MERRIMAN LEADS THE WAY AS BEST ALL-AROUND KIWI
This could be a Trivial Pursuit question for the Kiwi motorcycling community … who is arguably the best bike racer ever produced by New Zealand ? The name we ’ d offer up is of a person who actually hasn ’ t raced at the top level in about 15 years now , but that doesn ’ t diminish his remarkable achievements in any way at all . You might suppose that Oparau rider James Scott , aged just 23 and now with New Zealand titles in three separate bike codes , could be a front-runner … and you ’ d be close . But , it ’ s worth noting that , in addition to Scott ’ s remarkable run of New Zealand title wins over the past few years , there are several others who have clinched national titles in more than one motorcycling code in recent times . Scott has now won national cross-country , motocross and enduro titles and winning his first outright enduro title near Masterton at the weekend . It ’ s fair to say the list of Kiwi luminaries includes one of Scott ’ s enduro rivals this season , Taupo ’ s Brad Groombridge , who was the NZ XC champion for Suzuki in 2016 , 2017 and 2018 and NZ enduro champion in 2016 and 2018 . There are others too who have impressed with dual-code domestic titles to their credit , riders such as Marton ’ s Cam Smith ( winning the NZ XC champion for Kawasaki in 2008 and the NZ XC title overall that same season ); Awakino ’ s Adrian Smith ( NZ XC champion for Yamaha in 2006 , 2012 , 2013 and 2014 and NZ enduro title overall in 2012 ) and Motueka ’ s Brad Thomas ( NZ XC champion for Kawasaki in 2004 and for Suzuki in 2005 and also NZ 125cc senior motocross champion for Kawasaki in 1997 ). But … this is all overshadowed by the winning international career of Bay of Plenty ’ s Stefan Merriman . The Tauranga man , now aged 51 , was four-time senior enduro world champion in 2000 ( 250cc ), 2001 ( 400cc ), 2003 ( 250cc ) and 2004 ( Enduro
1 ), as well as winning the International Six Days Enduro overall in Spain in 2000 and again in Poland in 2004 , in addition to winning the 125cc class overall at the ISDE in the Czech Republic in 2002 and the 250cc two-stroke class overall at the ISDE in Brazil in 2003 and he also won the International Indoor Enduro in Spain in 2003 . Merriman won the Italian Enduro Championships outright in 2001 and 2003 , as well as winning the Australian Enduro Championships in 1996 and the Australian Four-Day Enduro outright on three separate occasions , in 1998 , 2000 and 2001 . In 1989 , Merriman won the World Junior Trials Championship , the Australian Trials Championships and the New Zealand Trials Championships too that same year . In 1993 , he won the Australian Trials Championships , the New Zealand Trials Championships , the New Zealand Supercross Championships ( expert class ) and the Triple Challenge Supermotard Race . In 1995 , Merriman then won the Australian Trials Championships , the New Zealand Supersport Championships ( road-racing ) and was overall runner-up in the New Zealand Formula 2 Championships ( road-racing ). Phew , that ’ s going to take quite something to match , let alone surpass , and this would all arguably install Merriman as New Zealand ’ s best-ever motorcycling export .
38 KIWI RIDER