Dublin to stage supercross event

Motorsport/ Supercross: Thrill-seeking reaches new heights next January when Dublin's first ever supercross event will be held at the Point Depot, it was announced yesterday.

With the motorcross season ending in October, the professionals move indoors during winter for the International Supercross Championship, where racing and some of the most remarkable stunts on two wheels can be seen. The racetrack will be man-made, with up to 10 lorry-loads of dirt deposited at the Point, along with spectacular jumps and other obstacles.

Ireland's top competitors will be in attendance, including Gordan Crockard, who is current British Motorcross champion.

The Newtownards native has been Ireland's top racer in both motorcross and supercross for the last decade.

He will be joined at the start gate by other Irish professionals including Ross Brown, second in this year's Southern Ireland 125 cc championship, and Jason Rennie, the current Guinness world record holder for the longest jump.

The sport generates a huge following in North America, where the crowds easily dwarf attendances for Major League soccer matches. In the last 10 years, motorcross has generated increased interest in Britain and Northern Ireland.

"Up to 70,000 people attend the events in the US, held at Baseball grounds all around the country," said Crockard yesterday. Over here, the interest is also increasing. Just recently, the Millennium stadium in Cardiff attracted 22,000 people for an event."

The series moves to Dublin on January 9th and 10th.