The penultimate round of the SA Superbike series at Cape Town’s Killarney circuit this Saturday takes on a an international flavour with the entry of visiting Slovakian rider Sandra Stammova, who will be riding an Adrenalin Powersport Kawasaki ZX-6R in the 600cc Supersport races.
Stammova, 30, hails from Poprad in Slovakia but is currently based in Britain, where she races a Suzuki GSX-R600 in the Supersport class of the British Superbike championship. Although she will see the track for the first time during Friday’s free practice session, Stammova is used to learning new circuits, having previously raced in Italy, New Zealand and the United States, as well has her native Slovakia and the UK.
CREAM OF THE CROP
She’ll be up against the cream of South Africa’s Supersports talent, including local hero Lance Isaacs - also on a ZX-6R - and the gorgeous MV Agustas of Cam Petersen and Brett Harran, who were involved in two race-long battles with Kawasaki rookie Anthony Shelley in the previous round at Zwartkops, that saw all four cross the line as though joined by a hidden umbilical cord.
Isaacs finished second to Shelley in Race 1 after the youngster dived through an almost non-existent gap on the final lap, and fourth in Race 2 after experiencing brake problems - but home-track advantage may give him the fraction extra he needs to ensure an overall victory on Saturday.
MR MOTORCYCLE
Then there’s Mr Motorcycle, a new event in the Cape that takes the top 12 riders regardless of class and matches them in a 12-lap elimination dash for cash. At the end of each lap the slowest rider gets flagged off, until only the top four are left in and all-out sprint, with considerable cash prizes on offer.