CODY COOPER CONFIRMED FOR NZ SUPER-X

Cody Cooper confirmed for both New Zealand Super X rounds

Thursday November 4, 2010; One of New Zealand’s greatest ever motocross exports, Cody Cooper, has confirmed he will be at the start gates in the Auckland and Dunedin Super X events, on Saturday November 13 at North Harbour Stadium and Saturday November 20 at Carisbrook Stadium.

The multiple NZ and Australian champion, who finished fifth overall in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in 2008, will put his exceptional motocross skills into action for the Australasian Supercross Championship events, to ride alongside his good friend Ben Townley and represent his country on home soil.

Cody Cooper

The 27 year old from Mount Maunganui will be riding for the Rockstar Motul Suzuki team, who he competes for in the Australian Motocross Championship.

“I can’t wait to race in Super X this year after I missed out last year due to injury. I have been practicing a lot and feel great on my bike,” said Cooper.

“Super X is an awesome series and it’s great the promoters have decided to host two rounds here this year. I have raced a lot of the Aussie guys in the motocross championship over there so it will be good to finally have the home advantage.”

All of the best riders competing in the series in Australia will make their way to New Zealand for both rounds including US competitor and current championship leader, Monster Energy / Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Josh Hansen, Jagermeister KTM’s Mike Alessi (USA) and his brother Jeff Alessi (USA), who will make his Super X debut in Auckland and go on to contest all of the remanding rounds for the CDR Rockstar Yamaha team.

The lineup of Australian riders includes CDR Rockstar Yamaha’s Jay Marmont, Rockstar Motul Suzuki twins Matt and Jake Moss as well as young gun JDR Motorex KTM’s Tye Simmonds.

The Monster Energy Super X was incepted in 2008 through a partnership between Chad Reed and Global Action Sports and has revolutionised the sport of supercross by introducing a range of exciting new race formats, live television coverage and the construction of innovative full sized US designed supercross tracks for the first time in Australia and New Zealand.

The New Zealand tracks will be custom designed and built by internationally renowned American track designer, Jason Baker, and will incorporate many unique challenges for riders.

Tickets are on sale now through www.ticketdirect.co.nz. For more information on the Monster Energy Super X and series announcements please visit www.superx.com.au

Monster Energy Super X series schedule:
Date Location Venue
October 16 Newcastle Energy Australia Stadium
October 23 Canberra Canberra Stadium
October 30 Launceston Aurora Stadium
November 13 Auckland North Harbour Stadium
November 20 Dunedin Carisbrook Stadium
November 27 Sydney Parramatta Stadium
December 4 Brisbane QSAC

About Monster Energy
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it MX, rally, insane distance jumping, SX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Visit us on the ‘Net’ at www.monsterenergy.com

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MX1 RIDER BOBRYSHEV TURNS TO TARMAC

Date: 29/10/2010

Honda Racing MX1 rider Evgeny Bobryshev recently donned his leathers to try out a bit of road racing aboard Honda’s flagship sports models, the CBR600RR and CBR1000RR at Ron Haslam’s Race School, Silverstone.

The day comprised a morning’s group instruction on board the track-spec CBR600RR before stepping up to the CBR1000RR for one to one instruction with lap time and on-board telemetry analysis. When asked how he felt about stepping up to the 1000cc machine after a morning on the 600, Bobby replied “the 600 is more than enough, I am not sure that I need more power but hey, I will give it a go anyway”.


On the CBR1000RR at the Silverstone International Circuit, if you can post below 1:20min lap times you are considered in the top tier of quick riders (bearing in mind that Ron himself can do a 1:12.5). Bobby was consistently banging in 1:19s throughout the afternoon session to prove that...if you can ride a bike quick, then you can ride a bike quick...whatever the surface!


Russian born Evgeny Bobryshev is not entirely new to road racing. He was Russian 125cc Champion in 2004 before making the switch to off-road. “I was once smoked by Mika Kallio in a race and that made me think that I should focus more on riding on dirt” he explained. As it turns out, Mika Kallio was actually in a different class in that race and was on superior machinery. Nonetheless the decision had been made and who can say that it was a bad one.


Bobryshev has had an amazing debut season in the MX1 World Championship. He has been challenging for podium positions on regular occasions and has established himself as one of the potential front runners of the series. He has also recently won the the ProSX1 race at the Belfast Supercross to cap off the 2010 season. In 2011 he will be looking to add consistency to his flashes of pure speed. Maybe he can apply some of the techniques learned on tarmac to his off-road riding. If not, he does have a job offer on the table as an Instructor at the Ron Haslam Race School.

“It was an awesome day! The high speeds and cornering took a bit of getting used to but once I got into the flow, I was loving it! I haven’t ridden a road racing machine for over six years so it was all a bit strange at first, to have all of that power was a little scary but huge fun! You know, I might even think about doing a bit of road racing next year” Evgeny Bobryshev.


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CHAMPION TONI BOU STAYS WITH MONTESSA

Date: 28/10/2010

Montesa Honda and Toni Bou have extended their contract together for a further two years, until the end of the 2012 season. Since 2007, when Bou became part of the Repsol Montesa Honda team, together they have achieved eight World Championship Trials titles (four Indoor and four Outdoor) and have been the dominant force in the world of Observed Trials.

Bou has also been crowned Spanish champion five times and has been part of the winning ‘Trial of Nations’ team no fewer than four times. He has now extended his winning record to 143 victories in World Championship events and together Montesa honda and Bou will look to extend this record further in the next two years, in search of their ninth world championship title.

Toni Bou

Koji Maehara, President of Montesa Honda SA
“We are very pleased to continue the relationship with Toni Bou, an athlete willing to continue bringing new success to this company. Toni is the best trials rider in the world and we knew that in the final year of his contract, many other manufacturers would be interested in signing him. However, I am proud that Toni has once again put his trust in Montesa Honda and in our commitment to continue the technological evolution of the 4T, with which we have obtained these latest world titles."

Toni Bou, Montesa Honda
"Knowing that I will continue two more years as I Montesa rider brings peace and joy. This is where I have won my eight world titles and still want more. I love the bike and feel completely and fully supported by a very professional team. When everything around me is working perfectly there is no reason to consider a change of scenery. "

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MARMONT PODIUMS

Media Release

Marmont podiums on a consistent night for JDR Motorex KTM in Canberra

For Immediate Release: Sunday, 24 October 2010
JDR Motorex KTM has continued its strong start to the 2010 Super X, Australasian Supercross Championship, when Canberra Stadium hosted round two of the series in the nation’s capital on Saturday, 23 October.

