Wings Moto Park impresses African riders
BG reporter Isaac Pheko this week interviewed Botswana Motosport (BMS) president John Carr-Hartley on the recently ended Motocross of African Nations (MoXAN). Car Hartley took time to shed light on the BMS’ plans with the impressive Wings Moto Park facility.
Q: Will the Wings Moto Park become part of the South African Motocross national championship?
A: We are unaware of whether Wings Moto Park will become part of the South African National Championship. Some of the South African competitors and officials were very impressed with the track and the facilities and suggested that South Africa might want to hold one of their events at Wings Moto Park jointly with a Botswana event, but no formal approach has been made to Botswana Motor Sport. In the event that Botswana Motor Sport are approached by Motor Sport South Africa to hold a joint event at Wings Moto Park, this will be considered.
Q: Is the BMS planning to host other motorsport events at the Wing Moto Park?
A: It would be up to a Club affiliated to Botswana Motor Sport to decide whether to hold another event at Wings Moto Park. At the beginning of each year the Clubs affiliated to Botswana Motor Sport send a list of events, which they wish to hold to Botswana Motor Sport.
Once the Clubs have submitted their list of proposed events for the year, Botswana Motor Sport then co-ordinates the events to be held and then issues the motorsport calendar for that year.
Botswana Motor Sport was involved in the organisation of the Motocross of African Nations (together with Gaborone Motor Club) because of the fact that the Motocross of African Nations is an international event and because of the size of the event.
Normally, Clubs arrange all the events and Botswana Motor Sport oversee the events, which have been arranged by the Club.
Q: Who owns the Wings Motor Park?
A: Wings Moto Park is owned by a company called Delta & Ocean Air
Q: How much was spent in the construction of the facility?
A: At this time the cost is not fully known, and will only be known once all the invoices for the event have been received from the suppliers. The owner of the property on which Wings Moto Park is located paid for the land and all the permanent facilities such as the boreholes, pumps, tanks and fencing.
Q: Please provide any other relevant information on the matter.
A: The event has been hailed as one of the best Moto Cross of African Nations ever held. The event was a huge success and Botswana Motor Sport hopes that we have made the Nation proud and that the event has inspired potential new Batswana riders to become involved in the sport and hopefully they will then lead Botswana to an African Championship in the future.
The success of an event such as the Motocross of African Nations is dependent on a number of factors, not least of which is the commitment of riders from countries which are located far away from the host nation, coming to and competing in, the event. Those teams (such as Kenya, Uganda and DRC) who travelled great distances to come to the Motocross of African Nations in Gaborone show the commitment of the riders and their countries to participate in this important event.