DIRT GUIDANCE | Bikesportnz

Mokau’s Adrian Smith came within a whisker of winning this year’s Dirt Guide Cross-country Championships and is in an extremely confident mood now as he heads into the busy part of his season.

The Yamaha rider from the King Country missed the opening round of the three-round Dirt Guide series, but he came close to pulling off a miracle title win by dominating both races he did enter.

In the end, he was forced to settle for the runner-up spot overall as consistency gave the title instead to Auckland’s Mike Skinner.

Skinner finished runner-up to fellow Aucklander Chris Power at the opening round of the series back in April, but title hopefuls were resigned to watching Smith disappear into the distance at the two rounds that followed, the third and final round near Atiamuri at the weekend turning into another virtual Adrian Smith benefit.

With a no-show followed by two comprehensive wins, the 26-year-old Smith (Yamaha YZ250) amassed 50 championship points – 25 for each win – and, amazingly, he came up just nine points shy of stealing the title away.

Skinner (KTM 300 EXC) finished 2-2-6 over the three rounds to take the title with 59 points.

But Smith remains well satisfied, his abbreviated Dirt Guide Cross-country Championships campaign just a means to an end for the off-road bike warrior.

“It was really just a training tool for me,” said Smith, who wrapped up the New Zealand Cross-country Championships earlier this season and is firm favourite to complete the double by winning the five-round New Zealand Enduro Championships, which are set to wrap up near Taupo in two weeks’ time.

“It’s the enduro title that matters most to me at the moment,” he said. “I’m feeling very good at the moment. My fitness is very good and I set the fastest times on every lap at Atiamuri on Saturday.”

In fact, Smith was so swift that he was the only rider to complete six laps in the two hours.

“Pahiatua’s Scott Sowry (Suzuki RM125) rode really well. He won the junior race earlier in the day and then entered the senior race as well, finishing runner-up to me on Saturday. He’ll be a rider to watch in the future.

“I had expected the course to be quite wet after all the rain but it is mostly sand-based and very free-draining. It was a bit rougher that I expected it to be but I’m very fit at the moment so it wasn’t a problem.”

The Intermediate Class title was won by Putaruru 17-year-old Ryan Scherer (Yamaha), on a count-back ahead of Bennydale’s Duncan Mclaren (Husaberg).

Sowry was unbeaten in the junior grade at all three round, easily taking the junior crown and, despite contesting just two of the three rounds also in the senior division, he managed to finish a remarkable seventh overall among the seniors.

Oparau’s Hunter Scott (Kawasaki) won the minis title overall, with Te Awamutu’s Rachel Archer (Kawasaki) second.

“The final event attracted 96 senior riders and 35 junior riders,” said organiser Sean Clarke, of Tokoroa.

“This was the fifth year that I have run the Dirt Guide-sponsored series. I enjoy putting on these events because it gives a wide range riders a good, fun event on the same day.”

Meanwhile, Smith and some of the other Dirt Guide series competitors now prepare for the annual Tarawera 100 dirt bike endurance race near Kawerau this coming Saturday, followed by the final round of the Yamaha New Zealand Enduro Championships near Taupo on July 21.

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