Gozo Motocross Association was once again successful in its endeavour to promote and enhance Motor sport in Gozo.

On the Public Holiday of Republic Day, a blue cloudless sky, embraced and welcomed the Xtreme Trials & Endurocross organised by the GMA, in collaboration with the Munxar Local Council.

Trials, Enduro and Cross motorbikes left their natural habitat to showcase their riders' skills in a unique event, which took place in the main square of Munxar and that left spectators in awe.

The square was transformed into a man-made track that included logs, stones, different sized tyres and vehicle wheels, large cable reels, tree branches and other objects. These obstacles provided a challenge for the riders, who found it almost to impossible to complete the route with their motorbikes in the least possible time.

This kind of competition has been introduced in America and also in Europe over the last few years. However it was the first time ever, that an attempt has been made to organise this kind of event on the Maltese Islands.

GMA, together with the Munxar Local Council and also the Gozo Sports Board worked very hard for months in order to ensure that the event would turn out to be the huge success that it was.

Central to the track, trial sections were set up using scrapped cars, cable reels, concrete blocks and other obstacles that provided the trial rider show astonishing technique, balance and stability while moving from one obstacle to the other with as minimal a number of mistakes as possible.

In the Endurocross competition, riders started their route in twos, with a couple of seconds in between. They competed in two heats with two laps each. The route was not an easy one, and riders faced an impossible challenge with aggressive strength and power amidst the cheering of the their fellow riders and the spectators.

Rider Joseph Scicluna came in first at 1 minute 03 seconds, followed closely by James Zahra at 1 minute 5 seconds and Matthew Gauci at 1 minute 9 seconds. Meanwhile the trials competition was won by Trials Champion Damon Bonello, followed by Joseph Scicluna and Garry Debono respectively.

Following four hours of gruesome motorbike racing, the Munxar Mayor, Mrs Carmen Said thanked everyone and awarded the winners of both EnduroCross and Trials a trophy each. She also passed on a small memento to all the participants.

The president of the GMA Mr Frank Xuereb gave a plaque to the Mayor and another one to the CEO of Gozo sports Board Mr Alvin Grech, to show the association's appreciation for all their support and encouragement so that the Motorsport in Gozo strengthens its roots and grows.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Community Chest Fund as part of Istrina 2015

Photos by Paul Scicluna and Liliana Bigeni

Permalink: Munxar hosts first ever Xtreme Trials & Endurocross in Gozo & Malta