Riders turn out at meet
It was a dry and dusty venue at Woodville during the New Zealand MX Grand Prix January 25-26. Despite thousands of litres of water sprayed on the track it was tricky for the riders but they said they enjoyed the experience, especially on Sunday when huge numbers of volunteers had worked overnight to make for good racing.
Good racing they got with some surprises, relative newcomers to their respective grades taking the winner’s ribbon.
No-one saw Hamish Harwood coming in his first major MX1 event. With top riders like Cody Cooper and Kirk Gibbs in the field Hamish was not rated highly even though last year he took the double — winning both the 125cc and MX2 championships. Experience on the track was a huge help and Harwood handled his 350cc KTM expertly, winning the first two rounds and placing second in the third behind Kirk Gibbs. He said he loves his new bike and it is now up to him to make things happen.
Charles Alabaster from Pahiatua was a commendable 11th.
In the 250cc MX2 race Maximus Purvis also won his first two races with second place getter Wyatt Chase snatching the third by half a second.
A contingent of six Australian women
invaded Woodville on a trip taking in the King Of The Mountain event the previous weekend. Charli Cannon from Queensland — only 14 — comprehensively won the event showing she will be a force in the future. Her mum Taryn said motocross is in the family, all three riding competitively and it was good for Charli to be able to ride against women as you have to be 16 ride in Australia. Charli also won last weekend. Ella Shannon from Eketa¯ huna was 14th in a field of 23.
The River races had a dozen entrants, the low flow not hampering the spectacle and a large crowd enjoyed the racing the race won by James Galpin. Only the children who had escaped the heat by swimming were disappointed to have to vacate for the duration of the races. Chris Smyth of Dannevirke was 11th.
This was the 59th Woodville
Motocross — New Zealand’s biggest — and once again Manawatu¯ -Orion Motorcycle Club with its team of 40 volunteers turned on a superb event transforming low lying farmland into a unique course and providing facilities and organisation.
Tararua’s up-and-coming juniors performed as follows:
Star performer was Maz Parkes who was second in his first go at the PRO 65cc on the big track.
Sheldon Brown was a commendable 3rd in the 8-11 yrs 85-150cc: with Ollie Corbin 7th, Rory Angove 16th, Deacon Mullins-Henry 21st, Travis de Visser 26th.
Other results include:
Minis 50cc SX: Paddy Parkes 12th. 12-13 yrs 85-150cc: Jayden McNaughton 30th.
14-16 yrs 250cc: Wade Bengston 7th, Kasen Hanks 29th. Senior Support Under: Campbell Tylee 10th, Bevan Bissett 32nd,
Ryan Walker 33rd.
Senior Support Overs: Ben Exeter 11th, Brayden Stephens 13th, Jared Houston 18th, Giles Lewis 24th, Oscar Hutching 27th.