THE 2022 SUZUKI INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Rogan Chandler won the F2 Supersport 600 class
trophy on that occasion . Another main point of interest was witnessing local hero Richie Dibben deliver a master class in the supermoto races . Just as he had done at Manfeild , Whanganui ’ s Dibben qualified fastest and won every supermoto race on Boxing Day , becoming New Zealand ’ s inaugural national supermoto champion . Runner-up to Dibben in the supermoto class was Ashburton ’ s Andrew Rudd , who finished second to Dibben in every race throughout the series . Dibben was also outstanding in the F1 / Superbikes class at Whanganui , twice finishing runner-up to Rees and ending up second overall for the series in this premier class .
WINNERS The various class winners in the 2022 Suzuki International Series , which wrapped up at Whanganui on Boxing Day , were Whakatane ’ s Mitch Rees ( F1 Superbikes class ; also the TT title winner and winner of the Robert Holden Memorial race ); Upper Hutt ’ s Rogan Chandler ( F2 Supersport 600 ; also the TT title winner ); Taupo ’ s Karl Hooper ( F3 Pro Twins ; also the TT title winner ); Wanaka ’ s Jesse Stroud ( Supersport
300 ); Whanganui ’ s Dwayne Bishop ( Formula Sport / Bears , senior ; also the TT title winner ); Whanganui ’ s Jeff Croot ( Formula Sport / Bears , junior ; also the TT title winner ); Silverdale ’ s Tyler King ( Supersport 150 ); Upper Hutt ’ s Kieran Mair ( Gixxer 150 ); Hastings rider Gian Louie ( Pre-89 post classics , senior ); Lower Hutt ’ s Dean Bentley ( Pre-89 post classics , junior ); Whanganui ’ s Richie Dibben ( Supermoto ; also the NZ championships title ); Auckland ’ s Adam Unsworth and Bryce Rose ( F1 sidecars ; also TT title winners ); Whanganui ’ s Bryan Stent and Dan Franzen ( F2 sidecars ; also the TT title winners ); Carterton ’ s Mark Smith and Dean Corrigan ( Classic sidecars ).
REES SCORES ANOTHER WINNING HAT-TRICK His performance at Manfeild ’ s series opener was the perfect way for Mitch Rees to start his 2022-23 motorcycle road-race campaign , so it must have truly been icing on the cake when he repeated the dose on Boxing Day Monday and claimed his first titles of the new season . The Honda Motul Racing New Zealand team rider from Whakatane took his CBR1000RR-R model bike to once again qualify fastest at the final round of the Suzuki International Series at Whanganui ’ s Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day
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