The Motocross of Nations is the biggest and brightest motocross event of the year and once again New Zealand will have an important presence at this “ Olympic Games of Motocross ”. With the squad now named , Team New Zealand has begun in earnest its preparations to tackle the 2023 Motocross of Nations at Ernee , in north-western France , on the weekend of October 7-8 . This year ’ s 76th edition of the great race is another call to arms for the Kiwis , after several seasons of uncertainty due to the pandemic . The trio of Kiwi riders for the 2023 edition of the huge international event will be two MXoN stalwarts in the form of Papamoa ’ s Cody Cooper and West Auckland ’ s Hamish Harwood , with Oparau ’ s James Scott a firsttime selection . The reserve rider this year will be Tauranga ’ s Madoc Dixon . Team co-managers Bevan Weal and Shayne King said selecting the team this year was extremely difficult . King said , “ We both feel we have selected
Above : West Auckland ’ s Hamish Harwood , pictured here competing at the MXoN in the United Kingdom in 2017 . Previous page : Papamoa ’ s Cody Cooper , shown here competing at the MXoN at Ernee , in France , in 2015 .
a very strong team to represent our country . We chose James [ Scott ] for the MX2 class role in the team because he already has a lot of international experience , and he is intending to compete overseas in the coming weeks too ,” he said . “ Hamish ( Harwood ) has been racing overseas recently , in the United States , and we already know the depth of international talent that Cody [ Cooper ] brings to the party . “ It will be a tough proposition for Team New Zealand , especially considering the fact that France has been the leading nation at the MXoN in recent years and they ’ ll also be racing on home soil and in front of so many of their countrymen . “ But I believe we are a top-10 nation and , if everything goes our way , we are capable of finishing on the podium or close to it .
KIWI RIDER 57