FIM Africa is proud to announce the African team for the second edition of the FIM Intercontinental Games, taking place from 10 to 13 December 2026 at the Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna in Goiânia, Brazil.
The event brings together riders from the six FIM Continental Unions (CONUs), with Africa fielding teams in Supersport 300, Supersport and MX2.
The 2026 Games will also mark the first time motocross has been included in the FIM Intercontinental Games, with the discipline making its debut in an MX2 format.
FIM Africa President Marco Comana welcomed the selection, highlighting the opportunity for riders from across the continent to compete together on the international stage.
“It is a great honour for FIM Africa to announce the team that will represent our continent at the FIM Intercontinental Games in Brazil. We have riders from five African countries coming together as one team, which is exactly what an event like this is about.
“The inclusion of motocross for the first time is particularly exciting and gives us the opportunity to showcase African talent in a new discipline at the Games. I would like to congratulate all the riders and team members and thank everyone who has played a role in getting us to this point.
“Representing Africa on an international stage is something special. We are looking forward to seeing our riders compete against the other Continental Unions and flying the FIM Africa flag proudly in Brazil.”
SSP300 TEAM South Africa’s Kgopotso (KJ) Mononyane will captain the SSP300 team, who is made up of Egyptian, Mahmoud Elbanna and South Africans Diego De Ponte and Abigail Bosson.
SUPERSPORT TEAM South Africa’s Nicole Purificati will captain the Supersport team, made up of South Africans, Oratilwe Phiri and Dominic Doyle of South Africa and Angolan, Sidney Pinto.
MX2 MAKES ITS INTERCONTINENTAL GAMES DEBUT The inaugural motocross team will be captained by South Africa’s Cameron Durow, with Trey Cox of South Africa, Milton Obote Akaki of Uganda and Caitlin Ann Parkes of Zambia.
With motocross being introduced to the Games for the first time, the MX2 team will have the distinction of competing in the first motocross competition held as part of the FIM Intercontinental Games.
TEAM SUPPORT The riders will be supported by an experienced crew of mechanics drawn from countries across the continent such as Angola, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia and they are Ricardo Morais, Damion Purificati, Victor Keswa, Armando Borges, Andrew Cox, Natasha Rugani, Yasin Semakula and Stewart Parkes.
TEAM MANAGEMENT:
Jesse Boshoff will be Team Manager for Circuit Racing, while Razafimahefa Rakotomanga Fanomezantsoa Tsiravanavalona will be the Team Manager for the Motocross Team.
READY FOR BRAZIL The Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna with its 3.835 km, 12-turn bitumen will be hosting the circuit racing competition, while motocross will make its debut as part of the expanded programme.
For FIM Africa, the Games will provide an opportunity for riders from throughout Africa to compete as one continental team.
Africa is ready to represent the continent in Brazil!
The FIM Intercontinental Games (ICG) returns to the calendar this year for its second edition – scheduled to run from 11-13 December at the Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna in Goiania, Brazil – where teams from all six FIM Continental Unions (CONU) will come together for this biennial gathering of the FIM Family.
Following on from the hugely-successful first edition that was held at Spain’s Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto in 2024, this year’s event has been expanded with the addition of a Motocross category for MX2 machines to run alongside the established Supersport and Supersport 300 classes that featured two years ago. This means that for the second ICG, that will be staged in the central state of Goiàs, for the first time the coveted title will be decided across both on circuit racing and off-road disciplines.
Winners in 2024, FIM Europe will defend its title in the face of stiff opposition from the other CONUs of Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America and Oceania with each CONU fielding four riders in all three categories. Each CONU is allowed to include one ‘specialist’ rider with a permanent place in an FIM World Championship during 2026 along with the requirement to have a minimum of one female rider per category who is also permitted to be a permanent FIM World Championship rider this season.
All other selected riders must be considered ‘rising talents’ and cannot have taken part in any FIM World Championship in 2026 as a permanent rider.
With twenty-four riders per class, a total of seventy-two competitors from twenty-five nations – an increase of six participating countries compared to the inaugural event – will contest the 2026 ICG.
