Schmidt wins his fifth Superbiker in Mettet
Undefeated since 2018, Marc-Reiner Schmidt won the Elf Moto Superbiker in Mettet for the fifth time, with Youry Catherine and Elia Sammartin next to him on the podium for the first time. There was plenty of spectacle and action all weekend, both on and off the track, with more than 25.000 in attendance at Supermoto's high mass.
A moving anniversary edition
With a more complete program than ever before, a lovely October sun in the sky and a great audience, the Elf Moto Superbiker Mettet 2022 had all the ingredients to make it a great edition. More than 25.000 people gathered around the Belgian circuit for this 35th edition, which welcomed more than 420 pilots – a record! – across all categories. Among them: the S1 Supermoto world champion Marc-Reiner Schmidt, his direct competitor for the world title Lukas Höllbacher and our Belgian Moto2 pilot Barry Baltus.
The 2021 Endurance World Champion, Xavier Simeon, was also present again in Mettet, where he received congratulations and trophies in tribute to his career. This ceremony was one of the most emotional moments of the weekend, with the motorcycle family present uniting in tribute to the winner of the German Moto2 Grand Prix 2015. However, he will continue to pass on his experience by mentoring young talents from the Belgian Motorcycle Academy.
Spectators were treated to a range of different categories such as Junior, Senior, Vintage, Superquader and Ladies, introduced in 2022 to promote motorsport among women. Several Freestyle and Stunt shows between the races amazed the audience. The After Race Festival offered everyone the opportunity to shake their legs after the races, with cover rock bands rocking Mettet on Friday evening, and several DJs taking over on Saturday. A first for this event, where everyone was welcome, even those who had not come specifically for the Superbiker races.
The match: five on five for Schmidt
World champion Marc-Reiner Schmidt's sole objective was to win in Mettet for the fifth time in his career after 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2021. He showed this throughout the weekend, including leading every lap of Sunday's race. He made history by equaling the success record of Frenchman Stéphane Chambon, five-time winner of the Superbiker in the 90s.
The German stayed ahead of Frenchman Youry Catherine and Italian Elia Sammartin, who both managed to climb onto the podium at the Belgian event for the first time. Briton Davey Todd finished just off the podium, but won the Starbiker category. Romain Kaivers completes the top 5 and finished as the first Belgian pilot.
Lukas Höllbacher was the most dangerous opponent for Marc-Reiner Schmidt, but he was unable to compete for the win after bad luck. He fell in the semi-finals and had to start at the back in the final, but still managed to finish sixth. Moto2 pilot Barry Baltus also had to start from the back after a puncture in his semi-final, but finished sixteenth.
In the other categories…
Will Mathéo Boursillon ever join these men in the queen class? The young Frenchman won the Junior Superbiker and was victorious in both heats ahead of the Belgians Tom Rolin and Valentin Durand. Italian Marco Longhin won the Senior class, well ahead of Britain's Richard Sharp and Andrew Mitchell.
Nelly Avrillon was the big winner of the Women's category, where she had to compete with Hélène Emery and Charlotte Mercier, who were next to her on the podium. Gilles Dejong wins the Vintage Challenge ahead of Frédéric Fiorentino – who lent him the motorbike with which he won – and Ruurd Van Roozendaal. On 4 wheels, Dutch rider Joe Maessen earned his moment of glory by winning the two Superquade races ahead of Belgian riders Jeremy Mikels and Maxime Cluydts.
A success, and already thinking about the future
Freddy Tacheny, chairman of the RUMESM (Royal Union Motor Entre Sambre et Meuse), the non-profit organization that organizes the event, praises the 2022 edition as a success and looks forward to its arrival from October 6 to 8, 2023: 'We have once again a historic weekend in Mettet, with a record number of 420 participants, more than 25.000 spectators and great moments from Friday morning to Sunday evening. The Elf Moto Superbiker is constantly reinventing itself and was able to offer the public some novelties, in particular the After Race Festival, the Ladies category that puts female pilots in the spotlight, the Vintage Challenge that gives a place to motorcycles from before 2004 and of course the tribute to the great Belgian champion Xavier Siméon. All this is the result of the hard work of the organizers and the volunteers, whom we must thank very much, because without them nothing would be possible. Thanks also to the pilots for the show, and to the public who came in large numbers to experience this great motorcycle party. See you in October 2023 for new adventures together.'
A sixth success would make Marc-Reiner Schmidt the absolute record holder of the Elf Moto Superbiker in Mettet. Could the arrival of a former winner end the German's reign? The registration of a new talent? Belgium on the podium again? The big questions for the 2023 edition are already being asked... See you in a year for the continuation of the story.
Posted: Steven van Kempen/KEMCO
GALLERY: Press release
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