put him level with former dirt bike great Wayne Jennings as a five-time Tarawera champion . “ I guess I need to come back and win another one now ,” Cooper joked . Cooper was impressive as he took his Honda CRF450RX to victory , crossing the finish line nearly four minutes ahead of Taupo ’ s defending Tarawera trophy holder and current national cross-country champion Brad Groombridge , but the four-lap race perhaps wasn ’ t as easy as he made it look . Cooper won the Tarawera 100 for the first time in 2007 , then backed that up by winning it three more times , in consecutive years between 2010 and 2012 , but he knew it would be difficult to win again this year , as usual facing a solid line-up of other top-class dirt bike racers with varying degrees of motocross , enduro and cross-country backgrounds , and each one of them tough and extremely capable of winning the arduous battle . “ I was a bundle of nerves at the start ... but I guess everyone is with this race ,” said Cooper . “ It ’ s hard to get used to starting a race with a dead engine . Just as well I had the electric start Honda CRF450RX , because it allowed me to grab the holeshot . “ I had [ fellow Honda star from Tauranga ]
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