Machinery for competitors in both Circuit Racing disciplines will be provided by Yamaha with a fleet of YZF-R3 and YZF-R7 models available, while Motocross competitors will race on motorcycles supplied locally, in accordance with each rider’s requested brand and model, and compliant with FIM regulations.
On the opening day of the ICG (Friday 11 December), SSP and SSP300 teams will take part in a non-timed test practice followed by FP1 and FP2. MX2 teams will be on track for free practice and FP1. The following morning, SSP and SSP300 teams will all take part in Qualifying 1 and Qualifying 2, while MX2 teams will be on track for FP2 and a Timed Practice before the first points-scoring races across all three classes are staged in the afternoon.
On the final day (Sunday 13 December) teams across all three classes will take part in a short warm-up before lining up for Race Two and, for MX2 only, a concluding Race Three. Expanded programme for second edition of FIM Intercontinental Games
FIM President Jorge Viegas, who first envisaged the ICG in 2002, said: “It is incredibly exciting to be visiting Brazil for the second edition of the FIM Intercontinental Games. The inaugural FIM Intercontinental Games was a landmark event and for me the culmination of a long-standing ambition, but the intention was always to expand the number of categories and competitors and I am delighted to say we are moving in a very positive, defined direction.
“Bringing all six FIM Continental Unions together in this manner is very important, allowing us to celebrate the shared FIM Family values of fairness, inclusion and unity in a competitive, yet friendly environment with participants from across the globe.”
FIM Europe is the first-ever winner of the inaugural FIM Intercontinental Games (ICG) following an action-packed, drama-filled weekend of racing at the fabled Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto in southern Spain.
Bringing together the FIM’s six Continental Unions (CONU) of Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania, and the City of Jerez FIM Intercontinental Games was contested across Supersport (SSP) and Supersport 300 (SSP300) classes, with other disciplines scheduled to be introduced as this biennial event becomes more established.
Each CONU was represented by an eight-rider team split equally between the two classes with R7 and R3 machines provided by ICG Official Partner Yamaha Motor Europe. In keeping with the FIM’s ongoing commitment to diversity, each CONU fielded two female racers with one in each class.
Following Saturday’s four Qualifying sessions, FIM Europe and FIM Oceania were very evenly matched in SSP300 with both CONUs boasting three riders in the top nine that made up the first three rows of the grid with Spanish sixteen-year-old Gonzalo Sanchez in pole ahead of Australian teenagers Archie McDonald and Cameron Swain.
Sanchez led away the opening fourteen-lap SSP300 race with eighteen-year-old FIM Asia rider Aldi Mahendra getting a great jump to go from sixth to second before moving ahead through the second corner. With twenty-four riders in action the opening laps were close and at times chaotic as the sport’s brightest young talents fought for position and after three laps and multiple changes of lead the top eighteen riders were all within two seconds of each other.
Another rider showing great form was FIM North America’s Maxwell Toth. Based in Barcelona for much of 2024, the eighteen-year-old Californian had only qualified eleventh, but he also took a turn in the lead.
With six laps to go Sanchez slid off and out of the race, although two laps later the main group was still comprised of nine riders with no clear favourite until Mahendra – who this year clinched the FIM WorldSSP300 World Championship at Jerez – finally managed to make a pass for the lead stick and he won by just 0.047 from FIM Europe’s Portuguese rider Tomás Alonso.
McDonald was third ahead of Toth with FIM Europe’s seventeen-year-old SSP300 Captain Alessandro Di Persio from Italy taking fifth chased by FIM Latin America’s Argentinian racer Nahuel Santamaria. First female to cross the line was Italian Josephine ‘Joy’ Bruno in eleventh representing FIM Europe.
Next up was the SSP class with twenty-three-year-old Dino Iozzo starting from pole for FIM Africa ahead of FIM Latin America’s talented Brazilian nineteen-year-old Humberto Cezar Maier Neto and Elia Bartolini, FIM Europe’s SSP Captain. As was the case with the opening SSP300 race, it was incredibly evenly matched at the front of the field with the lead constantly changing hands and no single rider or CONU able to seize control.
