The 42nd annual Thor Winter Olympics ended a somewhat erratic week on Saturday at Gatorback Cycle Park in Alchua, FL that featured weather issues and a number of injuries. Many riders walked away from the podium as a newly crowned champ but none were more thankful than RJ Hampshire and Keith Tucker.
Nicknamed the Mini Os, the Thor Winter Olympics started Monday with three days of Supercross style racing. RJ Hampshire took Gold in the 250A and 450 Pro Sport series of races. Keith Tucker found success in the 250B and 450B series. The Supercross event of the Mini Os featured 37 classes. See the full Supercross results.
Supercross wrapped on Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day featured the start of the Motocross events. Hampshire again took Gold in the 250A and 450 Pro Sport series and added another to his collection by winning the 250 Pro Sport. Tucker grabbed the 250B and 250B Limited as well as the College B/C (16-24) class. The Motocross event featured 40 competing classes. See the full Motocross results here.
Photos: James Gingerich
Fans of the series were able to stream 20 hours of live coverage on the MotoSport.com-sponsored RacerTV.com. Rodney Tomblin, a longtime Loretta Lynn's Amateur Motocross, Pro Motocross and Grand National Cross Country Series announcer, provided the play-by-play commentary all week long.
The Thor Winter Olympics was presented by Pro Circuit and is one of the premier amateur motocross racing events as it brings riders together from all over the world. Riders battles for six days to be crowned Olympiad Champion. It is also a part of the American Motocross Championship Majors - an alliance made up of an elite group of race organizers that host premier amateur and professional motocross events in America. Gatorback Cycle Park is known for its mix of hard pack and sand, natural elevation changes and other obstacles.