Jed Beaton
This would not have been apparent to any casual observer because Royal Heights-based former Takaka man Harwood appeared to be cruising at the fourth and final round of the NZ MX Champs ... and he was . The 28-year-old full-time builder was really up against it this season , challenged by one of the best international riders from this part of the world , 2024 Australian Motocross Championship leader and former World Championship Grand Prix racer Jed Beaton ( on loan to the JCR Altherm Yamaha race team in New Zealand ). To make things even more difficult , Harwood had smashed and broken his left hand when he hit a trackside marker post at a major prenationals motocross event , the New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville , in late January . But Harwood carried on that day , still just able to hang onto his KTM 450SX-F handlebars , even with a slippery , blood-soaked glove , and he , remarkably , still won every outing in the premier MX1 class at Woodville , outshining full-time professional racer Beaton . With the four-round New Zealand Motocross
Championships series kicking off in Rotorua just a week later , Harwood had to either soldier on with his campaign or withdraw to seek medical treatment for his broken hand . He chose to soldier on . Harwood won the day at Rotorua to take an early lead in the title chase , although he was forced to settle for a close second overall to Beaton at round two in Balclutha , in South Otago , two weeks later . The see-saw battle between these two men continued at round three near Pukekohe on March 23 and this time it was Harwood who prevailed again , winning all three MX1 class races that day , and with that he had stretched his points advantage out to 17 over Beaton . That gave Harwood all the breathing room he needed for the finale and so , knowing second or third placings at Taranaki ’ s final round would be enough to get the job done , he eased back just a fraction . Beaton won the day in Taranaki with a 1-1-2 score-card , while Harwood ’ s 2-2-1 easily handed him the title for 2024 . In the end , Harwood finished the series 14 points clear of Beaton .
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