LAMONT UNBEATABLE | Bikesportnz

Seven wins from seven starts, it was surely the “Kayne Lamont Show” at the North Island Motocross Championships in Hawke’s Bay at the weekend.

Nobody could touch the young Kiwi international at the ZM Valley Motocross Park, just outside Hastings, on Saturday as he took a Yamaha YZ250F to run away to a hat-trick of wins in the 14-16 years’ 250cc class, was similarly unbeatable (on a Yamaha YZ125) in the 15-16 years’ 125 class and then, just for good measure, aced the Champion of Champions feature race as well.

It augurs well for the 16-year-old rising star from Mangakino because he has several overseas trips looming on the horizon later this year.

“I’ve become a fulltime professional rider and, for the next two years at least, we’ll see where that takes me,” said Lamont.

“We — mum and dad and I – decided not to tackle Australia this year but put our resources into heading to France for the World Junior Motocross Championships in August. I finished only 24th in the world champs when they were staged in Taupo last year but that was thanks to me not finishing one of the two races.

“I hope that, if I perform well in France in August, someone will spot me and make an offer to get me into a professional team.”

As part of his build-up for France, Lamont will also race at one of the round of the Scottish Youth Motocross Championships.

“Yamaha New Zealand is helping out too and I should have a YZ125 to race there. After the world championships I will race another round of the national series in Scotland, just for the experience.”

Lamont turns senior in New Zealand later this year and will tackle the 125cc class at the senior nationals.

Runner-up to Lamont in the 125cc class in Hastings on Saturday was fellow Yamaha ace Callum Moore, of Featherston, with Matamata’s Jacob Kneebone (Yamaha) taking the third podium spot.

In the 250cc class it was Upper Hutt’s Samuel Dews (Yamaha) who had to settle for runner-up spot behind Lamont, with Hastings’ Zach Lawrence (Honda) third best.

Riding a YZ85, Kneebone also finished runner-up in the 13-16 years’ 85cc class – behind Yamaha’s world No.6 from Otago, Courtney Duncan – and he won the 85cc class Champion of Champions feature race.

Hamilton’s Josiah Natzke (Yamaha) won the 11-12 years’ 85cc class ahead of Oamaru’s Joel Meikle (Honda), while Taupo’s Wyatt Chase (Yamaha) was unbeaten in the 8-10 years’ 85cc class.

In the senior racing that followed on Sunday, it was Taupo’s Brad Groombridge who stepped forward to dominate.

Although not as comprehensive at Lamont, Groombridge still won one class, finished runner-up in another and then wrapped up his afternoon by winning the all-in senior Champion of Champions race.

Groombridge (Suzuki RM-Z450) finished a close runner-up to Gisborne’s Shaun Fogarty (KTM) in the MX1 class and he took an RM-Z250 to win the MX2 class ahead of another Gisborne rider, Kawasaki’s Matt Hunt.

Wairarapa’s Moore picked up the pace from where he’d left off on Saturday to win the senior 125cc class on Sunday.

Tauranga’s Jesse Waterhouse (Yamaha) won the women’s class, while Blenheim’s Moston Wadsworth (Honda) won the veterans’ class.