With the sixteen-lap race moving into the final stages, rain started to fall and after thirteen laps the red flags came out to signal a premature end with Maier Neto taking the victory just 0.082 ahead of Iozzo and 0.122 in front of Bartolini.
FIM Europe strengthened its position in the overall competition with twenty-five-year-old Frenchman Enzo De La Vega taking fourth chased by FIM Oceania’s thirty-year-old SSP Captain Mike Jones and Indonesian racer Daniel Kasma representing FIM Asia. First female at the flag was Roberta Ponziani from Italy who was a late replacement for FIM Europe.
After the disappointment of crashing out of the first SSP300 race, Sanchez was determined to make amends and he started race two well from the front of the grid, but it was Swain who took an early lead as Toth enjoyed another great opening lap before his challenge ended early when he fell on lap three with FIM Oceania’s New Zealand racer Jesse Stroud. Also making an early exit was FIM Africa’s Kgopotso Mononyane who had shown impressive form throughout the weekend.
With no single rider able to exert control as the race entered its closing stages, the lead group was still made up of eight riders despite having been thinned out following falls by McDonald, who was able to remount, Swain and FIM North America’s Avery Dreher.
On the last lap it was still too close to call until Mahendra exited the final turn ahead and won the drag to the line in a photo-finish with Santamaria, only to be penalised two positions with an irresponsible riding penalty that put him behind Sanchez.
Mahendra’s penalty for pushing Santamaria wide in the final corner strengthened FIM Europe’s ICG lead over FIM Asia, although the Indonesian still won the AIROH Golden Helmet for best individual performance in the SSP300 class while Bruno was once again the highest-placed female finisher in ninth to claim her own AIROH Golden Helmet.
With overall victory in the ICG resting on the deciding SSP race, there were more than a few nerves on display, but just two laps in more rain began to fall and the race was red-flagged.
Restarted over a reduced duration of ten laps, the conditions resulted in more cautious racing with riders unwilling to push too hard. Maier Neto’s hopes of a second victory ended at half-distance when he went out, however as the laps ticked by it was impossible to pick a winner out of the leading group of ten riders until Bartolini made his move with two to go.
So evenly matched were the front-runners that the Italian could not break clear, and his charge proved to be decisive as he took the flag 0.612 ahead of Jones to secure an AIROH Golden Helmet. Iozzo was third from Thailand’s Apiwat Wongthananon, FIM Asia’s SSP Captain, making it four different CONUs in the top four and demonstrating just how close the competition was. Dobbs won an AIROH Golden Helmet as the highest-placed female SSP competitor in thirteenth.
With the celebrations expected to continue long into the night, Josephine Bruno was clearly delighted by FIM Europe’s performance. “It’s been a fantastic weekend,” she said. “The team and the mechanics have worked together perfectly and history was made here. I am very proud to have taken part and it’s been an honour to have represented FIM Europe.”
Her comments were echoed by her team-mate Roberta Ponziani. “We did a great job all together,” said the twenty-eight-year-old. “In wet conditions it is easy to make a mistake, so we did very well and I am very happy!”
FIM Europe’s SSP300 Captain Alexandro Di Persio was over the moon to have helped steer his CONU to victory, saying: “It is impossible to explain the feeling. Wonderful! It’s incredible to be here and I am grateful to FIM Europe to have been selected as a Captain. I thank all the team members – riders, mechanics, all the people who work for us. We made history and I am super-motivated now to kick-off a new season.”
Elia Bartolini, FIM Europe’s SSP Captain, played a vital role in his CONU’s win. “It’s been fantastic and I am so happy we won the title and I won the men’s AIROH Golden Helmet,” he said. “I want to thank my team-mates – we struggled a bit at times but never gave up.”
Alessandro Sambucco, FIM Europe Team Manager, said: “We have reached the goal! It was difficult because the level of rider was really high, but this is the proof that you can reach the goal as a team!”
Jorge Viegas, FIM President, stated: “This was in all aspects better than everybody expected. There was an incredible atmosphere of friendship between all the riders – win or lose it didn’t matter, they were all together – and I think there was a team spirit that I have never seen before in circuit racing.
