A major motorsports event involving riders from Cambodia and Japan is going to be held this weekend.

The ELF Cup Race Endurance 2022, as the competition is officially called, is scheduled for December 9-11 at the Yamamoto Circuit Cambodia in Kampong Speu.

The event is being organised by the Cambodia Motor Sports Federation (CMSF) and partners.

The event also had the backing of Kampuchea Autosport Racing Agency (Kara Cambodia) and TotalEnergies Cambodia.

The event came on the heels of another major event organised by the CMSF, the governing body for motorsports in the Kingdom.

The Khmer Rally Raid Practice 2022, which involved both motorcycle and car racing, was held in May.

A media conference was held a few days ago, where top officials of Kara Cambodia and CMSF explained the objectives and mechanics of the competition.

The event, which was held at the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) headquarters in Phnom Penh, was attended by Kara Cambodia General Manager Pov Techleng, CMSF Deputy Secretary-General Khay Vannak and TotalEnergies Cambodia Managing Director Dinah Kumar.

Techleng said 45 riders from Cambodia and Japan will compete in the motorcycle race. There are four categories for the event: A, B, C and D.

There are incentives this time for the winning participants, according to Techleng.

The first place winner in the A Category (150cc motorcycle) will receive $970, second placer $727 and third placer $485.

The cash prizes for the winners in the B, C and D Categories are slightly lower, according to the organisers.

Kumar, for her part, said they are happy to be part of the event.

She noted that they have sponsored several motorsports competitions in the past, including the Total Cup Race.

The event, which was held in Battambang in 2019, drew 40 to 60 racers from Cambodia and other countries, local media reported.

“More young people should compete and join in these events,” she appealed.

Motorsports have been gaining ground since Cambodia became a member of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), the global governing body of motorcycle racing and related activities, three years ago.