The MX125 podium ( from left ) Jack Ellingham ( third ); Levi Townley ( winner ) and Phoenix Van Dusschoten ( second )
“ I ’ ve got a few weeks to strengthen even more before the ( four-round ) nationals begin and then , immediately after the final round of that series in March , I ’ ll be off to race in Australia .”
MX125 Meanwhile , Tauranga ’ s Levi Townley , the 14-yearold eldest son of 2004 MX2 world champion Ben Townley , easily won the senior MX125 class on Sunday , finishing ahead of Levin ’ s 2024 junior national champion Phoenix Van Dusschoten and Auckland ’ s Jack Ellingham . Levi Townley had also won the junior 12-14 years ’ 125cc class title the previous day , finishing ahead of his younger brother Jaggar Townley and Taupo ’ s Connor Feather .
UNBEATEN In all of the senior programme , only two individuals finished the day unbeaten , Raetihi ’ s Richard Horne and his just-turned 16-year-old daughter Karaitiana Horne . Richard Horne won both the novelty River Race challenges on Sunday , while daughter Karaitiana won all three of her senior women ’ s races on Sunday . New Zealand ’ s current women ’ s champion Karaitiana Horne had also scored a hat-trick of wins in the women ’ s 12-16 years ’ 125cc class the previous day .
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