“On behalf of the FIM I would like to thank everyone who has come together to make the first-ever FIM Intercontinental Games such a success including the City of Jerez, the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, Dorna and Warner Bros Discovery Sports along with our ICG Official Partners Yamaha, Dunlop, SPIDI, XPD, AIROH, Beta Tools and Panta Racing Fuel. Also, I must say a heartfelt thank you to all the CONUs, FIM officials, the riders, volunteers, the media and the fans for all their support and commitment.”
The first-ever FIM Intercontinental Games (ICG) takes place this coming weekend (30 November and 1 December) when forty-eight riders from across the world will converge on the iconic Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto to decide which of the FIM’s six Continental Unions (CONU) can legitimately lay claim to being number one.
First envisaged by current FIM President Jorge Viegas back in 2002, it is very fitting that the inaugural ICG – the City of Jerez FIM Intercontinental Games – is taking place towards the conclusion of the FIM’s one-hundred-and-twentieth anniversary year and will bring together competitors from the CONUs of Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania, for two days of sporting celebrations.
For the first edition of this biennial event, competition will be limited to Supersport and Supersport 300 classes with R7 and R3 machines provided by ICG Official Partner Yamaha Motor Europe although, as the ICG becomes more established, other disciplines will be added. In keeping with the FIM’s ethos of encouraging diversity, the ICG provides an inclusive platform and each eight-rider team includes two female racers in their line-ups with one in each class.
Each CONU will race in its own colours – Asia in yellow, Latin America in purple, Oceania in green, Europe in blue, Africa in black and North America in red – with bespoke race suits with electronic airbags along with chest and back protectors and gloves provided by SPIDI, custom GP 800 FIM Racing #1 helmets from Airoh and XP9-R boots from XPD. Dunlop will supply the tyres, Beta the tools and Panta Racing Fuel the petrol.
With team line-ups already published, there are two late changes to the entry list. Replacing Spain’s Maria Herrera as FIM Europe’s woman rider on an R7, is twenty-eight-year-old Roberta Ponziani from Italy who finished fifth this year in the first-ever FIM Women’s Circuit World Championship and scored two fourth-placed finishes at Jerez at the series finale last month.
The other change is to FIM North America where, also in the Supersport class, Andrew Lee has been brought in to replace Rocco Landers. A two-time MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion, Lee is hugely experienced and this year contested the fabled 8 Hours of Spa Motos at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. Yesterday saw FIM officials conduct the riders’ briefing to explain the rules and provide important information ahead of this afternoon’s initial hour long non-timed Practice sessions for each category. This allowed the riders the chance to familiarise themselves with the circuit, their motorcycles and equipment before the first Free Practice session tomorrow. Tomorrow each class will get two thirty-minute Free Practice sessions followed in the afternoon by four twenty-minute Qualifying sessions. With Qualifying taken care of, the serious business of scoring points gets under way on Sunday (1 December) at 11am (local time) with the first of two fourteen-lap races for Supersport 300 riders. Competitors in the Supersport class will compete over two sixteen-lap races and at the conclusion of racing all scores will be combined to decide the first-ever FIM Intercontinental Games champion CONU.
With so many talented riders from across the planet involved, at this stage it is impossible to identify a pre-Games favourite although what is guaranteed is that the combination of youth and experience will make for a thrilling and very fascinating contest that will help lay the foundations of this new and exciting event for many years to come.
Organised with the support of the City of Jerez and the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, the FIM Intercontinental Games brings together forty-eight riders from nineteen countries and takes place on 30 November and 1 December 2024.
Don’t miss out on the first-ever edition of FIM Intercontinental Games! • Live Timing Available HERE • Watch all the action live worldwide on FIM-MOTO.TV, in Europe on Discovery+and Max and in Australia on FOX Sports and Kayo Sports. Please check the availability of these platforms in your regions. • Access regulations and the latest information through the Sportity app using the password FIMICG.
The first-ever FIM Intercontinental Games (ICG) takes place on 30 November and 1 December 2024 at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto in Spain, bringing together all six of the FIM’s Continental Unions (CONU) for a weekend celebrating the FIM Family’s core ethical values and ongoing commitment to diversity.
