March 25, 2026 Off

Thrills, Drama, and Near-Record Finishes at Round 1 of the 2026 SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup at Killarney International Raceway

By MRWadmin

The 2026 SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup roared into action at Cape Town’s Killarney International Raceway on the weekend of 13-14 March, kicking off an electrifying season of South Africa’s premier ZX10 racing. As part of the Extreme Festival, the first round showcased the country’s top Kawasaki riders battling across the 3.267 km circuit, with ZX10-A, ZX10-B, and ZX10-C classes all vying for championship points and bragging rights.

Trevor Westman’s massive crash during Fridays final qualifying session.

Teams and riders arrived on Thursday, getting a head start with the customary open practice session to familiarise themselves with the track, dial in their setups, and shake off the dust from the off-season. Friday marked the beginning of official qualifying, with three sessions scheduled before a final session on Saturday morning. It was immediately clear that the weekend would be full of drama. Local favourite and hometown hero Trevor Westman had a series of heart-stopping moments on Friday, culminating in a massive crash at Turn 4 near his bowmer. His ZX10R was wrecked, but miraculously, Westman walked away relatively unscathed. True to form, the rider and his team pulled an all-nighter, assembling a new bike for Saturday, but with only one qualifying session to set a grid position on a completely rebuilt machine, Westman had to settle for a surprising ninth-place start.

New TC Ricky Morais on the left and old TC Alfie Swanepoel on the right.

Safety and regulation changes for 2026 also added a new layer of structure to the weekend, with Ricky Morais stepping in as the new Technical Controller for the SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup, overseeing all technical aspects to ensure rider safety and fairness. The grid also saw some unexpected developments, including defending champion Clinton Seller struggling with his King Price Xtreme ZX10R. Plagued by what appeared to be a trapped nerve, Seller found himself unable to maintain grip after a few laps, ultimately deciding to withdraw for the weekend to protect himself and fellow competitors. His absence left the championship wide open and offered an opportunity for other riders to stake an early claim for the series lead.

#1 Clinton Seller ahead of #60 Trevor Westman and #42 Jayson Lamb

The 2026 season also brought a wave of fresh talent and returning faces. Abrie Marais made a welcome return, while Alfie Swanepoel, a former multi-year Technical Controller for the series, swung a leg over a ZX10R for the first time in years, making his debut on a 1000cc machine at the coast. New entrants Robert Ferreira and Dirk Stols also impressed, with Stols showing immediate pace on his sleek black ZX10R, signaling he would be a contender as the season unfolded.

#88 – Damion Purificati leading the chasing pack

Race one was nothing short of fantastic. Damion Purificati took a commanding victory, finishing over two and a half seconds ahead of Jayson Lamb, who continues to shine around Cape Town. Trevor Westman delivered a remarkable ride on his “new bike”, moving from ninth on the grid up into the top three by the end of the first lap. James Barson and Keith Agliotti had standout performances, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, while Hein McMahon battled with acceleration and top-speed issues due to a fuel pump problem and took seventh. Henk Kruger had a strong ride to 8th position while Byron Rothquel returned to the top 10 in ninth. Reginald Seale had another solid ride to round out the top10 in 10th just ahead of Abrie Marais, who delighted fans with a strong 11th-place finish in his comeback race. Dirk Stols was the first of the newcomers to make an impression, finishing 12th, followed closely by Alfie Swanepoel in 13th. Ian Harwood, Robert Ferreira, and Gerard Vrey rounded out the rest of the field, with Vrey pulling in on the final lap due to rear-wheel vibrations. Lubabalo Ntisana’s crash coming out of the final corner due to a snapped handlebar was dramatic, but thankfully, he was uninjured and the bike suffered only minor damage.

#4 – Hein McMahon nursing his ZX10R home in Race 1 with fuel pump issues.

#21 – Gerard Vrey retired from Race 1 with one lap remaining.

#53 Lubabalo Ntisana in good spirits holding onto what is left of his handlebar.

Race two added even more excitement with a red flag after Adriaan van Dalen’s crash around lap six. Luckily, van Dalen was unhurt, suffering only minor cuts and bruises. The restart produced a four-lap dash that saw Jayson Lamb making the most of the opportunity. He pushed every limit, trading positions with Damion Purificati and narrowly brushing the pit wall as he crossed the finish line to take the win. On aggregate timing, Lamb claimed victory by just 0.006 of a second, one of the closest finishes in SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup history, with Purificati in second and Westman close behind in third. Hein McMahon’s fuel pump issues were resolved, allowing him to finish fourth, while Barson and Agliotti followed in fifth and sixth. Lubabalo Ntisana redeemed himself with a strong seventh-place finish. Reginald Seale had an even better ride to 8th, while Byron Rothquel and Henk Kruger rounded out the top 10. Gerard Vrey improved to 11th, with Abrie Marais in 12th, Alfie Swanepoel in 13th, Dirk Stols 14th, Ian Harwood 15th, Robert Ferreira 16th, and van Dalen classified as a non-finisher.

#42 – Jayson Lamb took a brilliant Race 2 aggregate victory by just 0.006 of a second.

#469 – Adriaan van Dalen before his crash in Race 2.

#67 – James Barson looks on top form so far in 2026.

#31 Keith Agliotti looking good and on form with a new livery for 2026.

#82 – Henk Kruger looking factory in 2026.

#60 – Trevor Westman had a solid recovery ride after Fridays crash.

CLASS A overall podium – 1st Trevor Westman, 2nd Hein McMahon, 3rd Keith Agliotti

Combined results from the weekend highlighted exceptional performances across all classes. In ZX10-A, Trevor Westman took the overall crown on 25:23.632, followed closely by Hein McMahon and Keith Agliotti. ZX10-B was dominated by Damion Purificati on 25:17.275, with Byron Rothquel, Henk Kruger, Abrie Marais, Robert Ferreira, Gerard Vrey, and Lubabalo Ntisana all fighting hard for positions. ZX10-C saw Jayson Lamb claim top honours on 25:19.934, with James Barson, Reginald Seale, Alfie Swanepoel, and Ian Harwood rounding out the top five, demonstrating depth and competitiveness across the field.

Class B overall podium – 1st Damion Purificati, 2nd Byron Rothquel, 3rd Henk Kruger.

class C overall podium – 1st Jayson Lamb, 2nd James Barson, 3rd Reginald Seale.

A successful weekend of racing wouldn’t be possible without the support of sponsors, and the SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup is grateful to its long-standing partners SunBet SA, Bridgestone Tyres South Africa, EBC Brakes, and VAG Automotive Centre Centurion. The 2026 season also welcomes new sponsors, including SealPro Winelands, PUMPELEC cc, and Gozone water Dowerglen, who will play a key role in supporting the series, the teams, and the riders throughout the year.

Bridgestone tyres – The tyre of choice for the SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup

With dramatic crashes, late-night bike rebuilds, a red-flagged shootout, and one of the closest finishes in series history, Killarney set the bar high for the 2026 season. Fans can look forward to more breathtaking battles, strategic overtakes, and thrilling performances as the SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup moves on to Round 2 at Red Star Raceway on 17-18 April, where the championship battle will continue to intensify.

Picture Credits- Beam Productions Pty Ltd. / SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup