[Features]

NZ Insider No.37: Halfway Point

9 years ago | Words: Chris Ritchie

Transmoto’s weekly web-exclusive column, the NZ Insider, penned by Chris Ritchie.

We’re now at the halfway point of the 2015 New Zealand Motocross Nationals after two action-packed rounds in New Plymouth, and then Timaru. The series has just had a weekend off, with racing resuming this coming weekend at the Phillips’ track near the tourist mecca of Rotorua.

Cody Cooper turned his MX1 title defence right around in Timaru with three convincing victories and the maximum 75 points to claim the red plate heading to the third round. His Honda-mounted teammate, John Phillips, continued his consistent improvement shadowing Coops all day long, and sits second Overall in the standings, only three points adrift ahead of his home event, literally in his own backyard. Third currently in the series is KTM Australia’s Kirk Gibbs, looking to finish strong ahead of the upcoming MX Nationals back home in Australia.

In the MX2 class, winner of both rounds thus far, Yamaha’s Jay Wilson, has been clearly benefiting from his time under Josh Coppins’ wing again in 2015, claiming all three moto wins at Round 2, extending his points lead to 20 with two rounds remaining. Second in the class is the ever-consistent Hamish Harwood, relishing being back on a 250 this season, and third is Honda’s Micah Mcgoldrick.

In the 125cc division, defending champ Josiah Natzke has claimed five of the six race wins so far, yet still only holds an 11-point lead ahead of his nearest rival, Yamaha’s Cohen Chase. Ironically, it was the pair who represented New Zealand at last year’s World Junior Championship in Belgium in the 125cc category. Sitting in third is KTM’s Ben Broad who continues to improve aboard his new KTM 125SX after recently switching from Yamaha.

In other news, Ben Townley announced he will make a one-off return to the national motocross series, competing in MX1 on a CRF450 this weekend in Rotorua, sure to throw a spanner in the works while the rest of the field are battling for the championship title. This move by no means signals a full-time return to racing for the Honda man, it is hard to keep a racer away from the start gate, and BT is no exception.

A few extra names have been added to the entry list as well for this weekend, including a couple from across the ditch with Australians Luke Arbon (Husqvarna), and Geran Stapleton (Honda) looking to mix it up in the MX2 class, as well as Jayden Conforto (Suzuki) in MX1, ahead of their respective MX Nationals campaigns at home which kick off in merely a month’s time.

Also in off-road news, formidable Yamaha pairing of Adam Reeves and Paul Whibley dominated the weekend’s Castrol 6-Hour ross country event held near Matata, with the duo completing a mega 14 laps of the course to claim victory, the only ones to do so. Second Overall went to Honda’s Scott Birch and Andrew Charleston. Ashton Grey and Jake Wightman claimed the final step on the podium.

Finally, we are all right in behind our boy Levi Sherwood this weekend as the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour gets underway in Mexico. Levi won the opening event in Mexico last year and wants to start his season with a bang after narrowly missing out on the tour crown in 2014.

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