KIWI RIDER 05 2019 VOL.1 | Page 106

DUNLOP PUKEKAWA’S JACK DUNLOP (YAMAHA YZ250F), WINNER OF THE PREMIER 14- 16 YEARS’ 250CC TITLE THIS SEASON our new champions were crowned at the 2019 New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships near Palmerston North at the weekend. The sandy course at Himatangi certainly sorted the men from the boys as three days of racing – seven races for each of the championship classes – pushed the young stars to breaking point and beyond at the Lucas Oils and Alpinestars-sponsored event. Rongotea’s Seth Henson, Manukau’s Cobie Bourke and Tokanui’s Mitchell Weir respectively repeated national title wins, Henson adding the 12-14 years’ 125cc crown to the 11-12 years’ 85cc title he won in 2017, Bourke successfully defending his 14-16 years’ 85cc title and Weir adding the 12-13 years’ 85cc title to the 8-11 years’ 85cc title he won in 2016. But for Pukekawa’s Jack Dunlop, Tauranga’s Madoc Dixon, Invercargill’s RIDE - UPLOAD - REVIEW 106 KIWI RIDER Seth Morrow and Oropi’s Levi Townley it was their first time on top of the podium at a New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships event, although Morrow had previously been a mini motocross champion. Dunlop was in sensational form in claiming the premier 14-16 years’ 250cc title, winning five of his seven races over the weekend, clinching that trophy ahead of Otautau’s Jack Treloar and Dunedin’s Grason Veitch, while Dixon had more of a battle on his hands in the 15-16 years’ 125cc class, local hero Luka Freemantle giving him plenty to think about before he eventually won the title by just two points from the Palmerston North teenager. Morrow, only recently recovered from injury, won four of his seven races in the 8-11 years’ 85cc class, winning the title by 11 points from Hamilton’s Jack Coleman.