Showing posts with label Andy McGechan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andy McGechan. Show all posts

TOUGH WEEKEND FOR KIWI RIDERS IN FRANCE

By Andy McGechan

It was a mixed weekend for the Kiwi riders contesting this year’s FIM World Junior Motocross Championships in France.

Mangakino’s Kayne Lamont (Suzuki) DNFed his first 125cc moto but scrambled back to record an 11th placing in the second moto, giving him 17th overall for the event.

Rangiora’s Isaiah McGoldrick (KTM) fared less well, finishing out of the points both times, while his younger brother, Micah (KTM), managed to finish 32nd overall in the 85cc class.

“France was very hot and there was over a 100 riders in my class,” said Micah McGoldrick.

“I was sitting in the top five in moto 1 and 2, and feeling strong and good on the bike but making too many mistakes, which cost me a good finish. That’s racing for you: Thinking you’re going to do well and it all goes bad and you’re just gutted it did. But I’m going to move on and come back stronger and faster.”

Micah’s big brother, Isaiah, also enjoyed the experience.

“My goal at this event was to Qualify into the top 40 and I  qualified 23rd, so I was happy with that,” said Isaiah McGoldrick.

“On race day, things went backwards though. In moto one, I had a very hard crash around the high-speed sweeping first corner. In this crash my front tyre went flat. I went into the pits and put on a new front wheel, then went back onto the track.

“But I got black flagged for re entering the track after being back in the pits. So that was a DNF.

“In the halfway point of moto two I was sitting 26th. I had another massive crash, going over the bars on a table top. I got back up but pulled out of the race because I was really shaken up from the crashes. It was a super painful weekend.”

So, instead of the Kiwi trio, the weekend instead belonged to American rider Jake Pinhancos (65cc), Henry Jacobi, from Germany (85cc), and French sensation Jordi Tixier (125cc).

USA got on the top step for the nations classification. France was second and 2009 winner Australia had to settle for third position this year.

Look for a full report in your next issue of Kiwi Rider magazine.

RESULTS

Juniors 65cc top-ten

1 PINHANCOS Jake USA AMA KTM 25 25 50

2 HSU Brian TWN FMI KTM 22 22 44

3 TODD Wilson AUS MA KTM 20 18 38

4 SIKYNA Richard SVK SMF KTM 16 16 32

5 VAESSEN Bas NED KNMV KTM 12 15 27

6 EVANS Mitchell AUS MA KTM 13 14 27

7 PAPI Brock USA AMA METRAKIT 11 12 23

8 CROWN Joseph USA AMA KTM 0 20 20

9 PRAMMER Lukas AUT OeAMTC KTM 10 10 20

10 ZONTA Filippo ITA FMI KTM 18 0 18

Juniors 85cc top-ten

1 JACOBI Henry GER DMSB KTM 25 20 45

2 GAJSER Tim SLO AMZS KTM 18 25 43

3 EKEROLD Stefan GER DMSB KTM 22 9 31

4 JONASS Pauls LAT LaMSF SUZUKI 7 22 29

5 KOVAR Vaclav CZE ACCR KTM 14 15 29

6 CERVELLIN Michele ITA FMI HONDA 15 13 28

7 DE WAAL Micha Boy NED KNMV SUZUKI 11 16 27

8 BOGERS Brian NED KNMV KTM 5 18 23

9 MANN Scott AUS MA KTM 20 2 22

10 OLSEN Thomas Kjer DEN DMU SUZUKI 9 10 19

Juniors 125cc top-ten


1 TIXIER Jordi FRA FFM KTM 25 25 50

2 SAVATGY Joey USA AMA SUZUKI 22 20 42

3 RAUCHENECKER Pascal AUT OeAMTC KTM 16 22 38

4 JAULIN Sulivan FRA FFM YAMAHA 20 16 36

5 DESPREY Maxime FRA FFM YAMAHA 14 15 29

6 OLSEN Stefan DK DMU SUZUKI 15 12 27

7 BERNARDINI Samuele ITA FMI KTM 12 14 26

8 HANOUSEK Roman CZE ACCR KTM 10 11 21

9 BISCEGLIA Matt USA AMA YAMAHA 18 2 20

10 PATUREL BenoƮt FRA FFM YAMAHA 13 6 19

Read more...

