Date: 27 May '07

Gareth Swanepoel of the Molson Kawasaki team has posted a consistent 5-4 result at the 6th round of the FIM MX world championship in Sugo, Japan.

Twenty-two-year-old Swanepoel qualified 3rd in his Saturday heat with a strong ride and rolled onto the start gate for the first of the 35 min + 2 Lap races with a good gate pick. As the 30 man field dashed for the first turn Swanepoel lost out on the hole-shot and appeared in 8th. He quickly fought his way up the ladder to 5th and settled in a comfort zone to the checkered flag.

A better opening lap in the second moto had Swanepoel just outside the top five. Mistakes by protagonists Rattray and Pourcel at the halfway mark saw Swanepoel occupy a podium spot until Frenchman Pourcel regrouped to re-pass the South African. Swanepoel managed to keep fellow countryman, Tyla Rattray at bay for 4th place.

“I had two lonely races today. In the second moto I had a better start and ran with the guys up front for a little while but then lost touch and was off their pace. I didn’t feel comfortable this weekend but was happy to have two consistent races and to move up two places in the championship. The last few GP’s I’ve been up and down so I just want build some consistency and then aim at getting back onto the podium,” commented Swanepoel.

Manor Farm in Hampshire will see Swanepoel take part in the 4th round of the British champs next week before heading to the French GP at St Jean d’Angely a week later.

Race results:

MX2 Race 1

1 Pourcel, Christophe FRA Kawasaki

2 Rattray, Tyla RSA KTM

3 Cairoli, Antonio ITA Yamaha

4 Searle, Tommy GBR KTM

5 Swanepoel, Gareth RSA Kawasaki

6 Leuret, Pascal FRA Honda

7 Boissiere, Anthony FRA Kawasaki

8 Hamblin, Sean USA Suzuki

9 Church, Tom GBR Kawasaki

10 Seistola, Matti FIN Honda

11 Dougan, Jason GBR Suzuki

12 Gundersen, Kenneth NOR Yamaha

13 Aubin, Nicolas FRA Yamaha

14 Verbruggen, Dennis BEL Yamaha

15 Kojima, Youhei JPN Suzuki

MX2 Race 2

1 Cairoli, Antonio ITA Yamaha

2 Pourcel, Christophe FRA Kawasaki

3 Searle, Tommy GBR KTM

4 Swanepoel, Gareth RSA Kawasaki

5 Rattray, Tyla RSA KTM

6 Leuret, Pascal FRA Honda

7 Boissiere, Anthony FRA Kawasaki

8 Nunn, Carl GBR Yamaha

9 Gundersen, Kenneth NOR Yamaha

10 Kojima, Youhei JPN Suzuki

11 Guarneri, Davide ITA Yamaha

12 Barr, Martin GBR Yamaha

13 Verbruggen, Dennis BEL Yamaha

14 Simpson, Shaun GBR Kawasaki

15 Dougan, Jason GBR Suzuki

MX2 Championship standings:

1 Cairoli, A. ITA 292

2 Pourcel, C. FRA 228

3 Rattray, Tyla RSA 218

4 Searle, Tommy GBR 175

5 Leuret, Pascal FRA 173

6 Swanepoel, G. RSA 147

7 Gundersen, K. NOR 139

8 Aubin, Nicolas FRA 134

9 Seistola, M. FIN 115

10 Boissiere, A. FRA 95

11 Schiffer, M. GER 90

12 Nunn, Carl GBR 69

13 Church, Tom GBR 65

14 Verbruggen, D. BEL 62

15 Frossard, S. FRA 58