SAORC: Team Shimwells Yamaha Roof of Africa summary

Team Shimwells Yamaha is one of not many teams who went to the  Lesotho  Sun
Roof of Africa (November 26 - 29)  and  came  back  with  a  100%  finishing
record - each and  every  one  of  their  small,  but  very  committed  team
received the chequered flag at the end of a gruelling three day race in  the
mountains of Lesotho.

Although the results are  still  only  provisional,  the  defending  overall
champion, Gray Dick, also racing in the colours  of  Nashua  Mobile  Racing,
finished 6th in the Open Class after he crashed twice  on  the  second  day.
Once he damaged his Shimwells Yamaha motorcycle while  trying  to  get  back
onto the route after falling down a steep cliff -  fortunately  he  was  not
hurt. The last day of the race was perfect, but he could not make up  enough
time to finish in the top ten.

Although he could not defend his title successfully, he is already
confident that, after a year filled with some bad luck, he will be back
next season to bring the overall title back to his team.

Gray Dick: Started second day 3rd overall after  time  trial;  started  last
day 22nd overall, finished 14th overall.

It was his teammate, Brian  Capper,  who  has  not  been  racing  since  the
Hluhluwe event in the first half of the season due to injuries,  who  showed
everyone what he was made of when he finished  in  an  excellent  7th  place
overall and 3rd in the Open Class. He also experienced a  bad  day  when  he
crashed, but he managed to make up  some  good  time  and  was  lying  third
overall when he wrong-slotted.

Brian Capper:  Started  second  day  6th  overall;  started  last  day  12th
overall, finished 7th overall (3rd in Open Class).

The 125cc Shimwells Yamaha rider, the young  Gavin  Louw,  who  participated
only in his first Roof of Africa race, had a good event and finished 3rd  in
his class where only five riders  managed  to  finish.  Louw  had  a  seesaw
season with Hylton Smith for the championship and had a good dice  with  him
once again. Smith could only beat him by 8 min 45 seconds.

In the extremely competitive 250cc Class,  Bernard  Johnstone  finished  7th
overall. He started the race after the 95km time trial  in  the  46th  place
and worked his up to be the 17th rider on the starting  line  for  the  last
day. His 16th place overall is a result to be proud of seeing  that  he  was
still suffering from foot an injury.

Bernard Johnstone: Started second day 46th overall; started  last  day  17th
overall, finished 16th overall (7th in 250cc Class).

Shimwells Yamaha, the Yamaha dealership in  Springs  providing  the  backing
and support for their committed team, would like  to  congratulate  each  of
these riders on finishing the 2003 Lesotho Sun Roof of Africa.

-tsy-


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