Japanese Tanaka claims triple win and main title
Takase Tanaka displaying his skills at Boyagane
Japanese star rider Takase Tanaka made a clean sweep by winning all three races of the main event at the 17th Vijayanahu Motorcross 2019, held at the Vijayabahu Regement Track in Boyagane last Sunday. Tanaka, who turns out for Japan as one of the top riders at the Asian Championship, won all three races of the Class MX 125cc to 250cc Motocross event in style, to claim the award for the Best Rider, with an unblemished record in his first appearance.
Tanaka secured the first race of the main event with a distance of 50 metres from other riders, but in the second and third races, he was given a close fight by Thailand rider Apuchai Rumjanaran and local star Jacque Gunawardene. In the second race Tanaka had a fierce battle with Thai Rumjanaran before recording thrilling win, and a similar challenge was given by Sri Lankan rider Gunawardene in the third race.
Japanese rider Takase Tanaka emerged the Best Rider after three straight wins in the main race - Class MX Motorcross
After the completion of the three races, Rumjanaran finished with two second place finishes and a third place finish, while Gunawardene recorded a second and third finish in three races. Thai rider Saharat Pampol was placed third in the first race. However Ishan Dasanayake, who became the Best Rider last year, could not impress as he usually does, due to a technical failure to his motorbike.
Young rider Vinushka T. Silva made an impressive performance during the Class MX 125cc up to 250cc Motorcross event, by recording the longest jump. He cleared a distance of 134 feet and recorded the best leap by a rider at the Boyagane Track in its history of 17 years. In 2015 Japanese rider Tomaya Suzuki and in 2017 local rider Sameera Premaratne cleared 120 feet, but Silva’s feat adds on to the list as the best ever recorded so far. Sameera Premaratne, who represents the Vijayabahu Regiment and the Best Rider of 2017, failed to live up to his expectations, and won only the Class MX up to 125cc Racing event. Madhura Peiris, who was placed third in the Class M up to 125cc Standard and Modified event, won the Class M Open Trail event to become the Best Rider from the Armed Forces.
Sri Lanka's Jacque Gunawardene impressed
The event organised by Sri Lanka Army Infantry Regiment together with Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR), had 13 races where over 125 riders competed.
AirVoice Wireless Company came forward as the main sponsor while Singer Sri Lanka and People’s Bank joined in as the co-sponsors for this year’s Vijayabahu Supercross.
Results
Class MX up to 65cc Motorcross – Age group 9 to 12: 1. Dineth Mihiranga, 2. Ravindu Ratnayake, 3.Minuka Ratnayake
Class MX up to 85cc Motorcross – Age group 9 to 12: 1. Dineth Mihiranga, 2. Hirusha Padukka, 3. Ravindu Ratnayake
Class MX up to 85cc Motorcross – Age group Over-15 (Race 1): 1. Kesara Godage, 2. Tharuka Rumisha de Silva, 3. Ayon S. Perera
Young rider Vinushka Silva recorded the longest jump
Class MX up to 85cc Motorcross – Age group Over-15 (Race 2): 1. Kesara Godage, 2. Tharuka Rumisha de Silva, 3. Gagana Fernando
Class M up to 125cc Standard/Modified (Armed Forces): 1. Raveesha Jayashan, 2. Nihal Wijeratne, 3. Madhura Peiris
Class M up to 125cc Standard/Modified (Open): 1. Madhura Peiris, 2. Raveesha Jayashan, 3.
Nihal Wijeratne
Class MX up to 125cc Racing: 1. Sameera Premaratne, 2. Lahiru Jeewantha, 3. Madhura Peiris
Class M 125cc to 250cc Standard/Modified Street Trail (Race 1): 1. Lahiru Jeewantha, 2. Ivon B. Gurusinghe, 3. Shanuka Sandaruwan
Class M 125cc to 250cc Standard.Modified Street Trail (Race 2): 1. Ivon B. Gurusinghe, 2. Lahiru Jeewantha, 3. Shanuka Sandaruwan
Class MX 125cc to 250cc Motorcross (Race 1): 1. Takase Tanaka (Jpn), 2. Apuchai Rumjanaran (Thai), 3. Saharat Pampol (Thai)
Class MX 125cc to 250cc Motorcross (Race 2): 1. Takase Tanaka (Jpn), 2. Apuchai Rumjanaran (Thai), 3. Jacque Gunawardene
Class MX 125cc to 250cc Motorcross (Race 3): 1. Takase Tanaka (Jpn), 2. Jacque Gunawardene, 3. Apuchai Rumjanaran (Thai)