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28.-29. July 2007 IMBA youth-weekend in Rognee, B

In Rognee, Belgium, Ardennes there was the final race for the IMBA youth. Fot the first time the VMCF /Vlaamse Moto Cross Federation) organized a youth event for the IMBA. On a great designed nature raceway in the Ardennes they were racing on loamy soil up and down the hills. During the night to Saturday it rained hard. The raceway changed into a slippery slide. There were votes to cancel the event, most of them by the sand-drivers (NL-DK). But when the sun came up in the afternoon, the raceway got better and all races went great. The two classes, which were racing to collect points for the European Championships had two runs, the other classes started once. The Belgium people who did not participate in the European Championships (CR and NL) yet, send their best mans in 85ccm to the race. For Jeremy Coen (B) and Michal Velkeneers (B) it was a home match on known ground. They flew like a duo through the course. In the first run Jeremy Seewer (CH) could keep up to them in the second run there was another swiss guy who could. Nollie Kluytmans (NL) was able to stay in the front group, too. After the two runs he became the fourth grade in the ranking list. Robin Goldammer and Nico Herde were the best German drivers with the ranks: 12, 10 and 15 for Robin and 17, 13 and 20 for Nico.

Also in the MX2 youth group it was a hard race. Like their idols of the world championship or the IMBA rating the young fighters started. The VMCF had another great racer in this class. Gunter Ghysels was the most successful driver on Saturday. He won twice. The driver who is in first place on the EM ranking list had to work hard for every single point for the championship and was on grade 3 in the first run, behind Gunter Ghysels and Gaeten van den Bossche. The best from two German drivers was Michael Kaussen, who could get on rank 5 in the first and in the second run. On Sunday he won the third run, so he could get to rank 2 in the day ranking list.

During the night to Sunday it rained again and the next morning was grey. Again there were votes to cancel the races. The promoter and the team companions decided to start with training and at least do one run. It was hard for the Minis and some other drivers. For the smallest of the kids it was even hard to stay on the motorbike, but some of them managed some rounds. With the older kids it worked out better. In the beginning only 22 racers started from 36 racers of 85ccm big wheel. Again there were the two Belgium guys who took the course if it was not slippery and both won in the same succession as Saturday. By that they made it to the ranks 15 and 18 in the championship. The leaders of the championship John Cuppen and Tom van Iperen (both NL) got together with a difference of two points. Tom van Iperen was very disappointed that the 4. run was cancelled by the promoter in division with the team leaders. John Cuppen (NL) got the title of the 85ccm class followed by Tom van Iperen and Davey Janssen (NL). Robin Goldammer (D) wanted to be one of the first tens and ended the championship on rank 10. Nico Herde (D) made it to rank 14.
In the MX2 championship the winner was Theis Andersen from Denmark. He leaded th championship since Emmen in the Netherlands and got the title of the championship with the rankings 3, 7 and 2. Second place went to Rambo Tausch in front of Wesly Pittens (both NL).

For sure not everything was organized well at the first event of the youth weekend of  the VMCF, but none of the other promoters could say that their first events were running perfect. There are some things how to do it better which have to be spoken about. But if we will be guests in Belgium again next year, for sure things will be already much better.

Willi Jütten