We could possibly
have done better,
but there can be
no faulting the
determination and
commitment shown
by everyone
- Bevan Weal
COOPER
“We could possibly have done better, but
there can be no faulting the determination
and commitment shown by everyone and
the amount of work put in by (co-manager)
Shayne King was tremendous. We were
helped too by the American who loaned us
the pit truck for the weekend, David Eller,
and he was a real fan of the Kiwis.”
He said the backing Team New Zealand
received this year from New Zealand
building company Penny Homes was also
invaluable.
“When Rhys (Carter) fell and injured
his leg, he burst a blood vessel, but he
simply put in his mouth-guard, bit down
on it, and circulated for points. Although
obviously in pain, he still finished both of
his races.”
Weal said the bravery shown by Carter
was impressive.
“Coops (Cody Cooper) didn’t get the best
of starts in his second race, the last race
of the weekend, the MXGP and Open class
riders out on the track together, and that
28 KIWI RIDER
made it very difficult for him.”
The pace of this deciding race was
incredibly hot, with full time professional
riders such as the MXGP World champion
Jeffery Herlings (from The Netherlands),
multi-time former world champion
Antonio Cairoli (Italy) and American
national champion Eli Tomac all battling
hard.
“It may have been home turf for the
Americans but they really just didn’t
fire,” said Weal. “There are a few glum
Americans around here right now.”
Team New Zealand finished just seven
points behind the 17th-ranked team
from Brazil, but ahead of the teams from
Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Portugal, Japan,
Argentina, South Africa, Iceland, Mexico,
Ukraine, Guatemala, Philippines and
Israel.
Next year’s Motocross of Nations is set
for the infield of the Dutch road-race
facility at Assen.