The fight goes on for the nation’s elite off-road motorcycle racers.

The main prize may already have been snared, but there will still be a mad dash to the finish line for other title hopefuls at this weekend’s fourth and final round of the KTM-sponsored New Zealand Cross-country Championships in Central Hawke’s Bay.

Mokau sheep and beef farmer Adrian Smith made it two consecutive national championship titles in a row, and his third in total, when he wrapped up the 2013 championship at the previous round of this year’s series near Cheviot last month – his 2-1-1 results achieved at rounds one, two and three easily enough for him to clinch the overall title – and he won the over-200cc two-stroke class crown as well, but he is still determined to finish his campaign with a bang.

The Blackwoods BikesportNZ.com rider heads to the farmland course at Ashley Clinton, near the intersection of State Highway 50 and National Highway 2, between Norsewood and Waipukurau, this Saturday still keen to stamp his authority.

“I will still be pushing hard for the win at the final round even though I don’t need to,” said the 27-year-old Smith. “I always race to win. It just means the pressure is off for me now.”

Te Awamutu’s Mark Penny wrapped up the over-300cc four-stroke class title at the previous round, but he harbours hopes of winning the race outright on Saturday.

While Smith and Penny may have little left to prove, the same cannot be said of riders still locked in separate battles for the other class honours.

Riders such as Maruia’s Ethan Bruce, Raglan’s Graeme Goodwright, Auckland’s Sam Greenslade, Marlborough’s Scott Orchard, Raglan’s Matthew Quirke, Palmerston North’s three-time former outright national champion Adam Reeves, Woodville’s Ben Exeter, Onewhero’s Jim Orton, Morrinsville’s Simon Lansdaal Cambridge’s Andrew Charleston and Raglan’s round one winner Jason Dickey each have a chance of snatching some of the silverware on Saturday.

The runner-up spots in the over-200cc two-stroke and over-300cc four-stroke classes are still being fought over and winners have yet to be determined for the under-200cc two-stroke and under-300cc four-stroke categories, along with the two veterans’ divisions.

“It has been a great series, with a variety of tracks and conditions really testing the riders,” said Motorcycling New Zealand cross-country commissioner Chris Smyth.

“The course this weekend will be another interesting battleground.”

The junior grade is also likely to be fiercely-fought on Saturday, with Cambridge’s Taylor Rae, Eketahuna’s Charlie Richardson, Pukekohe’s Isaac Clark , Southlanders Paul Bickley and Todd Keown and Marton pair James Galpin and Ethan Breuer among the leading contenders to win the 90-minute junior race in the morning.

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