Representing a major element of the FIM’s one-hundred-and-twentieth anniversary year activities, for the first edition of this biennial event the competition is limited to Supersport and Supersport 300 categories, although more classes will be added as the ICG becomes established.
The event is a huge investment – logistically and financially – and would not be possible without the support of the FIM’s committed ICG Official Partners. Additionally, the FIM also wishes to acknowledge the invaluable support received from the City of Jerez for its help with accommodation and logistics for CONUs teams and FIM organisation, the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto for providing free admission to the public for the ICG, Dorna for its expertise in TV production and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports for broadcasting the event on its digital and linear channels.
A spokesperson for Jerez City Hall welcomed the news, saying: “This event is a great opportunity for our track as we will be the premier circuit of this new project, which will also be held on very important dates for the city. The FIM Intercontinental Games is an event that will turn us into the world capital of motorcycling since riders from six continents will be represented. It is important because it is also conceived as an riders’ academy, a promotion of the promises of motorcycling. It is also an egalitarian competition where women will have their rightful place.
“We thank the FIM and all the promoters of this initiative for having chosen Jerez as the venue for this international event and we encourage all motorcycling fans to accompany these promising young riders who have come to Jerez from all over the world.”
These views were echoed by a spokesperson for the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, who said: “What better way to close our racing season than with a new international competition that brings together riders from all six FIM Continental Unions. From the Circuito de Jerez we welcome the FIM and its project FIM Intercontinental Games with the express wish that these first Intercontinental Games are a success and lay the foundations for a sporting event that will continue to grow in the future and provide opportunities for young riders. We encourage the fans to join us at the circuit because we are sure that some of the drivers representing the different continents will be stars of this sport in the near future.”
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, commented: “We’re delighted to be part of the Intercontinental Games. Even as they celebrate 120 years of history, the FIM are continuing to add to the sport’s future and we are proud to join them as a partner from this very first edition. We’re looking forward to watching the action, which is now just around the corner at the iconic Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, and can’t wait to see the results. Best of luck to all the competitors and congratulations to the FIM on this project.”
Jean-Baptiste Ley, Motorsport Events Director at Warner Bros Discovery Sports, added: “At the completion of the tenth season promoting the FIM Endurance World Championship, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports is delighted to be supporting the inaugural FIM Intercontinental Games. As the official broadcast partner, we’ll be giving viewers of our Max platform the chance to watch all the races live from Jerez. And with teams from the six FIM Continental Unions taking part, there’ll be riders from around the world in action, making the FIM Intercontinental Games an exciting celebration of international motorcycle racing and an event that’s not to be missed.”
Yamaha is providing the R7 and R3 motorcycles used by riders across both classes. Always at the forefront of innovation, Yamaha has enjoyed incredible success both on and off-road and its R7 and R3 motorcycles are the perfect choice for the ICG’s Supersport and Supersport 300 classes.
“While the FIM reached its remarkable one-hundred-and-twentieth anniversary, the launch of the FIM Intercontinental Games is yet another innovative step in showcasing the growth and diversity of motorcycle racing under the FIM’s guidance,” said Paolo Pavesio, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing. “The first edition, ‘the City of Jerez FIM Intercontinental Games’, will bring together all six FIM Continental Unions (FIM Asia, FIM Africa, FIM Europe, FIM Oceania, FIM North America and FIM Latin America) in a celebration of motorsport’s core values – sportsmanship, innovation, inclusivity and collaboration – while introducing a new and thrilling competition.
“Yamaha is proud to be an Official Partner of this exciting new series, providing R7 and R3 machines for riders coming to race in Jerez from all over the world. The Games’ unique format not only highlights the inclusivity of our sport, from fostering the participation of women racers to discovering emerging talents, but it also brings to road racing the concept of competing to represent the territory where riders are coming from, which is already well established in other motorcycle disciplines.
“Yamaha looks forward to seeing how this new concept can evolve and to support the FIM in promoting a more accessible and diverse access to motorcycle racing, following the path of the ongoing successful cooperations on series such as the FIM R3 World Cup and the FIM YZ SuperFinale event at the MXoN.”
