Motocross Masters returns to Puerto Princesa

MANILA, Philippines - For the eighth straight year, Puerto Princesa City hosts the opening round of “The Motocross Masters of Asia,” the Philippine leg of the FIM Asian Motocross Supercross Championship, featuring the best riders in the region.

Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn and FIM Asia president Macky Carapiet recently signed the agreement bringing back the annual motorsports spectacle to Puerto Princesa on March 26-27.

Japan’s Tomoya “Kamikaze” Suzuki, the 2010 champion in the centerpiece Asian MX2 (Pro 125) category, will attempt to be the series’ first back-to-back champion.

A stellar cast will be out to foil Suzuki’s bid, including Mongolia’s Khaliunbold Erdenebileg, the Philippines’ reigning National Motocross Rider of the Year Kenneth San Andres and Iran’s Amirreza Sabetifar.

Thailand’s Arungkrung Pinpon, the series’ 2007 Asian Junior 85cc champion, is considered the dark horse.

The Asian Junior 85cc event promises to be no less exciting with the Philippines’ Mark Reggie Flores and Gabriel Macaso bidding to duplicate the feat of PSA awardee Jean Erick Mitra, the 2010 Asian Junior 85cc champion from Rizal, Nueva Ecija.

Flores and Macaso, however, are expected to meet stiff challenge from the junior riders from Guam, Thailand and the United States.

The country’s top riders from 14 national motocross divisions will also be seeing action in the local races that make up one leg of NAMSSA’s 2011 national motocross series coinciding with the international event.

The overall champion in the MX2 category will bring home the Mayor Edward Hagedorn Cup.

The 2011 FIM Asian Motocross Supercross Championship is being organized by NAMSSA and backed by Oakley.

For more information, visit www.fimasia.org <http://www.fimasia.org/> and www.namssa.org <http://www.namssa.org/> or call 09178479785.