RACE FOR THE TITLE HEATS UP

by Andy McGechan
Even a bone-jarring crash could not derail Bay of Plenty’s Ben Townley at the third round of four in this season’s New Zealand Supercross Championships in Tokoroa on Saturday night.
The Tauranga man, still on the comeback from a shoulder injury suffered in America in 2007, remains on target to take his first New Zealand title in nearly 10 years after another scintillating display on the race track, this time at a Tokoroa track made treacherous by persistent drizzle.
The 25-year-old former world motocross champion and US supercross champion crashed heavily while leading the night’s first of three open class races.
He picked himself up to limp home in ninth place and then, with a rapid-fire format in place for the Tokoroa event, he had no time to rest as he was obliged to head straight back to the starting grid for race two.
Despite showing signs of wear from the crash, Townley took his Kawasaki KX450F to the lead from the start and never looked back, clocking up an impressive win.
He repeated the dose for the third and final race that followed immediately after that.
Townley’s 9-1-1 results meant Townley finished the night an unaccustomed third overall, behind Mount Maunganui pair Cody Cooper (Suzuki) and Mason Phillips (Kawasaki), but it was still enough for him to extend his lead in the championship chase to 26 points over his nearest threat, Christchurch Honda rider Justin McDonald.
“I was feeling awesome on the bike. It just gets better and better every time I ride,” said Townley.
“The crash was just one of those things really. A piece of a trackside barrier was sticking out, my foot-peg clipped it and down I went.
“Considering the circumstances (with the crash), I am happy to still finish the night on the podium. In damp and slippery conditions like this, you just have to take what you can."
While most attention was focussed on Townley, there was no denying the incredible pace of fellow Kiwi international Cooper, who, despite having to brave a painful knee injury following his crash at round one, won the night in Tokoroa with 1-3-2 results and leapt from fourth to third equal in the championship standings.
"The way things have been going for me lately, I have to say I'm surprised I won the night. I was sick at round one and then crashed and hurt my knee. Then I got only second placings at round two … but now I've got an overall win to celebrate.
"I struggled a bit tonight because my sore knee has no strength in it. It's all swelled up. I'll just have to see what I can manage at the final round next weekend in Auckland."
The Senior Lites (250cc) class belonged to defending champion Scott Columb (Suzuki), the Queenstown man finishing 2-1-1 on the night to edge out dual-class campaigner Phillips – who took his Kawasaki to 1-2-2 finishes.
Taupo’s Brad Groombridge (Suzuki) was third best on the night and also remains third in the championship standings.
Rangiora’s McGoldrick brothers, Isaiah and Micah, continue to lead the two junior classes.
Isaiah McGoldrick (KTM) won the junior 250cc class at Tokoroa and created a 16-point buffer over nearest challenger Tom Managh (Suzuki), of Wanganui.
Micah McGoldrick topped the podium in the Junior Lites (85cc) class at Tokoroa and stretched his advantage to 21 points over Feilding’s Haki Waller (Kawasaki).
The racing will go down to the wire with the fourth and final round set for Manukau City this coming Saturday night, the land beside the TelstraClear Events Centre turned into a floodlit moonscape for a thrilling climax to the championship.

Leading standings after round three of the New Zealand Supercross Championships at Tokoroa on Saturday night:

Senior open:
1. Ben Townley (Tauranga) 162 points;
2. Justin McDonald (Christchurch) 136;
3= Mason Phillips (Mount Maunganui) 135;
3= Cody Cooper (Mount Maunganui) 135

Senior lites:
1. Scott Columb (Queenstown) 165 points;
2. Mason Phillips (Mount Maunganui) 156;
3. Brad Groombridge (Taupo) 132.

Junior 250cc:
1. Isaiah McGoldrick (Rangiora) 157 points;
2. Tom Managh (Wanganui) 141;
3. Brandon Tipene (Auckland) 125.

Junior lites:
1. Micah McGoldrick (Rangiora) 172 points;
2. Haki Waller (Feilding) 151;
3. Scott Sowry (Pahiatua) 130.

BikesportNZ.com

Read more...

