What went down in Holland – MX3 and WMX stylee!
As well as the first rounds of the MX1 and MX2 world championships Valkenswaard hosted the the opening gambits of the MX3 and WMX series n’all! These two jewels in Youthstream’s crown don’t get the respect and/or coverage they perhaps deserve – as proved by the headline to this here story – so let’s rectify that right now with an (albeit) brief rundown of what went down in Valkenswaard town.
The WMX division was dominated by Italian teenager Chiara Fontanesi who runs 1-1 over the two days to take away a healthy lead in the WMX series. I say healthy because with former world champs Livia Lancelot and Steffi Laier dodging the rest of the series like a tramp does soap, funky – not in that way – Fontanesi is 16 points clear of her closest challenger Sara Pettersson. Lancelot and Laier trade seconds and thirds to take the runner-up and bronze medal positions on the podium with the French fox taking it on a tie-breaker.
HM Plant KTM UK’s Nat Kane is best of the Brits in fifth overall running 4-8. Alix Dunlop also scores points both times out (12-9) while Amie Goodlad makes it count in race two by coming home 20th. Alix’s kid sister Billie just misses out on points while Buildbase Honda’s Danni Marsh struggles in the sand.
Belgian speedsters Kevin Wouts and Yentel Martens trade MX3 wins although Jacky’s son slips to fifth in moto two to allow Kevin to stand head and shoulders clear on points atop the podium while Austria’s Matthias Walkner takes third overall. T’only British interest in this class comes in the form of Jamie Law who has a cracking day on the D3 KTM after cracking into laughter moments before moto one as I tripped over his start gate. Holding back the giggles Jamie runs 9-6 to take seventh overall – not bad for a bug exterminator from the Lakes…
Results
MX3
1 Kevin Wouts Kawasaki 22+25=47
2 Yentel Martens Kawasaki 25+16=41
3 Matthias Walkner KTM 15+22=37
4 Lukasz Lonka Honda 16+18=34
5 Antti Pyrhonen Honda 18+13=31
7 Jamie Law KTM 12+15=27
WMX
1 Chiara FontanesiYamaha 25+25=50
2 Livia Lancelot Kawasaki 20+22=42
3 Steffi Laier Kawasaki 22+20=42
4 Sara Pettersson KTM 16+18=34
5 Natalie Kane KTM 18+13=31
17 Alix Dunlop Honda 9+1=10
22 Amie Goodlad Honda 0+2=2
Series standings as above…