Team Canada attended the first International invitational Ohvale event at the new Guangzhou venue in China at the end of July.
Rookie racer Stfan Tanasic (age 14) ran in the 190 (big wheel) class, with Alberta’s Ethan Reardon (age 10) and B.C.’s Martina Cardenas (at ten year old, just recently eligible to compete in the Nationals) in the main 160 division and middle east-based Canuk Fadhili Kraemer entered on a 110 manual – the Auto 110 category ran earlier in the week.
Missing from action was Tommy Molnar, who fell in Q2 at Brechin the week before and injured his wrist and ankle.
This event marked a whirlwind period when most of the competitors rushed from the rained out National at Brechin, Ontario, to the Toronto Airport, then on to Hong Kong (11 hours) and then a transfer into China (4 Hours) for the Supercup event at the just-completed 1.15 km long roadrace venue in Guangzhou. Competitors arrived on Tuesday and departed the following Monday, with the races Thursday-Saturday, and a Chinese National event on the Sunday.
The event was staged to attract attention to the new facility and highlight plans by owner and tech investor David Su to build a MotoGP quality track at the same location in the next couple of years.
Super Sonic Road Race School owner, race instructor and Team Canada Captain Toni Sharpless explained that “the event came together at the last minute with the help of the CMA, and there were a lot of unknowns. The organizers treated us really well, and the track was great. WE gained a lot of useful experience.”
As well, eventual top Canadian Reardon had an emergency dental issue just after his 160 events were completed, but the organizers arranged emergency weekend surgery. Reardon earned a pair of seventh place finishes in his two heats, and wound up ninth overall – a very good start for a racer who is aiming to represent Canada in Europe in the
World finals this fall, depending on his results in the Canadian Nationals later this month when he is expected to face ob against Jager Stockill (age 12).
The only major challenge for Reardon was his lack of experience in the wet, but after his time in China that should no longer be a major issue. Italina Francesco Marzo earned the overall win.
Martina Cardenas was the only Canadian entry not to fall during the event, and worked steadily, gaining rain experience that oddly she doesn’t have, given she is based in British Columbia!
In 190 class action, Canada’s least experienced racer, Tanasic, looked set to make it to the main races via the Last Chance Qualifier, but got passed and pushed down the order on the last lap.
Fadhili Kraemer also missed making the main event by just one spot, after fading back from a strong start. Most of Kraemer’s riding is on the dirt, but he does road race in Qatar.
“I am absolutely glad we did it, and we will plan to return if a similar event happens again, and with more time to prepare and manage the Canadian National Scheule (Sharpless had stab running races with RACEMoto at Shannonville at the same time she was leading the advancing forces into China).”
“The big bonus is that once racers have travelled to big events,” continued Sharpless, a member of the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame. “They want more, they understand the formats, and we have seen that with other top young Canadian competitors in the past few years with the fall trip for the Worlds in Spain.”
“I think, if anything, these events are a great eye opener for our competitors. You now know what you must do, what the level of competition is like. They know they can be competitive. They made some big steps.”
“When we go to these international events, the racers and their families get hooked on the level of competition. Now you know what you are striving for, and the overall experience is so tremendous you want to repeat it. Maybe you didn’t have a plan, and now you know what you are aiming for.”