DIRT NEWS
NZ MOTOCROSS SCENE GETS GREEN LIGHT
by Andy McGechan
Cambridge’s Dylan Yearbury (Husqvarna) leads Manawatu’s Paul Whibley
(Yamaha)into turn two soon after the start of the Dirt Guide XC senior race
T
he 2020 Dirt Guide cross-country series
opener at Ohakuri, halfway between
Taupo and Tokoroa, delivered everything
promised when it finally kicked off in mid June.
Entries were huge for perhaps two main
reasons: Firstly, because this was one of the
first major dirt bike events happening after
the country had been in lock-down due to the
Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and, secondly,
this was a typical Sean Clarke-organised event,
with the track perfectly marked and offering
something exciting for all levels of ability.
Whangamata’s Ethan Jameson won the
90-minute junior race, crossing the finish line
ahead of Oparau’s Hunter Scott and Rotorua’s
Daniel Bates, while Manawatu’s Paul Whibley
won the two-hour senior race, heading off
Cambridge’s Dylan Yearbury and Whanganui’s
Seth Reardon.
The senior race really did feature a Who’s Who
of Kiwi dirt biking talent, with current and former
national champions and even internationallyrespected
riders in the starting line-up.
The 42-year-old Whibley, a two-time former
Grand National Cross-country Champion in the
United States, seemed to have his work cut out
early on as Reardon shot out to an impressive
lead, leaving Whibley to battle back and forth
94 KIWI RIDER