Ryan Marmont

The Pro Lites class saw Ryan Marmont continue his perfect podium run with third overall, scoring 3-4-7 results in the trio of six-lap main events to add the Canberra podium to his Newcastle podium he earned just one week earlier at the season opener.

Marmont was his trademark consistent self, happy with his performance aboard KTM’s 2011 model 250SX-F, but knowing that he has to work on his raw speed if he is to climb from third in the standings to challenge for the championship.

“I’ve had a bit of a tough week so I kind of struggled a bit in practice, qualifying and the heat race, and I didn’t have good speed at all, but I knew if I just knuckled down I could do it,” 25-year-old Wollongong local Marmont said. “I got some good starts in the first two races and made it easy for myself, but a bad start in the final moto made that one tough.

“We’ll move on to next week, and I think I just need to adjust to the formats each week and be consistent. There are a lot of fast guys out there, but if I can get some good solid weekends in then we can definitely be in for a shot at the title.”

PJ Larsen

Round one winner PJ Larsen lost his championship lead after finishing fourth overall, his night derailed when he crashed in the third and final race, forcing him to settle for 15th. Before that, Larsen challenged for the win on the night with a pair of solid seconds.

Despite his disappointment that saw him lose vital championship points, Larsen is confident he has the speed to peg back the 18-point series lead of arch rival and defending champion Matt Moss.

“The night wasn’t so bad in the first two finals even though I had to come through the pack after bad starts, but I’m disappointed with that mistake in the third moto,” the 20-year-old American explained. “There’s a long way to go in the series and we are still second, so we’ll keep working hard and fight back from here.”

In the Pro Open class, Californian Mike Alessi scored 6-5-9 results in the trio of seven-lap main events, claiming fifth overall – the first top five Supercross finish in the world for the all-new 2011 model 350SX-F.

Alessi again displayed his immense talent and raw speed throughout the night, his only major hiccup being a time penalty in the final moto for jumping the triple under a waving yellow flag, dropping him from fifth to ninth in that race.

“It was definitely a better weekend than last weekend, and fifth overall is positive,” the 22-year-old said. “I had a really solid second race and I was charging pretty hard. The end result is a lot better than last weekend – no falls or no tough blocks on the foot-pegs! The goal is to keep working hard because I’m still adapting to the 350 in Supercross, so I’ll try to get better and keep improving as the season progresses.”

Alessi now sits 12th overall in the standings after the two rounds contested to date.

Tye Simmonds

Tye Simmonds finished sixth overall for the second round in succession with 8-6-8 results to maintain sixth overall in the championship, the teenager Burke in NSW a lot more content with his performance at Canberra.

“It was better, this week I rode a lot better, but my starts were terrible tonight,” 18-year-old Simmonds commented. “We’ll go back and work on a few things from here, and I am pretty happy with how I rode, but those starts are just so crucial. I just need to try be consistent and move further up in the results for Tassie next weekend.”

JDR Motorex KTM team manager Jay Rynenberg was again pleased with the team’s performance and looks forward to the remainder of the series.

“I’m pumped for Ryan – he’s living proof that consistency pays off,” Rynenberg said. “Ryan might not be the fastest guy out there, but he’s always amongst it and he will continue to do so for the rest of this series. I really am expecting him to challenge for this championship. It seemed like PJ was the fastest guy all night, but Matt Moss is a champion and if you want to race with him then you have to start with him, so PJ definitely needs to work on his starts to help him win.

“Mike rode really well, that’s the 350’s first ever top five in a Supercross, so it’s a milestone and good to have Mike onboard to do that. I think Tye rode the best he’s ridden yet, but his starts didn’t reflect that and in turn it hampered his results. The guys are gaining momentum though, so we look forward to the rest of the series.”

Mike Alessi

In addition to the individual results, JDR Motorex KTM leads the Team Championship in the Lites category, also currently sitting second in the Open class after two rounds.

Round three of the series will be contested at Aurora Stadium in Launceston, Tasmania, next Saturday night, 30 October.

SUPER X ROUND TWO RESULTS (CANBERRA, ACT)

Lites Class Overall:
1. Matt MOSS
2. Steven CLARK
3. Ryan MARMONT (JDR Motorex KTM)
4. PJ LARSEN (JDR Motorex KTM)
5. Cody MACKIE

Open Class Overall:
1.Kevin WINDHAM
2. Josh HANSEN
3. Justin BRAYTON
4. Jay MARMONT
5. Mike ALESSI (JDR Motorex KTM)
6. Tye SIMMONDS (JDR Motorex KTM)

Lites Class Championship (after two of seven rounds):
1. Matt MOSS 115
2. PJ LARSEN (JDR Motorex KTM) 97
3. Ryan MARMONT (JDR Motorex KTM) 87
4. Cody MACKIE 74
5. Steven CLARK 63

Open Class Championship (after two of seven rounds):
1. Josh HANSEN 108
2. Justin BRAYTON 96
3. Jay MARMONT 88
4. Daniel REARDON 77
5. Kevin WINDHAM 75
6. Tye SIMMONDS (JDR Motorex KTM) 68
12. Mike ALESSI (JDR Motorex KTM) 47

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FMX BATTLE 2010 RIDERS CONFIRMED

Source: EFMXMedia/Jo Landon



As far as freestyle motocross goes, New Zealand riders have limited opportunities to compete. X-games and Red Bull X-fighters have both made their mark on the world but hold limited spaces for our Australasian market. So the annual Red Bull sponsored FMX Battle is one of a kind hitting Wanganui on 28th December for the second year running.

The line-up of riders is, to say the least, impressive. Levi Sherwood was hoping to compete but after a major crash breaking both his femur and wrist he has been forced to pull out. Avid fans can rest easy though; he is still excited as ever to be involved in other capacities.
“I’ll defiantly still be involved – I want to help out however I can as it’s a great event for the local industry” he says.


Despite Sherwood’s withdrawal, the show is still expected to have the wow-factor to satisfy all ages. Last year’s champion and Red Bull rider, Nick Franklin, has confirmed his participation and Steve Sommerfeld, third place rival, will also be back with a score to settle. New faces to Red Bull FMX Battle include Crusty Demon Steve Mini who has recently been touring Australia with Travis Pastrana and the Nitro Circus.

