The action has concluded here at the Motocenter “Zelta Zirgs” circuit, with various storylines emerging from this weekend’s racing. Heavy rain throughout the night and into the early morning meant the EMX125 competitors had to tackle a challenging, wet circuit. As it began to dry out for the EMX250 racers, deep ruts formed, along with nasty kickers and bumps on the takeoffs of the jumps. It was a positive Sunday for some Brits, while others struggled with the demanding conditions — let’s take a look at who did what here in Kegums!
Words by Edward Heather – Feature Image courtesy of Chambers Racing – Cult Moto
Hayden Statt faced a tough challenge in the final EMX125 race of the weekend, contending with treacherous muddy conditions that turned the event into a true test of resilience. After a solid start that saw him running 14th at the end of the opening lap, misfortune struck on the second lap when a crash cost him nearly two minutes as he worked to remount and regroup. Forced to ditch his goggles mid-race, Statt made a quick stop in the goggle lane to grab a fresh pair before continuing his charge. Undeterred by the early setback, the young Brit steadily pushed forward, showing grit and determination to eventually cross the line in 29th place. While the end result wasn’t what Statt had hoped for, there are still positives to take from the weekend. His qualifying pace was strong and should serve as a confidence boost as he now turns his focus to the third round of the British Championship this coming weekend.
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Chambers Racing’s Ollie Colmer posted a season-best result in Race 2, finishing in 12th place. For the first time since Trentino, he managed to get a good start and ran in 8th place for the opening four laps before a mistake pushed him back to 12th. Colmer continued to battle hard, swapping positions with the riders around him before making a final pass back into his finishing position of 12th. It has been well documented that the Chambers Racing pilot’s Achilles’ heel has been starting among the top-10 pack; this weekend reinforces that the youngster possesses the talent to run within that mix. A positive weekend, proving he can post strong lap times in the practice sessions, as well as showing improvement in his starts.
Dirt Store Triumph pilot Billy Askew had a weekend to forget here in Latvia. His misfortune from yesterday carried into Race 2, where he was forced to retire on lap three due to a clutch issue. A tough break for the #441, as both incidents this weekend were out of his control; however, that’s part and parcel of racing, and he will no doubt come out swinging at Blaxhall next weekend.
Ben Watson had an amazing ride in the opening MXGP race. The MRT Racing Team Beta pilot appeared to have started poorly as he entered the first turn; however, a clever manoeuvre up the inside meant he began the opening lap in 7th place. Watson showed immense pace, holding the position for ten laps before progressing into 6th place for a further two laps. His RX 450 then began to smoke with five laps remaining, during which he dropped two positions to come home in 8th. What was most impressive about his ride was the minimal gap between himself and 3rd place for a significant portion of the race!
Watson failed to pull off a similar start in Race 2 but put on an impressive charge through the pack to finish in 11th place. He crossed the line on the opening lap in 17th and quickly moved into 14th by lap four. The MRT Racing Team Beta rider gained a further three positions to secure 11th at the flag, earning himself a hard-fought 10th overall. This weekend as a whole reaffirms the high hopes Brits hold in Watson; he is a real threat to the top-5 pack with a good start, and this will hopefully kickstart a strong second half of the season.
Chambers Racing’s Adam Sterry was unable to finish the race after running as high as 16th place, pulling off due to a bike problem. He managed to bring home a 19th-place finish in Race 2, claiming two championship points for his efforts, meaning the trip wasn’t completely derailed by mechanical issues. Despite the tough race results, Sterry once again showed flashes of great speed.
Now heading into a week off, all of the above riders, except for Ben Watson, will be preparing to continue their pursuit of glory on home soil at round three of the British Championship.