RACE FOR THE TITLE HEATS UP

by Andy McGechan
Even a bone-jarring crash could not derail Bay of Plenty’s Ben Townley at the third round of four in this season’s New Zealand Supercross Championships in Tokoroa on Saturday night.
The Tauranga man, still on the comeback from a shoulder injury suffered in America in 2007, remains on target to take his first New Zealand title in nearly 10 years after another scintillating display on the race track, this time at a Tokoroa track made treacherous by persistent drizzle.
The 25-year-old former world motocross champion and US supercross champion crashed heavily while leading the night’s first of three open class races.
He picked himself up to limp home in ninth place and then, with a rapid-fire format in place for the Tokoroa event, he had no time to rest as he was obliged to head straight back to the starting grid for race two.
Despite showing signs of wear from the crash, Townley took his Kawasaki KX450F to the lead from the start and never looked back, clocking up an impressive win.
He repeated the dose for the third and final race that followed immediately after that.
Townley’s 9-1-1 results meant Townley finished the night an unaccustomed third overall, behind Mount Maunganui pair Cody Cooper (Suzuki) and Mason Phillips (Kawasaki), but it was still enough for him to extend his lead in the championship chase to 26 points over his nearest threat, Christchurch Honda rider Justin McDonald.
“I was feeling awesome on the bike. It just gets better and better every time I ride,” said Townley.
“The crash was just one of those things really. A piece of a trackside barrier was sticking out, my foot-peg clipped it and down I went.
“Considering the circumstances (with the crash), I am happy to still finish the night on the podium. In damp and slippery conditions like this, you just have to take what you can."
While most attention was focussed on Townley, there was no denying the incredible pace of fellow Kiwi international Cooper, who, despite having to brave a painful knee injury following his crash at round one, won the night in Tokoroa with 1-3-2 results and leapt from fourth to third equal in the championship standings.
"The way things have been going for me lately, I have to say I'm surprised I won the night. I was sick at round one and then crashed and hurt my knee. Then I got only second placings at round two … but now I've got an overall win to celebrate.
"I struggled a bit tonight because my sore knee has no strength in it. It's all swelled up. I'll just have to see what I can manage at the final round next weekend in Auckland."
The Senior Lites (250cc) class belonged to defending champion Scott Columb (Suzuki), the Queenstown man finishing 2-1-1 on the night to edge out dual-class campaigner Phillips – who took his Kawasaki to 1-2-2 finishes.
Taupo’s Brad Groombridge (Suzuki) was third best on the night and also remains third in the championship standings.
Rangiora’s McGoldrick brothers, Isaiah and Micah, continue to lead the two junior classes.
Isaiah McGoldrick (KTM) won the junior 250cc class at Tokoroa and created a 16-point buffer over nearest challenger Tom Managh (Suzuki), of Wanganui.
Micah McGoldrick topped the podium in the Junior Lites (85cc) class at Tokoroa and stretched his advantage to 21 points over Feilding’s Haki Waller (Kawasaki).
The racing will go down to the wire with the fourth and final round set for Manukau City this coming Saturday night, the land beside the TelstraClear Events Centre turned into a floodlit moonscape for a thrilling climax to the championship.

Leading standings after round three of the New Zealand Supercross Championships at Tokoroa on Saturday night:

Senior open:
1. Ben Townley (Tauranga) 162 points;
2. Justin McDonald (Christchurch) 136;
3= Mason Phillips (Mount Maunganui) 135;
3= Cody Cooper (Mount Maunganui) 135

Senior lites:
1. Scott Columb (Queenstown) 165 points;
2. Mason Phillips (Mount Maunganui) 156;
3. Brad Groombridge (Taupo) 132.

Junior 250cc:
1. Isaiah McGoldrick (Rangiora) 157 points;
2. Tom Managh (Wanganui) 141;
3. Brandon Tipene (Auckland) 125.

Junior lites:
1. Micah McGoldrick (Rangiora) 172 points;
2. Haki Waller (Feilding) 151;
3. Scott Sowry (Pahiatua) 130.

BikesportNZ.com

Read more...

  © Blogger templates by Ourblogtemplates.com Customised by Big Dave 2010 Back to TOP