Battling on home turf certainly seemed to suit Taranaki pair Luke Thompson and Sam Parker, the dynamic duo finishing an incredibly close first and second respectively over the two days. The racing near Egmont Village on Saturday, March 29, had previously been a stand-alone event, the annual edition of the popular annual Korito Technical Matrix event near Egmont Village, although it was elevated this year to being an integral opening phase, the first half of round one of the New Zealand Hard Enduro Nationals. Phase two the following day was a traditional hard enduro event, held on steep and unforgiving farmland just up the road in Urenui. With points assigned equally to both days of action and then added together – this constituted the first round of seven in the 2025 Yamaha-sponsored New Zealand Hard Enduro Nationals that will feature racing in both the North and South Islands and finally wrap up near Wellington in November.