Dubai: Dubai’s first ever Arab Motocross Championship starts on Thursday at the DMX Motocross track in Jebel Ali, with a seven-man Emirati team vying for honours.
Led by two-time UAE motocross champion Mohammad Al Beloushi, the UAE contingent will be among the strongest in a line-up of more than 40 riders from nine countries across the Middle East competing in the two-day series, consisting of MX1, MX2 and quad bike categories.
The UAE riders have a distinct advantage over their counterparts this year, having already raced on the technical 1,600 metre DMX track in Jebel Ali three times this season.
Al Beloushi, one of the favourites to take Dubai’s inaugural Arab Motocross Championship, following his victories in the UAE Motocross Championship in 2009 and 2010, said: “I have ridden the DMX track many times since it opened in 2003 so I know it very well, even though it changes every season.
“The turf wears out very quickly, making it an incredibly fun and demanding course to ride. The key is for riders to be mentally and physically fit and they need to approach the course with a big heart. From the get go, we will have to push hard right up to the chequered flag.”
Other Emiratis set to compete this weekend include Ali Al Qubaisi, Sultan Al Beloushi, and Saeed Al Shenqiti in the MX1 category, while Saif Al Kumiti, Anwar Khusaif, and Mubarak Al Ali will be amongst the hotly contested MX2 category.
The Arab Motocross Championship kicks off on Thursday from 9am with seven hours of practice sessions across all three classes, followed by scrutineering at 4pm.
The action begins in earnest the next day, with one final practice session at 10am followed by two races for each category in the afternoon, with the prizegiving from 4.30pm.
