KIWI RIDER 01 2020 VOL1 | Page 26

I t has mostly been the locals who have dominated the series over recent years, with Liechtenstein rider Horst Saiger (Kawasaki) in 2014 the last time that an international had won the premier Formula One class overall, although overseas talent has always been a threat. Who can forget UK rider Peter Hickman (BMW) and his last-gasp Robert Holden race win at Whanganui in 2018? However, while visiting British champion Cooper did shatter the four-year Kiwi F1 class streak in December 2019, sweeping both the major trophies in the three- round contest, he was certainly pushed all the way by the local stars. The Suzuki hero from Nottingham was invited to New Zealand to race for the first time this year and he delivered all that was expected of him when he wrapped up the F1 class outright at the series’ third and final round on Whanganui’s famous Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day. He then exceeded those expectations when he also clinched victory in the stand- alone all-capacities Robert Holden Memorial feature race at Whanganui’s finale. The Robert Holden race win came at the end of a thrilling handlebar-to-handlebar battle with Whakatane’s Damon Rees (Honda CBR1000SP1), the young man who will, incidentally, shortly head off-shore to challenge Cooper on his home turf in the UK in 2020. The likeable Englishman will seek to defend his British Superstock 1000 championship title at home, but he’ll have Rees, and Wainuiomata’s Shane Richardson too, lining up against him in the UK this year. The 36-year-old Cooper (Suzuki GSX-R1000) showed right from the opening round of the 2019 Suzuki International Series, in Taupo on December 7-8, that he was a fast learner, taking virtually no time at all to learn the unfamiliar Kiwi race tracks, although he was forced to settle for overall runner-up Above and below: Richard Cooper (Suzuki GSX-R1000) Scott Moir (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 26 KIWI RIDER