New Zealand will be well represented with Encounter FMX riders Josh Thomson, Ryan Laskey, and Liston Borrie all set to take on the championship challenge. Crowds may even see first-time competitor and local rider, Jason White, take the stage which just goes the show the great opportunities this event is providing to the industry.

Tickets will be available from the gate or you can pre-purchase from www.fmxbattle.co.nz

Get a group together for this great end-of-year event!

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MARMONT HEADS FOR CANBERRA HIGH

Source: KTM Australia

Marmont set for local support at Canberra as JDR Motorex KTM enters Super X round two

For Immediate Release: Thursday, 21 October 2010
Former Pro Lites Australian Supercross Champion Ryan Marmont will be racing with the backing of local support when the second round of the 2010 Super X, Australasian Supercross Championship, takes place at Canberra in the ACT on Saturday, 23 October.

Hailing from Wollongong in NSW, JDR Motorex KTM’s Marmont will have a host of local fans making the two-hour trek South West to Canberra Stadium come Saturday night, and he says that it could be exactly what he needs to urge him to victory.

“I always like riding in front of the Canberra crowd because they get right behind it and a lot of friends also travel down from Wollongong to support the event so I’m really looking forward to the race,” the 25-year-old commented.


“Every little bit of support helps, so being so close to home will be a good thing for me, having the additional support of my friends and family. I just have to do my best and work on the points lead because that’s where I want to be.”

The Pro Lites title is currently lead by Marmont’s fellow JDR Motorex KTM rider PJ Larsen, the American taking a win on debut for the team aboard the all-new 2011 model 250SX-F in Newcastle last weekend as Marmont came home third.

JDR Motorex KTM will also be well represented in the Open category, with 18-year-old young gun Tye Simmonds determined to improve on his sixth place at the season opener aboard KTM's revolutionary new 350SX-F.

Also campaigning the 350 for JDR will be world class American import Mike Alessi, who will be hoping to shake off the bad luck that struck him at Newcastle, leaving him 18th in the standings after round one.

For more information on Saturday night’s event in Canberra and the entire series, visit www.superx.com.au, or check out www.ktm.com.au for details on the entire KTM motorcycle range.

CURRENT SUPER X POINT STANDINGS (after 1 of 7 rounds)
Open Class:
1. Chad REED - 50
2. Josh HANSEN - 42
3. Justin BRAYTON - 38
4. Daniel REARDON - 38
5. Jay MARMONT - 34
6. Tye SIMMONDS (JDR Motorex KTM) - 27
7. Todd WATERS - 27
8. Daniel McCOY - 27
9. Jake MOSS - 27
10. Craig ANDERSON - 21
18. Mike ALESSI (JDR Motorex KTM) - 4

Lites Class:
1. PJ LARSEN (JDR Motorex KTM) - 47
2. Matt MOSS - 40
3. Ryan MARMONT (JDR Motorex KTM) - 35
4. Kade MOSIG - 34
5. Lawson BOPPING - 34
6. Cody MACKIE - 31
7. Harley QUINLAN - 31
8. Luke GEORGE - 27
9. Luke STYKE - 23
10. Kirk GIBBS - 22

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TOWNLEY TO MX1

Posted By: OS
Source: Synergy Sport


Date: 19 October 2010

Ben Townley returns to the GPs with Kawasaki Team CLS

Ben Townley, one of the fastest motocross riders in the world, will return to the MX1 World Championship next year with Kawasaki Team CLS.

After five seasons racing in the USA, the former World MX2 and US Lites Champion has signed a one year contract with Pro Circuit and Kawasaki Team CLS to compete in the 2011 World series.


The 25 year old from Taupo in New Zealand put two injury-wrecked seasons behind him this summer as he won motos at both the US Grand Prix in Glen Helen and the Motocross of Nations in Lakewood to confirm that he is one of the fastest MX1 riders on the planet.Many leading GP teams have been in contact with Ben during the few last months but, aided by theirassociation with Monster Energy Drinks and Pro Circuit owner Mitch Payton, Kawasaki Team CLS was his eventual choice for a return to the world stage; Ben has a long, well-established relationship with both American firms, having enjoyed two highly-successful seasons in the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki squad when he initially moved to the USA in 2006.

Having arrived in Europe as an unknown at the age of 16 in 2001, Ben won his first Grand Prix in Sweden the following season and two years later became MX2 World Champion, claiming nine of the sixteen GP wins during the 2004 season. Moving to the MX1 class in 2005, he won four GPs and was the “rookie” of the year with third in the final standings. He attained another dream when he claimed the AMA SX Lites championship on the East Coast in 2007, but injuries wrecked the following two seasons. He overcame several unfortunate setbacks during 2010 to finish fourth in the US outdoor series, and his successes at the US GP and the Motocross of Nations proved that he had the speed to run with the regular GP riders.

By signing for Team CLS Ben will not only renew his successful relationship with Kawasaki, MonsterEnergy and Pro Circuit but also with CLS technical supervisor Harry Nolte, the Dutch technician withwhom he has also enjoyed success and fond memories in the past.

Ben Townley: “I’m really excited about the new deal I have with Kawasaki Team CLS. I have had a great relationship with Kawasaki over the years and rode for them as an amateur in New Zealand so I am excited to be back on Green and to renew that relationship again. Kawasaki Team CLS has a lot of experience with the likes of Harry Nolte and obviously the involvement with Mitch and Pro Circuit is a big part of it as well and was the key in making my decision. With Monster Energy being the title sponsor of the FIM MX World Championship it is also a huge incentive to do well and put Kawasaki and Monster up front. I always had the feeling that I had some unfinished business to take care of in the MX1 world championship and I am now looking forward to coming back to fight for the world title. I also have to say a big thanks to Troy Lee and his team for helping me get my career back on track. They helped me when I was at rock bottom and I will always be grateful to them.”
Jean Jacques Luisetti, Kawasaki Team CLS owner: “When Mitch Payton informed me about this possible move from Ben, we were all excited at the prospect of working with such a talented rider. I want to thank Pro Circuit and Monster Energy who put all their efforts to help us sign Ben, and we’ll do our best to help him to reach his goal. We represent Kawasaki officially in the MX2 World Championship, and without the involvement of our main partners we wouldn’t have been able to sign a top MX1 rider also. It’s a huge step for us to have a former World and US Champion in our team alongside Tommy Searle and Max Anstie; for sure Ben will be fighting for the World title aboard his Pro Circuit Kawasaki."

