07 Apr 2022

 Motorsport fanatics will tomorrow be treated to a mini desert race as quads and bikes take to the rocky and muddy terrains of Sasakwe village in the second round of the Botswana national off-road championship.

The nail biting and gruelling off-road challenge dubbed Kopong 200 off- Road Race follows the recent Metsimotlhabe challenge that saw riders snarl through the majestic Metsimotlhabe River.

According to the organisers, the Kopong 200 off- Road Race would not only provide riders with a scenic and challenging sandy and rocky route, but will also be a perfect outing for local motorsport fans welcoming the  winter breeze.

The highly anticipated race will test the teams both in the two wheeler bikes and four wheeler quad bikes.

Speaking in an interview this week, Gaborone Motor Club spokesperson, Kagiso Stephens said the weekend’s race would be hosted about 30 kilometres outside the city centre.

The designated service point and all the spectator points will stretch along the village of Kopong and the surrounding hamlets in the Kweneng East.

Stephens said the race would most definitely attract a good number of supporters as motorsport was growing in leaps and bounds in the country, after being popularised by the annual flagship event, the Toyota desert race.

The desert race has been halted owing to COVID-19 protocols and off-road challenges such as the Kopong 200 are meant to fill the void.

He said the challenge would not include production vehicles as some of their competitors had some pressing commitments elsewhere.

Competitors can expect a low-veld terrain with some unstable ground, a few rocky ridges as well as hardpack sections, especially towards the Kopong hill range.

Muddy and slippery conditions will form part of the challenge as the region had endured a good rainy spell during the recent rainy season.

The competitors will battle for the 200 kilometres race on a 20 -kilometres loop interval.

Stephens, who will be competing in the second premier class of 350cc OR2 class, said the organisers decided to make the loops short and entertaining to both spectators and riders.

Some of the exciting two wheel riders to look up to are the current premier class leader Wade Den and former champion Vincent Crosbie in the OR 1 class.

In the OR 2 division, Stephens will come head to head with the likes of Antony Henriksen and Boineelo Rantao.

The exciting youngster Kosmas Mamaloukos should expect tough opposition from the likes of Robert Pollock and Teto Chibana in the OR3 class.  ENDs