Renny Johnston
Tony Parker
the sixth running this year , the three-day event severely stretching wits and nerves again over Labour Weekend . When two-time and reigning national enduro champion Yearbury topped the leader-board in the elite Gold Grade after Friday evening ’ s prologue , it seemed he might be capable of adding another overall victory to the ones he claimed at this event in 2017 and 2018 . But he then suffered a nasty scratch to his eye early on the Saturday and was forced to withdraw . In the end , it was multiple national and international champion Birch who prevailed as he took his KTM 300EXC to the top step of the podium . Whitaker , on an identical KTM 300EXC again settled for overall runner-up , making it a 1-2 result for KTM riders . Birch keeps on racking up the wins , with this now his fourth overall victory at this event in the six years it has been run and his rivals must be scratching their heads to find ways of beating him , or at least slowing him down . It was always going to be a “ last man standing ”
KIWI RIDER 47