World Champion for MotoFest
Mike Pero MotoFest welcomes a special guest this year – World Champion Chris Vermeulen. A neighbour of returning Kiwi star Simon Crafar when they were both living in Andorra, Vermeulen enjoyed a decade-long world championship racing career.
There are not too many international circuits the Australian has not turned a wheel. In his ten years in world championship racing he qualified on pole 11 times, took 15 race wins and 40 podiums in his 155 world championship appearances. Along the way he clinched the World Supersport Championship in 2003 and became the first rider to win a MotoGP race for Suzuki.
But the Queenslander with a Dutch family name has never raced in New Zealand but is no stranger to these shores.
“My wife and I have been around most of the North Island and I have mountain biked in the South Island around Nelson and ridden the Heaphy Track with some mates. I always love coming over.
“My connection with the Mike Pero MotoFest is with (former New Zealand international) Stu Avant. I met Stu a few years ago through Kevin Magee and got on straight away. I have a lot of respect for him as a rider in his day as well.” Vermuelen says he has had
New Zealand mechanics in the many teams he has raced with during his career but “the Kiwi I spent the most time with when I was living in Europe racing was Simon Crafar. We lived in Andorra only a few kilometres from each other and used to go training and trials riding together.”
He will ride a British Superbike Championship Suzuki GSXR1000 at Hampton Downs. CREDIT: Words and action photo: Michael Esdaile, Takeme2.