Harry Nolte, Kawasaki Team CLS technical supervisor: “I’m very excited that Ben is coming back to the GPs, and will join Kawasaki Team CLS; my thanks to Jean Jacques and Gael, who put a lot of effort to make this deal happen. For the CLS team, this is another step forward and I’m looking forwards to work with Ben again; together with Tommy and Max, we have a very strong team for 2011 !”

Image: Shayne Rice

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TARGET ON THE BACK OF YOUNG WHITAKER

Nelson’s Karl Clark, a contender for
the national title again this year.

Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

Wellington’s Jake Whitaker could be forgiven for being a little paranoid ... it’s true that everybody is out to get him.

The 2010 Plumbing World New Zealand Moto Trials Championships will be held in and around Christchurch this Labour Weekend and defending experts grade champion Whitaker is the man everyone will want to beat.

There is probably no looking past Whitaker to dominate this coming weekend with his form in recent months nothing short of stunning.

But, while the Kiwi international is clear favourite to win, that won't prevent some very big hitters from taking aim at the talented young man from Wainuiomata.

Foremost among those expected to threaten the 17-year-old Whikater is likely to be Nelson’s Karl Clark.

A top line-up of riders is expected for the three-day event with event director Derek Scott, from Christchurch’s host Pioneer Motorcycle Club, promising the terrain will pose a wicked challenge, even for classy world championship contenders such as Whitaker.

Day one, on Saturday, October 23, is set for Living Springs Camp, Bamfords Road, Governors Bay, on Banks Peninsular. Competition begins at 10am and should wrap up by about 4pm.

Day two on Sunday is at Horsford Downs, Okuku Pass Road, Whiterock, while the third and final day on Monday is scheduled for Graylees Road, on the Akaroa-Christchurch Highway.

“Each day features a very different course and they should really sort the men from the boys,” said Scott.

“It will go from slippery volcanic soil to huge limestone boulders and some big hill climbs. On this sort of terrain the riders will have to get everything exactly right.”

In the A Grade it will be worth watching for Tauranga teenager Jim Lowe-Pattie, while Nelson's Nick Oliver, Taranaki’s Matt Foster, Tauranga’s Phil Shilton, Lower Hutt’s Carl Robson and Ashhurst’s Kevin Pinfold should also feature near the top of the points.

Intermediate grade action is likely to centre on Nelson’s Peter Oliver, who won the A Grade title last year but has dropped down a division this time around. He will have Auckland’s James Snowdon and Rotorua’s John Haynes keeping him honest.

The Presidents’ grade should belong to defending champion Stephen Oliver, also of Nelson, with Blenheim’s Brendan Wadsworth, Tauranga’s Warrick Merriman, Te Puke’s Paul McLeod, Paraparaumu’s Kevin Tither, Wainuiomata’s Steve Wade and retired heart surgeon Steve Armistead, of Hamilton, also in the hunt.

A junior rider to watch for will be Motueka’s Brady Inwood, although Tauranga’s Gabrielle Gundry, Temuka’s Bradley Grant, Howick’s Liam Draper and Te Puke’s Ben McLeod should also feature.

With this sport, the emphasis is not on speed, with the prime aim to conquer the extreme terrain without touching feet on the ground or falling off. Points are lost for these “faults” and a rider with the lowest score wins.

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KIWI RIDER GIVES AUSTRALIANS A FRIGHT

With a headline like that we just *have* to run this Press release from Suzuki

It was so close to glory for New Zealand’s Dion Picard that he could actually taste it.
In the end, though, the 15-year-old Suzuki star from Atiamuri, in the Central North Island, had to settle for runner-up honours at this year’s Australian Junior Motocross Championships at Lake Macquarie.

Picard took his Suzuki RM-Z250 to second overall, behind Australian international Hayden Mellross, in the 13-15 years’ 250cc four-stroke class, although he actually came agonisingly close to winning it outright.

After two of the three races scheduled for this class, Picard led the standings by one point over Mellross.
However, Picard finished a disappointing fourth in his final outing – giving him a 3-1-4 scoreline for the championship -- while Mellross scored 2-2-1 and the Kiwi therefore missed out on the podium top spot by just six points.
“Yes, I was one point ahead of Mellross heading into that last race but I got a shocking start,” explained Picard.
“I got hit by another rider on the start line as we came out of the gate and I had to fight my way through the field. I ended up fourth but I really needed to beat Mellross in that race and he won it instead.

It was a very busy week for Picard, who also raced a modified Suzuki RM125 (bored out to 144cc) to finish fourth overall in the 13-15 years’ 100-150cc class. Queensland’s Scott Mann won this division.
“I think I got plenty of respect from the Australian,” laughed Picard. “A few have even asked me to come back and race. I am hoping that I can get a good team ride over there for next season.”

Picard’s next outing will be to race at the Taupo Motocross Extravaganza over Labour Weekend.

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MIKA AHOLA WINS 4TH WORLD ENDURO TITLE

Posted By: Ollie S
PR Courtesy of: Tom Hobbs/Honda Racing


Mika Ahola and Honda World Champions for the fourth consecutive time!

“Like a fine wine, Mika Ahola gets better with age” is a quote from the FIM World Enduro Championship website. I could not think of a better way to describe the exploits of the 36 year old Finn who sealed his fourth successive FIM EWC World Championship and fourth in a row with Honda and the formidable Honda- HM-Zanardo Team at the Grand Prix of France, Noiretable.


Mika Ahola took his CRF450R to victory on the first day of a wet Grand Prix of France. He was in imperious form across the wet terrain to defeat main rival Ivan Cervantes and claim the E2 category for the second time and add the latest accolade to the two previous E1 titles. Ahola has been one of the very best riders in the Enduro World Championship during the second half of the last decade and renewal of the number one plate after another reverential display in central France cements his status as one of the true greats of the sport.


Ahola had to negotiate slippery conditions on Saturday and even made a mistake in the Enduro test that increased the tension. With Cervantes not able to reach the Honda rider’s level in the second half of the competition that involved three cautious and demanding 70km laps, Ahola bided his time for a podium slot and was fortuitous when Fabien Planet suffered a mechanical problem in the final stages and the party could begin for the Italian squad thanks to their tenth winner’s trophy of the campaign.

With the championship in the bag Ahola elected to take it easy through Sunday and his absence from the top of the leader-board was the only blip on his 100% podium record across eight rounds and sixteen days of action.


