Cadders Hill – widely recognised as one of the best courses in the UK – hosts the opening round of the 2016 Maxxis British Motocross Championship on Sunday.

The Norwich Viking Motorcycle Club, who have organised events at the Norfolk venue since 1936 – including a round of the world championship in the mid–90s – have put together one of the strongest fields for a British Championship event for some years.

The race programme will see some of the leading riders in the world competing across three classes – MX1 (450cc machines), MX2 (250cc machines), and MXY2 (youth riders), and with 36 riders in each class there will be fierce competition from the moment the start gate drops as they look to lay down a marker in the first of the eight-round series.

Heading the cavalry charge up the start straight at the Lyng circuit, near Lenwade, in the MX1 class will be defending champion Shaun Simpson, who has already shown he is bang in form this season with top-six placings in the opening two rounds of this year's world championship. He rode to three wins in the corresponding round at Lyng last year, but will no doubt come under intense pressure from fellow Grand Prix front-runnner Tommy Searle, former two-time MX2 champion Elliott Banks-Browne, from Bury St Edmunds, and Jake Nicholls, from Ipswich.

Frenchman Steven Lenoir, who won the MX2 title in 2015, has moved up to the MX1 class for this season and could well be the man to cause an upset on a circuit he always enjoys.

Wisbech's Luke Benstead, who is the current Eastern Centre champion, steps up to the challenge of the UK's elite series, as does Dereham's Declan Whittle, who will want to put on a good show on his home circuit.

The MX2 class will no doubt be its usual handlebar-bashing affair, with last year's triple-header winner Max Anstie returning from Grand Prix duty to stake an early claim for the British title he narrowly missed out on in 2015.

The smaller capacity class always provides fast close racing, and with all the top riders fully fit after the winter break this weekend's season opener will be no exception. Nottingham's Ben Watson and Sealand's Adam Sterry will renew a rivalry that saw them fight for the Lyng podium places 12 months ago, and Ipswich's James Cottrell and Bury St Edmunds' Lewis Tombs are sure to be amongst leaderboard positions. But all eyes will be on Russian Vsevolod Brylyakov, who is starting to make a name for himself despite his limited experience of the British venues.

Also on Sunday's schedule is the first round of the MXY2 (youth) championship, with the stars of tomorrow aiming to catch the eye of the manufacturer teams' managers.

Practice and qualifying gets underway at 9am, with the first race due off the line at 11.55am. Admission is £20, with children five to 15 years old £5, concessions £15 and a family ticket of two adults and two children is £45.

Full details can be found at www.norwichvikings.co.uk.