NO REST FOR THE WICKED

It is true there is no rest for the wicked, or so it seems.

And that means Motueka’s Josh Coppins (Yamaha) Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper (Suzuki) and Rotorua’s Michael Phillips (Honda) must be very bad men indeed.

Fresh from constructing a solid six-point lead at the top of the New Zealand Motocross Championships series – that competition reaching the halfway stage in the Thames Valley region on Sunday – Coppins now switches focus as he steels himself for a tilt at the Australian Motocross nationals, starting next weekend (March 13) just outside Melbourne.

Significantly, two of Coppins’ main rivals at home will also be among the men most likely to challenge him across the Tasman – the two riders who are just behind him in the New Zealand championship stakes, Cooper and Phillips.

“It’s really professional in Australia so it’s great to come and race here, plus spend a little bit more time at home – I’m excited about it,” said Coppins, who races for the MXDK Rockstar Yamaha team in New Zealand and the CDR Rockstar Energy Yamaha Team in Australia.

“All that I can do is give it 100% every week. After 15 seasons in GP racing I’m looking forward to what this championship presents.”

Coppins’ CDR Rockstar Energy Yamaha team-mate in Australia is defending triple champion Jay Marmont, the two men joining forces to spearhead Yamaha’s assault on the open class crown.

“There are going to be new guys battling for the title, a lot of points up for grabs and it’s going to be important to be consistent,” said the 27-year-old from Wollongong.

“I’ve prepared as much I can heading into the season and I feel like I’m in better shape than I ever have been.”

The nine-round Australian series kicks off at the world-renowned Broadford circuit, in Victoria, next weekend (March 13) and winds up at Coolum, in Queensland, on July 31.

Immediately after next weekend’s Aussie opener, Coppins will return to complete his Kiwi campaign with round three of the New Zealand championships set for Rotorua on March 20 and the fourth and final round in New Plymouth on March 27.

Coppins’ trophy cabinet may need a re-build because, if everything goes to plan for the Kiwi legend, it could be six major titles for Coppins in the short space of time since he wrapped up his Motocross World Championship career in Europe last September.

It is highly likely that Coppins could add the New Zealand and Australian open class motocross crowns to the Woodville Motocross, North Island, South Island and New Zealand Supercross Championship titles he collected just a few weeks ago.

Phillips also has a major win to his credit this season, having won the annual Summercross event near Whakatane in December, and with international experience already with racing in Australia, Italy and the United Kingdom, Phillips is also a warm favourite to win across the Tasman next weekend.

Cooper, too, has vast international experience, with an Australian MX2 (250cc) title to his credit and two seasons under his belt racing in the United States, so next Sunday’s racing in Victoria could well feature at least one Kiwi, and possibly even three, on the podium.