“What a fantastic day for Mika, the team and also for Honda with four titles in a row,” commented Honda Motor Europe Off-road Racing Manager Roger Harvey. “It has been a long and hard season for the team to keep up that excellent record of results and it shows how competitive the battle with Ivan Cervantes actually was as the title fight went down to the final round despite the fact that Mika had not finished off the podium for seven grand prix. Full credit for the guys with their achievements on a new bike for 2010 and we are thrilled with their success.”

An in-depth interview with the new EWC E2 Champion will follow in a separate release shortly.

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HUSQVARNA 2010 ENDURO 1 WORLD CHAMPIONS

Posted By: Ollie S
PR Courtesy of: Husqvarna Racing


CH Racing Husqvarna Factory Enduro Team 2010
Enduro World Championship ‘10 – Round 8
Noiretable, France, 25/26.9.2010

ANTOINE MEO & HUSQVARNA 2010 ENDURO 1 WORLD CHAMPIONS

CH Racing Husqvarna team rider Antoine Meo is the ’10 Enduro 1 World Champion. Securing his first ever Enduro World Championship title with a winning result on the final day of the GP of France, the former motocross racer put the finishing touches to a hugely successful season. Placing his TE250 at the top of the competitive Enduro 1 class championship standings ahead of countryman Johnny Aubert and Finn Eero Remes, Antoine secured Husqvarna’s 46th enduro world championship.

Starting the event focused on just one thing – winning the ’10 Enduro 1 world championship, Antoine made a cautious start to the opening day. With heavy rain falling throughout the day conditions were extremely wet and muddy, causing many riders to have problems. Steadily improving his pace as the conditions dried, a final lap push saw Meo end the day third in class behind Johnny Aubert and Marc Germain.

With the title within his grasp Antoine again started steadily on day two, but soon started battling for the class win. Maintaining his pace and making no costly mistakes he claimed an eventual two-second winning margin to secure his eighth day win of the season and more importantly the ’10 Enduro 1 world title.


Seb Guillaume ensured the CH Racing Husqvarna team had another reason to celebrate in Noiretable as the seasoned Frenchman secured the runner-up position in the Enduro 3 championship aboard his WR300. With the title already decided before the French event Seb battled with Italian Simone Albergoni during both days of the GP of France, managing to claim the runner-up spot following two class wins. Starting the season injured and with broken bones in his hand Seb also ended his championship campaign injured. Despite having to battle his way through the GP of France win an injured knee, picked up during a French championship event, Seb performed faultlessly during both days of competition.


Antoine Meo – Enduro 1: ‘I’m so, so, happy to have won the Enduro 1 world championship. I’m happy for myself, because this is my first world title, but also extremely happy for Husqvarna, the CH Racing team, and my mechanic Fred. It’s been a long season, which was mostly very good, so to finally be able to say that I am world champion is just great. I didn’t feel like I was under so much pressure but it was a hard race because of the tough conditions. You can see that many riders had problems with their bikes because of the conditions but I have to say that my Husqvarna was perfect all weekend. I wasn’t so fast at the start of the first day, but I saw that I was faster towards the end of the day. So I pushed hard and finished third, which was very important. Day two was really slippery in the morning, but in the afternoon things dried out a lot and I was able to win. Winning the final day of the championship is exactly how I wanted to win the championship. I’m really so, so, pleased to finally be a world champion.’

Matti Seistola – Enduro 1: ‘It was a tough race for me, but I’m pleased that I didn’t have any major problems. The first day was so slippery – I really struggled to get into a good rhythm. I was a little disappointed that I finished seventh, but I finished and learned a lot about the wet conditions. The second
day was better because there was more traction on the tests. I guess it was an ok race for me, not great but not a disaster.’

Seb Guillaume Enduro 3: ‘This has been a very difficult race for me. Not so much because of the conditions, but because of my fight with Simone Albergoni for second in the E3 championship. I injured my knee in the French championship race the weekend before the GP of France so I was a little nervous before the start. But everything went really well on day one and by winning I managed to put myself in a strong position for the runner-up result in the championship. I hit my knee again at the start of day two, which made things difficult, but I gave the third and final lap everything I had. I managed to get the result I needed and second in the championship. Second, after the year I’ve had with my hand injury at the start of the season, is like winning the title.’

Bartosz Oblucki Enduro 3: ‘It’s been a tough race, but I enjoyed it. I enjoy wet conditions so I was a little disappointed not to be on the podium on day one. But fourth wasn’t too bad. I was battling for second position on day two but I lost my rear brake on the enduro test and had a big, big, crash. I damaged the bike a little and it dropped me to fifth.’

Fabrizio Azzalin – CH Racing Husqvarna Team Manager: ‘I am so proud of Antoine and Seb, as well as everyone in the team. Antoine has had a fantastic season. We had a small problem in Greece and he didn’t have the best of races in Turkey, but here in France he has really shown that he is an exceptional rider. He really deserves this title. Antoine really had the situation under control this weekend, he was so calm during both days and on day two really rode really well. This win means a lot to everyone in the team and everyone in Husqvarna.’

2010 Enduro World Championship
Grand Prix of France – Day 1

Enduro 1
1. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 1.01:56.53; 2. Marc Germain (Yamaha) 1.02:04.21; 3. Antoine Meo (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.02:18.09; 4. Eero Remes (KTM) 1.02:32.09; 5. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 1.03:14.26; 6. Nicolas Deparrois (Kawasaki) 1.03:57.05; 7. Matti Seistola (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.04:45.28; 8. Jordan Curvalle (Sherco) 1.05:01.46; 9. Fabio Mossini (Honda) 1.06:05.17; 10. Maurizio Micheluz (TM) 1.06:44.96; 11. Chris Hollis (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.07:22.77

Enduro 3
1. Seb Guillaume (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.02:20.19; 2. Simone Albergoni (KTM) 1.02:29.15; 3. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 1.02:48.63; 4. Bartosz Oblucki (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.03:22.41; 5. Oriol Mena (Husaberg) 1.03:24.22; 6. Michal Kadlecek (TM) 1.05:30.92; 7. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 1.05:44.02; 8. Antoine Lettelier (Beta) 1.07:13.15; 9. Alessandro Botturi (Husaberg) 1.07:54.29; 10. Romain Barberger (Sherco) 1.08:32.81

