Echunga Rally
on their silencers than back wheels. The route then looped through Picton before arriving at the lunch stop. One competitor found it too challenging, rolling off the side of the road into the dense undergrowth. After being rescued by fellow competitors and tourists he kicked his machine straight and finished the course. Most people welcomed the easier afternoon run back to Blenheim through vineyards, still tired after hustling their machines through the Queen Charlotte Drive.
Graeme Crosby (Croz) entertained us on Saturday night recounting his all too brief but spectacular racing career in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Croz was in great form, giving his side of the story to some very controversial race results in the Isle of Man.
Sunday was more relaxed, entrants assembled at the nearby Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre for the individual and team field tests, concourse de elegance and public display. The Centre flew a Russian Yak 3 WW2 fighter in our honour and put on an aerobatics display by a Pitts special.
The Montagu Trophy (overall winner) was won by Casey Lyons on his 1912 3½hp Humber, he is a fourth generation Southland branch member. Casey also won, Best Performance of the Field Events and Rob Knight Memorial Cup (Best performance by a Veteran). The National Motorcycle Inter Branch Shield was won by the Southland Branch. The Marlborough branch, a relatively small group, did an excellent job organising and hosting the event. A number of riders stayed on for the four day after-rally tour around the region, organised by the Marlborough branch.