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Photo - Ben Townley in SA - showing that the year was no fluke:
This report is from Ben Townley`s manager, Glen Dempsey.
Visit Ben @ his website: BentownleyMX.com:
It features his latest news, pictures, profile etc. and while you're there, leave a message for the young Kiwi in his `Guestbook'.
A dream filled year has come to a close with a double victory for New Zealand’s motocross prodigy, Ben Townley. After wining his first ever world title two weeks prior in Ireland, Townley has travelled to the magnificent Sun City resort in South Africa to show an excited partisan crowd exactly why is world champ.
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The scorching African sun beat down on the first race of the day and as the gate of thirty competitors stampeded for the first turn, Townley was among the front runners. BT pushed hard and in no time was leading the last GP of the year with team mate Tyla Rattray hot on his heels. As the KTM duo started to hit lapped riders, Townley almost lost the lead to Rattray but was able to get around the slower riders and focus on the race again. Keeping his cool with Rattray pressurising, BT took the chequered flag and first blood for the day.
Townley missed out on the hole-shot in race two and was boxed in going into the first turn. The KTM 250 F started it’s onslaught and the crowd was on it’s feet as BT was moving to the front. By the third lap the Kiwi had passed Antonio Cairoli for the lead and looked set to pull a gap. Cairoli counter attacked and was back in front, taking BT by surprise. He used his experience and kept his Italian rival in sight, sizing him up lap by lap and with ten minutes gone on the clock he made his move. Cairoli hung on to the back wheel of the number thirty KTM and was proving to be a tough contender. With one lap to go and a slight lead, Townley paid homage to the South African spectators and saluted them as he flew past the grand stands. A few turns later he crossed the finish line for a brilliant double win and making him the first ever rider to win an MX2 GP on the African continent.
“This was a special day for me,” explained the champ. “ I tried to focus on winning two heats to make it a total of twenty-one wins this year. Tyla made it difficult for me and put on a lot of pressure. I had some problems with lapped riders which gave him the opportunity to get next to me in the first race. This was probably the best GP of the year and the South African fans are really passionate and they love to experience the action. Sun City is an amazing place and their GP was a great success.”
2004 MX2 Point standings
1. Townley Ben, NZL, KTM, 622
2. Rattray Tyla , RSA, KTM, 506
3. Cairoli Antonio, ITA, Yamaha, 447
4. Sword Stephen, GBR, Yamaha, 397
5. Chiodi Alessio, ITA, Yamaha, 385
6. Maschio Michaël, FRA, Kawasaki, 343
7. McFarlane A, AUS, Yamaha, 329
8. Nunn Carl, GBR, Honda, 298
9. Caps Patrick, BEL, Yamaha, 295
