Zander Kruik to race in 2023 FIM World Junior Motocross Championships

Gympie High student Zander Kruik is in a race against time to make it to the 2023 FIM World Junior Motocross Championships in Europe.

14/06/2023 - Zander Kruik is heading off to the World Junior Motocross Championships in Romania. Picture: supplied

Gympie youngster Zander Kruik is facing a race against time to get to the 2023 FIM World Junior Motocross Championships.

Zander, who turns 12 on Friday, June 16, is set to represent Australia at the championships which run from July 7-9 in Romania.

The Gympie State High School student, who is a Gympie Motocross Club member, was nominated by dad Rick after this year becoming Queensland champion in the 65cc category.

Motocross Australia then picked the 11-year-old in their team of five to head to Bucharest, giving the family about four weeks to organise flights, passports and improve Zander‘s fitness.

“It came as a shock,” dad Rick, from Glastonbury near Gympie, said.

“We nominated Zander through Motocross Australia who then did their background checks.

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14/06/2023 - Gympie Motocross Club’s Zander Kruik in action. Picture: supplied

“They check riders’ times against each other and see who’s the most consistent and who’s doing the best at the time of selection.

“He was chosen to go to the world championships which was great but now we have such a short time to prepare and we haven’t even got passports.”

Rick’s wife Kelly and daughters Honor and Harper will also be flying to Europe, providing the passports arrive in time, with the family needing to depart by July 3 at the latest.

Zander, who has been riding a motorcycle since the age of three, said he loved riding against others.

“I like going fast and going over jumps,” he said.

“I just love to ride.”

Rick said he had been shocked by how quickly Zander had risen through the ranks and was proud that his son was able to represent his country.

14/06/2023 - Zander Kruik is heading off to the World Junior Motocross Championships in Romania. Picture: supplied

“It’s such an honour, I am so proud and I am lost for words,” he said.

“Last year he wasn’t as serious as he is now, so he’s really jumped the queue with his performances.

“He’s done it in such a short space of time. All the other kids have been racing twice as long as he has, so to be where he has got to now is amazing.”

As well as the cost of getting Zander and the family to Bucharest, Rick said they would have to transport the engine from his own bike and hire a motorcycle when they reached Bucharest.

To help with costs, a GoFundMe page has been set up with $6490 already raised towards a target of $10,000.

Rick said he was astounded by the generosity shown in just over a week since the page was started.

“The support has been amazing,” he said.

“People have reached out through the GoFundMe page and to have raised so much money in such a short time is so heartwarming, especially with times being so tough with interest rates going up and and all that.

“We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has donated.”

As well as a race against time to get passports and flights, Rick said Zander was also pushed hard to get fit for the challenge of longer races at the world championships.

“We have to get Xander race ready with his fitness regimes,” he said.

“He will be racing three times as long as he normally would.

“We have got a trainer here helping us out along with another of the Australian team members (Ky Wood).”

After arriving in Romania, Rick will turn his attention to getting Zander acclimatised to European conditions and sort out racing equipment.

We will have to get ready for the climate and hire a bike,” he said.

“We pull the motor out of his and put it in an esky and take it over.

“Then he will use that in the bike that we hire because our motor has been worked in and is race ready.

“We will then get some practice underway to try and get used to the temperature and the bike tracks over there.”

For those who wish to donate to help getting Zander to Romania, head to the GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/2023-world-fim-juniormotorcross.

Originally published as Zander Kruik to race in 2023 FIM World Junior Motocross Championships