Mixed feelings for KTM Diga Junior Racing riders
KTM Diga Junior Racing completed a 'double booking' this weekend. Kay Karssemakers was competing in his own country for the second round of the Dutch Masters of Motocross in Axel, while TJ O'Hare took part in the second race in the European Championship for women in Vesoul, France. Although they both gave their best, their stories were very different.
After encouraging performances in Lommel and Lelystad, Karssemakers was looking forward to the postponed Dutch Masters confrontation in Zeeland. The fourth time in the timed training gave an indication of his speed and immediately showed that a podium was now also a possibility.
However, Kay crashed early in both the first and second heats, meaning he always had to catch up. Series one resulted in ninth place after a blood-curdling recovery. In the final sprint he came from 36thth place back to fifteenth. This made the 14-year-old KTM Diga Junior Racing rider 11de general. In the Dutch Masters standings, the multiple Dutch champion is now in ninth place. The gap with the fifth, Kjell Verbruggen, is barely 9 points.
Eager to improve, TJ O'Hare headed to Vesoul in France for the second round of the EMX Women's Championship. The driven Aussie delivered two consistent performances, good for a respectable ninth place in the daily rankings. In the opening race there certainly could have been more because TJ crashed and her motorcycle suffered damage. O'Hare almost finished eighth in the repeat, but in the end she had to give up Lehmann.
Kay Karssemakers: “It was not my day in Axel! In terms of results, I am of course disappointed because I had to come back from very far away after I fell. The driving itself was good. In the first moto I had a good start and when I started again after my fall I quickly got into a nice rhythm. More than a 15de There was no room for the second heat. I feel that the speed is starting to come. We will especially remember that in the run-up to the European Championships in Mantova next weekend.”
TJ O'Hare: “Learning on hard courts is one of my main goals this year. It feels good that I now notice that things are actually getting better on the hard surfaces. In the first moto I had some bad luck because the throttle was hit when I fell. So that was something to do! I had a nice duel with Janina (ed. Lehmann) in the second heat, but unfortunately she was just too strong. Such a positive weekend gives you extra energy to go back to training to prepare for the next match.”
Race 1 Dutch Masters 125cc Axel
1. Kjell Verruggen, 2. Liam Everts, 3. Kay De Wolf, 4. Nikita Kucherov, 5. Kjeld Stuurman, 6. Twan Wagenaar, 7. Adam Kovacs, 8. Dave Kooiker, 9. Kay Karssemakers (KTM Diga Junior Racing), 10. Matias Vesterinen
Race 2 Dutch Masters 125cc Axel
1. Nikit Kucherov, 2. Liam Evets, 3. Kjell Verbruggen, 4. Adam Kovacs, 5. Dave Kooiker, 6. Kay De Wolf, 7. Matias Vesterinen, 8. Wannes Van de Voorde, 9. Kjeld Stuurman, 10. Twan Wagenaar, 15. Kay Karssemakers (KTM Diga Junior Racing)
Final score 125cc Axel
1. Kjell Verbruggen 45, 2. Liam Everts 44, 3. Nikita Kucherov 43, 4. Kay De Wolf 35, 5. Adam Kovacs 32, 6. Dave Kooiker 29, 7. Kjeld Stuurman 28, 8. Twan Wagenaar 26, 9 Matias Vesterinen 25, 10. Rov van de Veerdonk 20, 11. Kay Karssemakers (KTM Diga Junior Racing) 18
Standings Dutch Masters of Motocross after 2 rounds
1. Kay De Wolf 60, 2. Nikita Kucherov 54, 3. Adam Kovacs 52, 4. Dave Kooiker 51, 5. Kjell Verbruggen 45, 6. Liam Everts 44, 7. Matias Vesterinen 40, 8. Kjeld Stuurman 40, 9. Kay Karssemakers (KTM Diga Junior Racing) 36, 10. Twan Wagenaar 34
EMX Women Vesoul Race 1
1. Shana Van der Vlist, 2. Stephanie Laier, 3. Anne Borchers, 4. Lynn Valk, 5. Line Dame, 6. Janina Lehmann, 7. Sandra Karlsson, 8. Mathea Selebo, 9. TJ O'Hare (KTM Diga Junior Racing), 10. Martin Hughes
EMX Women Vesoul Race 2
1. Shana Van der Vlist, 2. Stephanie Laier, 3. Anne Borchers, 4. Lynn Valk, 5. Line Dame, 6. Mathea Selebo, 7. Sandra Karlsson, 8. Janina Lehmann, 9. TJ O'Hare (KTM Diga Junior Racing), 10. Martin Hughes
Final score EMX Women Rd2 – Vesoul, France
1. Shana Van der Vlist 50, 2. Stephanie Laier 44, 3. Anne Borchers 40, 4. Lynn Valk 36, 5. Line Dame 32, 6. Mathea Selebo 28, 7. Sandra Karlsson 28, 8. Janina Lehmann 28, 9. TJ O'Hare (KTM Diga Junior Racing) 24, 10. Martine Hughes 22
Standings EMX Women Rd2 – after two rounds
1. Shana Van der Vlist 97, 2. Stephanie Laier 91, 3. Lynn Valk 76, 4. Anne Borchers 71, 5. Line Dame 68, 6. Janina Lehmann 57, 7. Sandra Karlsson56, 8. Mathea Selebo 48, 9. TJ O'Hare (KTM Diga Junior Racing) 47, 10. Martine Hughes 39
Photos: Eric Laurijssen
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