BIRCH FOUR FROM FOUR | Bikesportnz

Less than a minute separated the winner from the runner-up rider at the fourth round of eighth in the 2013 New Zealand Enduro Championships in the King Country at the weekend.

There were just 48 seconds between multi-time former champion and 2013 series leader Chris Birch, of Auckland, and defending national champion Adrian Smith, of Mokau, at the end of a brutal day’s racing at Waimiha on Saturday, the Yamaha-sponsored championships heating up as they reached the halfway stage.

The victory on Saturday, however, meant it is now four wins from four starts for Birch (KTM 350XCF) and, although there’s no reason to panic yet, Smith can perhaps feel his crown slipping.

The 32-year-old Birch, from Glen Eden, won five of the day’s six ‘special tests’ – tightly-timed sprint sessions on demanding terrain – while Smith was happy to claim fastest time in the other test, but it was perhaps another one that got away from Smith (Yamaha YZ250) and time is running out for him if he hopes to retain his national title.

Birch also strengthened his grip on the top spot in the battle-within-a-battle for expert over-300cc four-stroke class honours.

Smith’s outright runner-up finish allowed him some consolation in that it was enough for him to leap back to first-equal position in the over-200cc two-stroke class. Smith now shares the top spot in that category with Whangamata’s Jason Davis (KTM 250XC), who finished third outright at Waimiha on Saturday.

“It was pretty treacherous on this course,” said Birch afterwards. “I was typically the first rider through a lot of the sections and it was a bit sketchy at times.

“It was a difficult course; Waimiha usually is.

“I had a couple of get-offs, just slow-speed stuff really, when I got caught out by tree roots, but the bikes are built pretty tough these days, so there was no damage done.

“It’s looking positive for me for the championship outright and for me to win the class as well this season, but I still have to make sure I finish. Anything can happen.”

Tokoroa’s Sean Clarke (KTM 350 EXC) remains top of the veterans’ (over 40 years) division after his impressive fourth overall placing on Saturday and he is now a whopping 29 points ahead of his main challenger for class glory, Taupo’s Mark De Lautour (KTM 350 EXCF ), who was unlucky to cross the line in 19th spot overall on Saturday (fourth best finisher in the veterans’ class).

Auckland’s Freddie Milford-Cottam (KTM 200EXC) finished fifth on Saturday and allowed him to stretch his advantage in the battle for bragging rights in the expert under-200cc two-stroke class.

Auckland’s Callan May (Yamaha YZ250F) had a tough time of it on Saturday, at one stage crashing heavily into a tree, but he still managed to finish sixth overall, finishing top of the expert under-300cc four-stroke class and increasing his lead there.

The series next heads to Maramarua for round five on June 1, followed by Taupo on July 20. It wraps up near Tokoroa on September 21.

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