EMX65 / EMX85 and EMX Women’ European Championship:
the last rounds set the game for the Semi-Final challenges
Triple action for the EMX65 / EMX85 European Championship with exciting races for the South East, South West and North Europe zone.
After the races in Bulgaria and Türkiye, the third and last round of the EMX65 / EMX85 European Championship South East zone took place in Bosnia Herzegovina, in the town of Kreševo, about 40 km from the capital Sarajevo. A weekend with heavy rain put the very young riders to the test with mud and cold weather.
EMX85
Zone leader Sami Alexandru Dumitru (KTM) put into place another masterpiece with a double perfect win. The young Romanian rider outclassed the concurrence under the rain of the first heat, completing the weekend winning also Race 2 despite a crash during the first lap. Another great weekend also for Efe Okur (KTM): strong of the second overall position conquered last weekend at his home race, the Turkish rider finished second in Race 1 – ahead of Serbian rider Ana Kolnookova (GasGas) – and third in Race 3 at the end of a thrilling fight for the second position against Danial Marian (KTM) from Romania.
EMX65
Heavy and tough conditions for the very young riders of the EMX65.
In Race 1 Nikola Mutafchiev (GasGas) from Bulgaria won ahead of the Serbian Viktor Kolnookov (KTM) and Georgi Iliev (GasGas) from Bulgaria. In Race 2 another success for Mutafchiev. Second position for Romanian rider Andrei Susanu (KTM) and third for Damjan Sokola (KTM) from Serbia.
EMX85 – Overall top three
- Sami Alexandru Dumitru, ROM
- Efe Okur, TUR
- Ana Kolnookov, SRB
EMX65 – Overall top three
- Nikola Mutafchiev, BUL
- Viktor Kolnookov, SRB
- Andrei Susanu, ROM
The well prepared and quite technical Fernao Joanes track in Portugal hosted the third and last round of the South West zone.
EMX85
Race 1 saw the great start of Italian rider Francesco Assini (GasGas), but it was the Spanish Jordi Alba (KTM) to take the holeshot. Lap after lap Pau Caudet (Husqvarna) from Spain caught up from P5, took the lead and won the first heat ahead of Alba. Great battle for the third position with a lot of overtaking between Rafael Mennillo (KTM), Leo Diss-Fenard (KTM) and Assini.
In Race 2 was Alba to take the holeshot, while Race 1 winner Caudet crashed. Fourth in the first heat, French rider Diss-Fenard took the lead, holding the position until the chequered flag. Second position for Mennillo and third for Jorge Salvador (KTM). Thanks to a great pace, Caudet finished in P4 despite the crash.
EMX65
In Race 1 Spanish rider Jose Lopez (KTM) took the lead from the beginning and controlled the race until the end. Good race also for Iñaki Tolosa (Husqvarna), who started from P5, but managed to finish second. Great battle between Loann Lupin (KTM) and Izan Rodriguez (GasGas) for the third place, with the French finished in P3 and the Spanish fourth.
Bad luck for Lopez in race 2: the Spanish rider ruled until half race, when technical problems forced him to the withdrawal. Liam Morette (Husqvarna) from France took advantage from the situation, leading until the end. Behind him fights and crashes: at the end home riders Guilherme Gomes (Yamaha) and Francisco Fernandes (Yamaha) finished second and third.
EMX85 – Overall top three
- Leo Diss-Fenard, FRA, KTM
- Pau Caudet, SPA
- Rafael Mennillo, FRA
EMX 65 – Overall top three
- Iñaki Tolosa, SPA
- Liam Morette, FRA
- Francisco Fernandes, POR
The second and last round of the North Europe zone was raced in hot weather conditions in Parnu, Estonia, together with the fourth round of the EMX Women’ European Championship.
EMX85
Another great battle between home rider Lucas Leok (Husqvarna) and the Latvian Jekabs Hudolejs (GasGas). At the end Hudolejs took two amazing win: the 2023 Champion tried to push hard until the end, but had to settle with a double P2. Double P3 for Toms Dankerts (Husqvarna) from Latvia.
EMX65
Absolute domination for the Estonian riders.
In Race 1 Theo Kolts (GasGas) won ahead of Erki Raudnagel (KTM) and Rasmus Naar (KTM).
In Race 2 Naar went back to the victory, while Kolts scored zero points. Second position for Kristofer Valk (GasGas) and third for Raudnagel.
Women
Another solid win for British Lucy Barker (KTM) ahead of Elena Kapsamer (GasGas) from Austria and Laura Raunkjaer (Yamaha) from Denmark.
In 125cc class another domination for Elsa Andresson-Lof (GasGas) ahead of a surprising Patricija Berzina (GasGas) from Latvia and Melissa Mantyla (KTM) from Finland.
EMX85 top three
- Jekabs Hudolejs, LAT
- Lucas Leok, EST
- Toms Dankerts, LAT
EMX65 top three
- Rasmis Naar, EST
- Erki Raudnagel, EST
- Kristofer Valk, EST
EMX Women top three
- Lucy Barker, GBR
- Elena Kapsamer, AUT
- Laura Raunkjaer, DEN
EMX Women 125cc top three
- Elsa Andresson-Lof, SWE
- Patricija Berzina, LAT
- Melissa Mantyla, FIN
