It may be Rugby World Cup time but party central is firmly booked in for the Manawatu region in 2011.

All roads lead to the Central North Island in 2011 as one of New Zealand’s leading motorcycle clubs celebrates its centenary with an abundance of high-profile activities.

The Manawatu-Orion Motorcycle Club celebrates its 100th birthday next year and has organised a vast range of activities spread throughout the year, the first event on the jam-packed calendar also the biggest, the annual Honda New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville.

And that alone makes it double reason to party for the club in its centenary year, with the iconic Woodville motocross, the biggest stand-alone event on the Kiwi calendar, celebrating its 50th birthday on January 28-30.

The 50th New Zealand Motocross GP at Woodville will again offer championship titles in many classes, including mini, junior, senior, women, vintage and veterans’ categories.

The 50th celebrations for the weekend begin for guests on Friday (Jan 28) with a short local bus tour, including a visit to the Thomson Motorcycle Museum at Kairanga.

On the Saturday, the guests, including riders who were competitors at Woodville in the 1960s and 70s, will go on an “old battlefields” bus tour of many old “scrambles” tracks around the Manawatu region, eventually arriving at the Woodville circuit where racing at the 2011 edition of the event will already be underway for the mini, junior and vintage riders.

Sunday is the main race day at Woodville and a record turnout of riders is expected, including current, former and perhaps future New Zealand, Australasian and even world champions.

Track action on the Sunday includes races for seniors and veterans, as well as the fabled river race for the die-hard enduro exponents, likely to feature former world MX1 No.2 Josh Coppins, of Motueka, former MX2 world champion Ben Townley, of Taupo, national MX1 champion and defending Woodville champion Justin McDonald, of Christchurch, and former United States cross-country champion Paul Whibley, of Pahiatua.

Other events planned by the club for its centenary year in 2011:

April 2-3: NZ National Road Race Championships final round at Manfeild.

May 14: Beach Race at Waitarere.

May 20-22: Motorcycling New Zealand (formerly ACU) Annual General Meeting at Palmerston North.

October – the weekend before Labour Weekend: NZ Veterans’ MX Champs not yet confirmed.

November 5-6: BSA Shield Trial. This could also include a VMX event TT, hill climb and scramble. This will be final event of year and include the Centenary Dinner.

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