Turkey to host its first indoor motocross, enduro races
It took a month and nearly 350 truckloads of dirt to transform the indoor athletics facility into a motocross track.

The Istanbul Super MotoCross Championship will be held on Nov. 18 and be followed by the Istanbul Super Enduro Championship on Nov. 25 at Istanbul's Ataköy Indoor Athletics Facility



The Turkey Motocross Federation (TMF) and the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality are set to host Turkey's first ever indoor motocross and enduro championships.

The Istanbul Super MotoCross Championship will be held on Nov. 18 and be followed by the Istanbul Super Enduro Championship on Nov. 25 at Istanbul's Ataköy Indoor Athletics Facility. The events will also introduce the MGXP World Championship scheduled for Istanbul next year.

Contestants, aged from 9 to 60, will compete in the MX1, MX2, veteran and 65cc+85CC categories. The competition will be accompanied by concerts and light and laser shows. It took a month and nearly 350 truckloads of soil to transform the indoor athletics facility into a motocross track.

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Youth and Sports Director Ayhan Kep, TMF President Bekir Yunus Uçar and Sports Istanbul General Manager İsmail Özbayraktar gave details of the event in a press conference at the Turkish Athletics Federation.

Pointing out that this will be the first ever indoor motocross and enduro championship in Turkey, Kep said: "This is important for both Istanbul and Turkey. We have been preparing for the contest for a month now. In order not to damage the facility, we have covered its floor with nylon and Styrofoam. Currently, we're doing the landscaping."

Uçar said: "We will hold an event full of adrenaline and excitement. We expect a full house in both tournaments because these will be the first of their kinds in Turkey. Motocross is already an exciting sport. But it will be more exciting when we will get to listen to the noise of engines and exhausts with the acoustic in a hall."

"We have limited the number of contestants due to security reasons. We expect at least 80 contestants. We will pick the best ones for the event."

Meanwhile, İsmail Özbayraktar said: "These events will be rehearsals for much bigger ones in the future. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality will continue its support for all sports branches and federations. It is necessary to hold such events to be awarded much bigger competitions."