Story : Andy McGechan , www . BikesportNZ . com | |
A ll roads lead to the Bay of Plenty this Bell helmets-sponsored Dirt Sprint – a knockcoming Labour Weekend as the reshuffled out format series of short races – and this is 2020-21 New Zealand motocross season scheduled for late afternoon .
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kicks into life with the traditional annual MX |
As usual , the weekend will feature the mini riders , |
Fest in Taupo . |
junior and women racers in action on Saturday , with |
The popular Huka Honda-sponsored MX Fest |
the popular Alpinestars-sponsored Speedcross |
event has again attracted all the nation ’ s major |
again planned for the man-made “ stadium ” |
riders and race teams and this year will be an |
section of the park on Saturday evening . |
extra special event , now set to run over three |
The following day is reserved for senior |
days , from October 23-25 . |
motocross racing and this will be “ shake off the |
Now in its 35th year , this year ’ s expanded MX |
cobwebs ” time for all of the leading race teams |
Fest will kick off with the Battle of the Clubs |
as they build towards the start of the 2021 |
event on Friday , the racing here a traditional |
motocross nationals . |
fundraiser for Team New Zealand ’ s annual assault |
There will no doubt be some exciting matchups |
on the Motocross of Nations ( MXoN ) in Europe . |
, with draw-card riders such as Mount |
Although the 2020 edition of this international |
Maunganui ’ s Cody Cooper , Taupo ’ s Brad |
“ Olympic Games of Motocross ” |
Groombridge , Tauranga ’ s Josiah Natzke , Oparau ’ s |
is not going ahead in France this season , it simply |
James Scott , Mangakino pair Maximus Purvis and |
means funds raised over Labour Weekend will |
Kayne Lamont , West Auckland ’ s Hamish |
help the Kiwis get a head-start on building for |
Harwood , Tauranga ’ s Brodie Connolly and |
their 2021 campaign . |
Waitakere ’ s Ethan Martens , for example , all |
The club-versus-club format used for this event |
keen to start the season with a bang . |
– which is similar to the nation-versus-nation |
“ This will be a huge weekend of motorcycling |
configuration of the MXoN – is immensely popular |
activities ,” said Taupo Motorcycle Club president |
with the New Zealand motocross community . |
Bevan Weal . “ It will be a huge release for many |
The Battle of the Clubs is an event that had |
after COVID restrictions and we can ’ t thank our |
originally been scheduled to run earlier this year , |
sponsors enough for still being there for us . |
before it was postponed due to the COVID-19 |
“ It ’ s a real festival of motocross and this year |
Coronavirus pandemic . |
it stretches for three massive days , so definitely |
Wrapping up Friday ’ s programme will be the |
not to be missed .” |
16 KIWI RIDER | |