WORDS:
Andy McGechan/bikesportnz.com
KIWI RIDER
MAKES HUGE
WAVES ON
WORLD SCENE
Christchurch’s Hamish Macdonald
(Sherco 125), in action in Europe this season
Photo: Tristan Young
e had only really intended to dip his toes
in the waters, but Canterbury motorcycle
ace Hamish Macdonald has instead made
enormous waves all across Europe. He's rapidly
shown he's no minnow after all and it's perhaps
now more accurate to describe him as a big fish
on the world scene.
The 19-year-old from Christchurch arrived in
Europe at the start of the 2018 FIM Enduro GP
World Championships season with the idea that
he would simply "see where I was at with my
enduro riding".
A leading competitor at the top of the national
enduro scene at home, Macdonald had already
proven himself an accomplished rider in New
Zealand, but the step up from domestic to GP-
level racing is a huge one indeed, or so most
people would think.
“Spain was a big learning curve," said
Macdonald. "It wasn’t what I expected, certainly
not like a normal enduro back home."
At the double-header rounds one and two
of the FIM Enduro GP World Championships
in Spain in April, Macdonald put his 125cc
Sherco bike near the front in the Youth Cup
125 Class, finishing runner-up in the GP event's
preliminaries, the prologue stage.
He then went on to finish the weekend third
overall and his international enduro career
was up and running. Encouraged by his form,
a decision was made that he push on with the
world series and he prepared to tackle the
double-header rounds three and four in Estonia
in June.
He managed a podium finish on day two of the
event (2nd) and finished that weekend fourth
overall. "Estonia was awesome. I struggled a lot
on the first day, with some big mistakes, but I
knew my speed was there and it showed on the
second day."
At round five in Italy, also in June, the Kiwi was
forced to battle with injury after a crash and
he settled for sixth overall, but at least he was
able to remain in touch with the championship
leaders.
Then came the double header rounds six and
seven at Edolo in Italy just last weekend and
now it was really time for the Canterbury racer
to shine. Macdonald won both days outright,
his 1-1 score-card easily ensuring he would
claim the No.1 step on the podium at that
event, the first time since Tauranga's Stefan
Merriman in 2008 that a New Zealand rider has
topped the world enduro scene. The slick and
slippery conditions at Edolo played right into
Macdonald's hands and he commented that it
was "just like home".
The next two rounds (eight and nine) are set for
Méthamis, in France, on September 22-23, with
the final race venue at Ruderdorf, in Germany,
from October 12-14.
Macdonald is expected to return to New
Zealand in October and, currently second
overall in the Youth Cup series standings and
just six points behind Chile's Ruy Barbosa, with
the three worst scores of each rider still to be
dropped in the final Youth Cup calculations.
So, by the middle of next month, the Kiwi hero
could be world champion... at his first attempt.
Macdonald is supported by Sherco, Pure
Sports Nutrition, Selwyn Strength, Full Spectrum
Group, Alpinestars, thisisamped and Progrip.