2010 Enduro World Championship
Grand Prix of France – Day 2

Enduro 1
1. Antoine Meo (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.00:14.80; 2. Julien Gauthier (Honda) 1.00:16.80; 3. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 1.00:32.98; 4. Eero Remes (KTM) 1.00:39.88; 5. Marc Germain (Yamaha) 1.00:43.51; 6. Matti Seistola (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.02:06.07; 7. Nicolas Deparrois (Kawasaki) 1.03:14.77; 8. Jordan Curvalle (Sherco) 1.04:04.80; 9. Maurizio Micheluz (TM) 1.04:11.71; 10. Chris Hollis (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.04:14.32

Enduro 3
1. Seb Guillaume (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.01:32.78; 2. Simone Albergoni (KTM) 1.01:33.93; 3. David Knight (KTM) 1.01:58.12; 4. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 1.02:02.31; 5. Bartosz Oblucki (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.02:06.76; 6. Oriol Mena (Husaberg) 1.03:24.33; 7. Kevin Hamard (Husaberg) 1.12:12.90; 8. Nicolas Boyer (Gas Gas) 1.13:40.03

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TEAM USA WIN MXON 2010 - UPDATE

By: Ollie S
Images: MotocrossMX1.com



Under magnificent weather Team USA have won the 64th running of the Motocross of Nations at the prestigious Thunder Valley Park, Lakewood, Colorado.

With each country providing their best riders out of three divisions MX1, MX2 and Open, every position counting towards the overall meant the team with the lowest overall score from three races wins.

In the end with a total of 23 points over Belgium’s 30 points for 2nd and Germany’s 44 points for 3rd, few could argue that Team USA showed a global audience that they are once again the dominant motocross nation with an undisputed 6th Motocross of Nations (MXoN) title on trot.

Fantastic starts from key Team USA members Ryan Dungey (MX1) and Andrew Short (Open) in their respective moto’s meant the two yanks were never in doubt of pivotal race control from the drop of the gate.

Andrew Short

Third Team USA member MX2 rider, Trey Canard, touted as being the rider to decimate the MX2 division, suffered from shocking starts all day long. Despite Canard’s brilliant back-of-pack charges making for crowd erupting displays of skill and craft, German whizz kid 16 year old Ken Roczen (MX2) was truly sensational in both his races battling with more powerful 450cc machines on his Red Bull sponsored Teka Suzuki RMZ250; even leading the early stages of the second MX2 + Open race.

Team USA MX2 rider Trey Canard

Roczen was to be the standout rider from Team Germany with team members Marcus Schiffer (MX1) and Max Nagl (Open) both individually finishing strong but eventually dropping the teams’ overall podium hopes when Nagl suffered a huge high side, knocking him out early in race 3 (MX1 + Open). Nagl’s crash effectively ended Team Germany’s run for 2nd overall leaving the door wide open for the super consistent Belgian’s of Clement Desalle (Open), Steven Ramon (MX1) and Jeremy Van Horebeek (MX2) who only racked up 30 points in total for 2nd overall behind the Americans, leaving Germany in 3rd on 44 points.

Great Britain’s last minute put-together team of Dean Wilson (MX2), Brad Anderson (Open) and Jake Nicholls (MX1) put together a string of strong finishers for 4th overall with 45 points; narrowly missing out on an MXoN podium after a nail biting Race 3 (MX1 + Open) result with both Jake Nicholls (MX1) and Brad Anderson (Open) going 11th and 12th respectively. Either one of them unable to make the jump on Australian Jay Marmont for 10th that would have provided them with the much needed points to claim 3rd overall.

Italian stallion and MX1 rider Antonio "Tony" Cairoli

Team Italy’s boy-wonder and newly crowned MX1 World Champion Antonio Cairoli, aboard his KTM350SXF, at times showed immense speed in the first race against Ryan Dungey, but inevitably lacked the tenure to make the pass for a class win gradually slipping off the pace late into Race 1. In Race 3 Cairoli’s early bad start left him with too much lost ground against the flying Americans of Dungey and Short. Awkwardly for Team Italy the strong individual efforts from Cairoli’s countrymen, Alessandro Lupino and Manuel Monni still weren’t enough to clinch a podium finish for Italy, finishing 5th overall on 50 points.

Dominant Australian rider, seasoned AMA professional Brett Metcalfe (MX1), with the aid of Jay Marmont (Open) lead the Australian campaign with solid finishes helping Team Australia climb to 6th overall on 54 points.

After a promising start in the early stages of Race 1 (MX1 + MX2), Team France’s hopes of glory dissolved like candle wax in a cauldron when newly crowned MX2 World Champion Marvin Musquin was forced to retire; Musquins Factory Red Bull KTM250SXF suffering from a serious electrical problem and further imploding his dreams of showing up the Americans on home soil as a precursor to his AMA 2011 plans. Musquin’s KTM250SXF was then a double jeopardy when it expired again in his second race rendering team riders Xavier Boog (Open) and Gautier Paulin (MX1) strong individual results useless in the overall with Team France finishing up in 7th on 71 points.

Brad Groombridge (NZL) with the holeshot in MX2 Qualifying on Saturday

Team New Zealand riders Ben Townley (Open), Josh Coppins (MX1) and Brad Groombridge (MX2) were left picking up the pieces in a lowly 8th overall position on 90 points despite Ben Townley’s absolutely breath taking Race 2 (MX2 + Open) win. Race 3 (MX1 + Open) spelt disaster for Townley who, whilst hunting down Team USA star Ryan Dungey in 2nd position, suffered what looked to be a minor front wheel wash-out eventually forcing Townley to retire in the late stages of the race. Josh Coppins’ 11th and 14th in Race 1 and Race 3 respectively, coupled with rookie MXoN team member Brad Groombridge’s respectful results, were simply not enough to push Team New Zealand further up the leader board.

Portugal and “American B-Team” Puerto Rico Teams closed out the top 10; whilst Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Finland and Estonia made up the top 15 positions.

At the end of the day a final one two from Ryan Dungey and Andrew Short in Race 3 sealed the MXoN 2010 Crown for Team USA. Ken Roczen’s prolific display of speed on the RMZ250 against the 450cc machines will be remembered just like the great 250cc battles at MXoN of yesteryear will be. And Ben Townley’s magnificent Race 2 win will be the highlight of his 2010 professional come back campaign, albeit slightly tarnished by the unfortunate mishap in Race 3. Townley, Coppins and Groombridge can rightfully be proud of an emphatic display of brilliance from an almost entirely self-supported team budget.

