146 World Athletes – Chennaionline

Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL), the world’s first franchise-based Supercross league, has officially closed rider registrations for Season 3, attracting 146 athletes from 21 countries across its four racing categories. The line-up brings together established international contenders and India’s leading Supercross riders, raising the level of competition while creating a stronger platform for the development of Supercross in India. India accounts for 30 registrations across the newly introduced 250cc – Group 'A' Foreign Bikes only - Indian Futures category as well as the 250cc India Asia Mix category. The international rider pool is led by France with 32 registrations, followed by Australia 20, and United States 18, with further participation from Indonesia, Thailand, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, Canada, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Mongolia. Spread across 40 riders in the 450cc International category, 54 in the 250cc International category, 26 in the 250cc India Asia Mix category, the registrations reflect the championship's increasingly diverse and competitive field. The Season 3 rider pool brings together some of the sport's most recognised names. The 450cc International category includes Season 2 champion Matt Moss, Jordi Tixier, John Short, Anthony Bourdon, Gregory Aranda and Ryan Breece, Luke Clout, Anthony Rodriguez, while the 250cc International class features Reid Taylor, Calvin Fonvieille, Justin Rodbell and Nico Koch. In the 250cc India Asia Mix category, riders such as Witsarut Salangam, Thanarat Penjan, Athison Ruadreo, Nakami Vidi Makarim, Ben Hallgren, and Muhammad Athar Alghifari further add to the depth of international competition. Representing India will be some of the country's most accomplished Supercross riders, including, Rugved Barguje, Prajwal Vishwanath, Shlok Ghorpade and Ikshan Shanbhag. Their presence alongside a globally diverse field is set to deliver highly competitive racing while providing another opportunity for Indian talent to compete against accomplished international riders on home soil. Commenting on the closure of rider registrations, Eeshan Lokhande, Co-Founder & Director, Indian Supercross Racing League, said "The significance of this year's registrations extends beyond the number of riders or countries represented. When accomplished riders from established Supercross markets keep choosing to race in India, it signals growing confidence in our sporting standards and where the ecosystem is headed. Additionally, the Indian Futures category is central to our vision of a structured pathway for Indian riders, and the response there has been just as encouraging. As the league grows, our focus remains on building a professional ecosystem that attracts world-class talent and gives Indian riders the platform to realise their potential." Matt Moss, Season 2 ISRL Champion said, "Winning back-to-back ISRL championships has been incredible. Every season the level rises, the competition gets deeper, and you must earn every result. The fans in India have embraced Supercross in a huge way, and the atmosphere they create pushes every rider to perform at their best. After two successful seasons, I am still hungry to compete and fully focused on chasing another championship in Season 3." With rider registrations now complete, the league's focus shifts to the upcoming rider auction, where franchises will select their squads for Season 3 from the final pool of registered competitors. This will mark the next milestone in the league calendar, determining team compositions and setting the competitive stage for the season ahead as preparations gather pace towards the opening round.