maulana and Donny Siswoko; Sri Lanka’s Makawitage Perera, Fernando Nveenka, Fernando Beno, Godage Kesara Thinod, Godage Dammika, Karagoda Gayani, Atpaththu Sumanasekara, Hithanadura Rumesh De Silva, Hithanadura Shantha De Silva, Devaraja Dilitha Kalhara and Devaraja Sugath Devaraja; Thailand’s Chaiyanan Tingpatana and Thanan Tingpatana, Krittapat Keankum and Jithpum Sirivechapun (Feem); Russia’s Gleb Shevchenko, Peter Shevchenko, Arkadiy Sviridov; and Japan’s Akira Goto.
