North Canterbury ’ s Ethan McBreen was fast from the start of the Yamahasponsored 2023 series , although he did have Tauranga-based former Wairoa man Tommy Watts and Taupo ’ s former national enduro champion Brad Groombridge keeping him honest , and the star rider from the South Island managed to keep the pressure up throughout the gruelling off-road bike competition . Omihi ’ s McBreen ( KTM 250XC ) had led the series after the first two rounds of the series in the South Island in May , but Watts ( Yamaha YZ250F ) snatched the lead from him at round three in the Moonshine Valley , near Porirua , on June 4-5 . Although Groombridge ( Beta RR450 ) dropped out of contention when he broke his collarbone midway through Saturday at Moonshine , the points for overall honours