Winning three national cross-country crowns must count for something and Palmerston North’s Adam Reeves believes it might just be the edge he needs to conquer this weekend’s Suzuki Six-Hour Dirt Bike Marathon near Taupo.

That vast winning experience plus a surprise new team-mate could well be the right recipe for success in Saturday’s big race at The Pylons, the course set out on forestry land about halfway between Tokoroa and Taupo.

Sharing the riding duties with Yamaha ace Reeves will be national over-300cc four-stroke class enduro champion Chris Power, the Aucklander sensationally making the switch to the blue and white bike brand just this week and he is determined to make it a winning transition on Saturday.

“I am super-excited about the move to Yamaha,” said the 31-year-old Power.

“Having raced Yamaha in Australia and in Finland and Mexico, I already had a great rapport with the Yamaha guys. So, when the opportunity came up, I simply could not turn it down. It feels like I’m rejuvenated, switching to a different brand. I feel a new sense of excitement and now, more than ever, I have gotten that eagerness to get out there and ride.”

Power was one half of the two-rider team to wrap up the Sandpit Two-man Series in Woodhill Forest last weekend – he teamed with fellow Aucklander James Ainsworth to win that – and heads to Saturday’s big race in confident mood.

“I will do some modifications to the Yamaha WR450F to suit my riding style, but, from my initial riding, it is a very good base to work from. Plus, I rode the new WR at the 24-Hour Australian Enduro, so it’s not like it is totally new to me.”

Yamaha New Zealand’s Peter Payne confirmed that Power was not a newcomer to the brand and he, too, was looking forward to the strengthened association.

“He’s won on a Yamaha at the International Six Days Enduro and twice won on a Yamaha at the 24-hour race in Australia, so he’s already tasted great success with our bikes.”

Power and Reeves will form a sensational partnership, the pair perhaps overwhelming favourites to win Saturday’s gruelling race.

Neither rider will be taking anything for granted, however, with some heavyweight opposition lining up against them, including four-time former six-hour race winner Mark Penny, of Te Awamutu, who will pair up with international motocross ace Scotty Columb, of Queenstown, Wangamata’s former national enduro champion Jason Davis (KTM), Tauranga’s Reece Burgess (Husaberg), Auckland pairing of Sean Fogarty and Mike Davis, and Te Awamutu’s Kevin Archer (KTM), to name a few.

Former New Zealand Motocross of Nations team rider Brad Groombridge (Honda), of Taupo, has entered as an ironman.

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