A HARD NUT TO CRACK | Bikesportnz

It is a hard nut to crack and Mokau’s Adrian Smith should know.

The three-time national cross-country champion has made it his mission over the years to conquer the iconic annual Tarawera 100 cross-country marathon in the Bay of Plenty, but now, on his ninth attempt on Saturday, he finally made it onto the podium at the race near Kawerau.

Bad luck in the past has always kept the Awakino sheep and beef farmer from the winners’ circle at this event – running out of fuel and frying his clutch just two hard luck stories from his past campaigns – but it was a different story this time around with Smith (Blackwood BikesportNZ.com Yamaha YZ250) snatching the lead at the start and eventually finishing overall runner-up, behind former world and New Zealand motocross champion Ben Townley (Carlton Dry Honda CRF450).

Smith also pocketed the prize for winning the over-200cc two-stroke bike category. Tauranga’s Townley raced a 450cc bike and he therefore took top honours for the over-300cc four-stroke class.

Townley followed Smith out of turn one but, once Townley edged past, he stretched his legs and increased the gap opened during each of his four 40-kilometre laps.

Third overall on Saturday was Taupo’s Brad Groombridge (Action Suzuki RM-Z450), who was grateful to snatch the final podium spot when four riders ahead of him all had problems near the end of the final lap.

“I always seem to have bad luck at this event, but now I think I have turned it around,” said Smith afterwards.

“Luck actually favoured me for once because I was in third place on the last lap and didn’t realise I had inherited second spot when the man in front of me (Tauranga’s Peter Broxholme) ran out of fuel. I had lost sight of Broxy (Broxholme) and didn’t realise he’d dropped out. I was pushing pretty hard and thought I should have been catching him and it wasn’t until I crossed the finish line that I discovered I’d passed him and finished second.

“It wasn’t entirely trouble-free for me though. My hard guard broke when I hit a tree and jammed the handlebars full-lock, causing me to crash pretty hard. I wrenched off the broken hand guard and just carried on. I was lucky I wasn’t hurt.

“I am thrilled just to finish this race and to end it runner-up and bag a class win as well, that’s a real bonus. Nerves are always a problem for me at this event but now I’ve got the monkey off my back.”

Comments are closed.