TOUGH IN TARANAKI | Bikesportnz

Who will be the King of the Mountain for 2012?

A slew of former and current national champions will arrive in the Taranaki region this weekend for the big annual King of the Mountain Motocross, all of them capable of challenging for the crown.

Sunday’s racing – for juniors, seniors, veterans and minis – offers more than $5000 worth of product prizes.

Last season it was Tauranga’s Peter Broxholme (Honda) and Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper (Suzuki) who dominated the day – Broxholme coming out on top with the big feature race win – although this time around there are an even greater number of stars prepared to accept the challenge.

Recently-crowned Waikato MX2 class champion Cameron Dillon (Honda), of Taupo, is entered, along with Taranaki’s former 500cc world champion, Shayne King (KTM) (pictured here) and former national 500cc champion Mitch Rowe (Yamaha).

One of New Zealand’s Motocross of Nations team riders in Colorado in 2010, Taupo’s Brad Groombridge (Honda), and multi-time former national motocross and supercross champion Daryl Hurley (Suzuki) have also indicated that they will line up at the popular Barrett Road Motorcycle Park circuit on Sunday.

With the national championship series just around the corner, this event is an ideal opportunity for the nation’s elite to test themselves and build-up for the 2013 season ahead.

New Plymouth’s Hamish Stenning (Yamaha) won the National 125cc class at the King of the Mountain event last season, finishing ahead of Waikanae’s Kieran Bryant (Yamaha) and Auckland’s Kurtis Lilly (KTM), while Otorohanga’s Hayden Kanters (Kawasaki) won the junior King of the Mountain feature race.

Atiamuri’s Hadleigh Knight (KTM) is the reigning junior 125cc champion and his recent form indicates that he may be too strong for his rivals in the senior 125 class.

National junior women’s No.1 Tayla Rampton, of Opunake, should spice up the women’s grade, while Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis, Taupo’s Wyatt Chase and Hawera’s Kieran Baker will light up the junior 85cc class.

Comments are closed.