Helping to keep the R7 and R3 machines anchored to the racetrack at the inaugural ICG, Dunlop Tyres has steered countless riders to FIM World Championship titles and is one of the most iconic and recognisable tyre brands in the world with an unbroken history going back over one-hundred-and-thirty years.
Race suits with electronic airbags in the different CONU colours along with back and chest protectors and gloves are being provided by Italian specialist SPIDI. Globally renowned for its passion, commitment and the development and production of world-class products, SPIDI has been at the forefront of rider protection since 1977.
“SPIDI is proud to partner with FIM to increase the safety level of all riders taking part in the first edition of the FIM Intercontinental Games,” said Mr. Nicola Dalla Grana, SPIDI President. “We share their same enthusiasm for speed, adrenaline, success, and team spirit. Since 1977, our company is active in motorcycle racing, that we consider an unmatchable inspiration to innovate in the field of riders’ safety. Next week the forty-eight riders will be protected by SPIDI custom-made suits specifically designed with FIM Intercontinental Games dedicated livery; each suit will feature the latest version of SPIDI electronic Air Bag, the ultimate protective system we developed in MotoGP and WSBK races in the last ten years.”
XPD boots will ensure ICG competitors enjoy the best possible foot protection available. Founded by SPIDI President Nicola Della Grana in 2000, XPD takes a high-tech approach to research and development and is constantly innovating with the aim of combining safety and comfort across its range of products.
“XPD is proud to announce that XP9-R is the official racing boot chosen by the FIM to equip the forty-eight riders competing in the first edition of the FIM Intercontinental Games,” said Mr. Nicola Dalla Grana. “XP9-R is the benchmark in motorcycle racing boots, the most innovative protective boot designed to protect racers maintaining an extreme comfort. To maximise riders’ comfort, the inner safety boot featuring the anti-torsion protective system is easily removable, washable and customisable.”
Producing high-quality products that are synonymous with safety, design and performance, Italian manufacturer AIROH is providing all competitors with its new GP 800 FIM Racing #1 crash helmet with bespoke ICG graphics. Founded in 1997, AIROH is committed to the constant development of its products utilising ultra-high-tech Fdu materials and cutting-edge processes as it continues to set new standards of safety and usability.
“We are deeply grateful to the Federation for choosing us as official partners of this ‘zero edition’ of the FIM Intercontinental Games, an innovative, inspiring event with talented riders from all continents,” commented Antonio Locatelli, founder and CEO of AIROH, “and being alongside FIM in such an important moment is a source of pride for us and it is a recognition of the high quality of our products. All the riders of the competition will use the new AIROH GP 800 FIM Racing #1 with graphics specifically created for the event.”
Helping to keep the wheels of the ICG turning smoothly, CONU mechanics will have a range of Beta Tools at their disposal to ensure the R7 and R3 motorcycles perform at their best. The Italian company specialises in the production of professional working tools and instruments with emphasis placed on its values of audacity, commitment, harmony and talent.
Providing the petrol for the fleet of R7 and R3 motorcycles used at the ICG, Panta Racing Fuel is the official supplier of fuel for some of the biggest Italian, European and International motorsport competitions and is at the cutting edge of innovation and development in this highly-specialised field.
“We are thrilled to be part of the FIM Intercontinental Games, a truly exciting event that brings together diverse Federations and fosters global collaboration,” said Luca Monico, Head of Panta Racing Fuel. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase talent, teamwork and the spirit of healthy competition. We look forward to the continued success and growth of the Games.”
Jorge Viegas, FIM President, stated: “The inaugural FIM Intercontinental Games is tremendously exciting and I cannot think of a better way to help set the seal on the FIM’s one-hundred-and-twentieth anniversary year. However, without the assistance of our committed Official Partners – all leaders in their respective fields – it would not be possible so with this in mind and on behalf of the FIM I would like to thank them for their ongoing support and for helping us turn a dream into reality.”
Published by: Isabelle Lariviere – FIM Communications Manager
