N
ew Zealand’s chances had looked to be
remote, at best, but a huge fight-back
on day two of the big annual Honda New
Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville
turned it all around.
The popular annual stand-alone event
was accorded FIM Oceania
status this year, meaning that
points scored by Australian
competitors and their Kiwi
opposite numbers were
counted towards the battle-
within-a-battle
for
FIM
Oceania Challenge honours,
giving added significance to
every results.
The Australian contingent
had the advantage – leading
by 410 points to 368 – after
the junior phase of racing on
the Saturday, but the senior
Kiwis came on strong the
following day and rescued
the situation.
New Zealand eventually
won the FIM Oceania
Challenge 886 points to 829,
with Auckland rider Hamish
Harwood the main Kiwi
aggressor.
Harwood finished runner-
up in both the MX1 and
MX2 categories on Sunday, and he also finished a
solid fifth in the event’s all-capacities senior feature
trophy race, his accumulated points for the weekend
adding up to 92, two better than the next two best
riders, fellow Kiwis Wyatt Chase (Taupo) and Maximus
Purvis (Mangakino). Another Kiwi, national MX1
champion Cody Cooper (Mount Maunganui), added
his 88 points to the Kiwi tally and the job was done.
Best of the senior Australians was Melbourne’s
Mason Semmens, with 84
points, while Tweed Heads
rider Jay Wilson offered 82
points to the Australian total
and Queensland’s Kirk Gibbs
chimed in with 80 points.
Manawatu’s Glen Williams,
the president of FIM
Oceania and also president
of the sport’s governing
body in the part of the
world, Motorcycling New
Zealand, agreed it was a
“great come-back from the
Kiwi riders”.
“It is great for us to forge
a closer relationship with
Australian through this FIM
Oceania Challenge,” said
Williams.
“Senior riders were involved
in this event, but the focus is
actually on the juniors. The
aim is to show a pathway to
the top for the junior riders
from both countries.
“It was very good to see the healthy rivalry between
riders from both countries and it certainly added
flavour to the event.”
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