Update 1: not mentioned earlier but Ken Roczen won the MX2 class on Sunday for his performances. Roczen is the most successful youngest rider of GP Motocross. As you would have expected Ryan Dungey won the MX1 class outright, whilst Clement Desalle snatched the Open class outright from the hands of Andrew Short. Kiwi Ben Townley was on par to take the Open class crown of MXoN 2010 until his unfortunate Race 3 crash.

Update 2: Reports through the grapevine have it that BT busted some ligaments in his ankle during his unfortunate Race 3 crash.

All Photos courtesy of MotocrossMX1.com



Official Results http://www.motocrossmx1.com/reslists.aspx?ct=7&c=6

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2010 AUSTRALIAN SAFARI - LEG 5 VIDEO

Posted By: Ollie S


The gruelling 2010 Australian Safari is well under way in Western Australia. First day leaders AJ Roberts and Todd Smith both suffered some serious injuries from a head-on collision, in what can only be described as serious navigation error on Smiths part.

Both suffering major injuries, Smith has been battling on whilst Roberts withdrew from the race requiring an immediate right wrist reconstruction. The setback from two of the major players early in the race has allowed Ben Grabham (KTM 530EXC) to take a distinctive lead in the Moto class division going into Leg 5. Todd Smith (KTM 530EXC), still carrying serious injuries, is showing immense grit for 2nd overall at the start of Leg 5. Whilst third place overall in the Moto class is Rod Faggotter aboard his Yamaha WR450F.

Last years outright winner Jacob Smith (Honda CRF450F), is having trouble shaking the monkey from his back with a string of mechanical issues hindering his overall performance. Meanwhile in the Auto class Craig Lowndes, with co-driver Kees Weel, will be the first to start Leg 5 in their seriously modified 2003 Holden Colorado.

At the conclusion each race leg there is a video report from the days action courtesy of Safari TV. Episode 5 is up for consumption right.



Previous epsiodes can be veiwed over at the Australian Safaris YouTube channel. For access to up-to-the-minute results head over to www.australiansafari.com.au

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GIRLS ON BIKES 2010

GIRLS ON BIKES



(No boys allowed!!)

With top NZ Rider/Coaches: Mark Penny & Ilana Wilks

When:
Saturday 16th October 2010
1pm – 4pm
Fuel up and come along for some awesome coaching and a fully sik
day out with the girls!

Where:
Thompsons Track – Korokanui
(Signposted from Te Kawa cross Roads)
Corner of Bayley Rd and Wharepuhunga Rd - 20km from Te Awamutu

Cost:
$25pp – includes track fees and coaching.

Bring:
Bike, Helmet, Boots, Riding gear, fuel, H20 and a BIG SMILE!
From beginners to fully fledged riders, you will learn new tricks, master old
ones, meet new riding buddies - and most importantly have fun!

Check out our Facebook page: Girls on Bikes

CONTACT MARK 0274 310 880 OR ILANA 0275 445 262
EMAIL ilana.mark@xtra.co.nz

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AHOLA ON BRINK OF 4TH WORLD TITLE

The AMV Grand Prix of France at Noiretable this weekend will wrap-up the 2010 Enduro World Championship and could be another remarkable event in the illustrious career of Honda- HM-Zanardo Team’s Mika Ahola. The 35 year old is on the precipice of his fourth crown in succession and second in the E2 (450cc) category. The Finn holds a 28 point lead over sole title rival Ivan Cervantes with both days of the GP yielding a total of 50; even if he finishes second to the Spaniard on the first day of action in central France then a fourth World Championship with Honda will be assured.


The veteran has enjoyed an excellent season on the modified CRF450R, earning nine day wins from the fourteen held in the seven rounds so far and has not dropped out of the top three in all outings.

Ahola – who was 3rd and 4th in the E1 class in France in 2009 – admitted in his personal blog that the weekend will hold special significance. ‘The last GP will be in France. It's gonna be in Noiretable which is the same place where I confirmed my first world title in 2007, so I have a nice memories and I'm looking forward to a good race like back then! My lead over Ivan Cervantes is 28 points which more than enough but there's no space for big mistakes either. Just have to keep calm and focused. Easy to say but can't help the pressure building.’


Noiretable is a familiar course to the riders of the E1, E2 and E3 classes and the entry lists are likely to be swelled in what is a popular event. The 70km lap involves the standard Enduro, Motocross and Xtreme tests and stand-out features involve two steep hill sections, a long 10km Enduro zone and a fast MX area. The race could be complicated by a poor weather forecast.

“It will be an important weekend for us obviously but also a bit nervous because anything can still happen especially if rain arrives,” said Team Manager Franco Mayr. “Mika likes slippery and technical conditions and was actually practicing in something similar in Finland recently but wet terrain also carries more risk; we will have to wait and see.”

“We will arrive there on Thursday and have a look at the course and be ready to change the setting of the bike if the rain falls,” he added.

Oscar Balletti is likely to finish 2010 with 6th in the E2 class as the Italian needs 32 points over Swede Joakim Ljunggren to enter the top five. Balletti enjoyed his best day of the season two weeks ago in Greece so will be aiming to end the campaign on a similar note. Fabio Mossini has options to break into the top fifteen (he is 16th) after a difficult and injury-riddled season in E1. The Italian was able to take his CRF250R to a double point-score in Greece however.


Ahola could be Honda’s second World Champion in off-road motorcycling this year after Repsol Montesa-Honda’s Toni Bou dominated the 2010 Indoor and Outdoor Trial competitions. Fingers are crossed at Honda that the flying Finn can do the business this weekend and cement the pace he has shown all year aboard the Honda CRF450R.

For a full report on the final Grand Prix of the season, visit www.hondaproracing.com throughout the course of the weekend.

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ARE YOU A KTM SUPER FAN?

KTM Australia has launched a new promotion surrounding Super X 2010 dubbed the KTM Super Fan.

Fans of KTM motorcycles will have a shot at winning one of 140 prize packs throughout the 2010 Super X season.

The prize packs include 4 gold passes to the Super X round you nominate when entering plus 4 KTM Super Fan packs including a tee shirt, bang bang sticks, posters and stickers. The winners of each round will also be seated together to join forces and cheer on the KTM Racing Team.


To enter the KTM Super Fan promotion log on to www.ktm.com.au and follow the link to the competition page. Fill in your details, nominate which round of competition you are entering and upload an image showing why you are the KTM Super Fan. All images will be published on the KTM Australia website but only the top 20 most creative images of each of the 7 rounds will be the winners.

So get cracking and get creative, pose in front of your KTM, take some action shots, dye your hair, paint your face, anything to show you bleed orange. Only the most colourful and creative images will be selected in the top 20 of each round.

Winners will be notified by phone and published on the KTM Australia website.

For full information, terms and conditions on the KTM Super Fan promotion log on to www.ktm.com.au or visit your local authorised KTM dealer.

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20TH ANNIV. MR MOTORCYCLES TRAIL RIDES

MR Motorcycles Charity Trail Ride series now takes on its 20th year of raising money for the Franklin and North Waikato Communities.
Last year’s Charity Trail Ride Series was another successful year of off road motorcycle fun events which raised over $100,000 for local community organizations.

MR Motorcycles Director’s Craig Brown and Scott Wilkins have been overwhelmed with the continued support of the riders, communities and land owners. With over 3700 riders attending in the last season events, it is one of the most popular and well attended series in the country.

This year’s events will run with the similar format as the last few years with 4 rides being open loop rides of approx 30-40km consisting of rolling farmland and plantation forestry. These rides also have a separate kids loop for kids on mini bikes.
The Waikaretu beach run with its unique sea views, sand dunes and remote beach sections return with an 80km single loop with a fuel/lunch stop in the middle of the ride.

TRAIL RIDE DATES
November 28th 2010 Glen Murray
In association with the Glen Murray Hall Committee

December 12th 2010 Paparimu
In association with the Paparimu School PTA

February 6th 2011 Naike
In association with the Naike Community

February 27th 2011 Waikaretu
In association with the Waikaretu School PTA

March 13th 2011 Wairamarama
In association with the Wairamarama Hall Committee

More information is available on www.mrmotorcycles.co.nz - by phoning 09 237 3095 or email scott@mrmotorcycles.co.nz

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YAMAHA MEN FINISH 1-2-3 AT TOKOROA

Palmerston North’s Adam Reeves (Yamaha), 

in a Yamaha sandwich at the top 

of the standings on Sunday

Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

It was a stunning Yamaha 1-2-3 at the seventh and final round of the Yamaha Top Trail Rider Enduro series (northern region) near Tokoroa on Sunday.

Former Wellington rider Rory Mead, who now calls Taupo his home, was happy to turn his “home” advantage into maximum points when he won the event by more than three minutes from fellow Yamaha man Adam Reeves, of Palmerston North, with a third Yamaha rider, Mokau’s Adrian Smith, taking the third step on the podium.

Smith came in just over three minutes behind Reeves.

The course at Tar Hill, just a few kilometres south of Tokoroa, featured a bit of everything for the dirt bike experts after recent heavy rain made the terrain quite tricky.

“It was a bit muddy but I managed to get around okay. Plenty of riders got stuck,” said Mead (YZ250F). “The junior riders had been set off about half an hour ahead of the seniors, so the track was cut up pretty rough.

“But the bike was awesome. I felt really strong on it.

“I have been training a lot lately for my trip to the International Six Days Enduro in Mexico (in November) and that seemed to pay off for me too.”

Reeves (YZ450F) really had no answer for extreme enduro exponent Mead but it was a solid day in the office for the Manawatu man as he continually pushed to keep Mead honest.

Reeves is the New Zealand champion in the parallel cross-country racing code, having wrapped up his second consecutive national cross-country title just a few months earlier.

Former national cross-country champion and reigning national under-200cc enduro champion Smith (YZ250F) adapted quickly to his 250cc four-stroke bike after he had campaigned the little Yamaha YZ125 two-stroke motocross bike earlier in the season.

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NATIONAL TITLES ON THE LINE

Blenheim’s Moston Wadsworth, 

sure to be a title contender again this weekend.

Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

Champions of the past, present and future come out to play at Mangatawhiri this weekend.

The new venue, north-east of Mercer and south of Bombay, will host the 2010 New Zealand Veterans' and Junior Women's Motocross Championships this Saturday and Sunday with the entry list reading like a who's who and who-used-to-be-who of the sport.

Waikato brothers Darryll and Damien King are determined to defend their four respective national titles and so too is Blenheim’s Moston Wadsworth who, like the Kings, also conquered the field in two separate bike divisions last time around.

Wadsworth won all the races he started at last year’s vets nationals, taking away the championships in both the 45-49 years' under-300cc and over-300cc categories, and few would bet against him doing the same this weekend.

It was a similarly dominant performance from Tokoroa's Tony Livingston last year as he finished the weekend unbeaten in six races in the over-55 years' open class, while Rangiora's Kimberley Murphy was unbeaten in winning the junior women's 125cc title last year.

Other leading riders to watch out for include Wanganui’s Danny Wanganui's Danny Willemsen, Pukekohe’s Craig Brown, Christchurch’s Brad Norton, Taranaki’s Mitch Rowe, Otago’s Courtney Duncan, Rotorua's Melissa Patterson, Taranaki’s Olivia Cottam and Atiamuri's Nikita Knight, to name just a few.

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FREESTYLER’S SET FOR CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE

It’s back again! FMX Battle is returning to Wanganui this summer with even more action and a tougher line-up of competitors. FMX Battle is New Zealand’s only annual Freestyle MotoX competition, and has a head-to-head competition style making it fast paced and spectator friendly. The event made its debut last December, in conjunction with Race Week, and proved to be a great night out for all ages.

Levi "Rubberkid" Sherwood

With rivals from over the ditch returning again this year, the competition is guaranteed to be worth watching. Red Bull X-Fighters winner, Levi Sherwood, has confirmed his participation at the event making it his first performance back in New Zealand after his current leg injury. Sherwood (18yrs) took out the victory at X-Fighters in Moscow and London this year, and also earned himself a silver medal at X-Games for Freestyle MotoX. Other confirmed New Zealand & Australian riders are due to be released next month so keep your eyes peeled for more details.

The brain behind the operation is ‘Scary’ Mary Perkins who runs Encounter FMX, New Zealand’s premier FMX team. Perkins will be putting $10,000 prize money on the line for Australasia’s most impressive and consistent rider.

Sherwood constantly pushing the boundaries of extension

‘Scary’ Mary and her team are running the competition in a similar format to the popular RedBull X-Fighters tour and as Red Bull has already signed on as the event’s major sponsor, plans are well underway. Additional sponsors include Wanganui District Council and Smith Optics.

So mark your calendars for Tuesday 28th December and get along to the Cooks Gardens in Wanganui to see all the action FMX Battle will have to offer - sure to be a great night for all! For more information check out fmxbattle.co.nz.

Posted By: OllieS
Photo credits: Red Bull

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