Auckland’s Chris Power won the battle but Wellington’s Hugh Lintott won the war.

The Yamaha Central Enduro Series wrapped up with the fourth and final round on steep forestry land off the Moonshine Road, near Pauatahanui, on the Kapiti Coast, on Sunday and Power was able to ride his Yamaha WR450F to victory on the day.

Unfortunately for Power, this was only the second round he had contested in the series this season and so, mathematically, he really had no chance of winning the series.

That left it to ‘Mr Consistency’, 41-year-old Brooklyn construction company owner Lintott (Yamaha YZ450F), to claim the series honours. Lintott finished the day second overall, making it a Yamaha 1-2 for the final round, and this was easily enough for him to make it three years in a row that he’s won the series outright.

Masterton’s Jacob Hyslop (KTM) finished third overall on Sunday, with Wellington’s Jake Whitaker (Husaberg) and Eketahuna’s Daniel Christie (Yamaha) rounding out the top five.

“It was a pretty technical course and very tight,” said Lintott. “Some riders found it quite hard work but I thought the course was awesome.

“The organisers had cut a lot of new tracks in the bush, so local knowledge wasn’t much help to me.

“I have to pick and choose what events I ride these days and tend not to travel too far from home,” said Lintott, a married father of one, “with twins on the way”.

“I just rode smoothly on Sunday and not ride over my head. I made no mistakes, which is good for a change,” he laughed.

“I only started racing bikes when I was 34, so I haven’t been at it as long as some of my rival, but I do love this sport. I was involved with rugby for many years and played NPC for Manawatu. But this is the sport I love now.

“I also used to race downhill mountain-bikes too, but now I’ve got an engine and a throttle … it’s a lot easier.”

For Sunday’s overall winner Power, the ride was just what he needed as he prepares for a final thrust at the Yamaha New Zealand Enduro Championships.

He now has his brand new Yamaha WR450F closer to being set up and run-in ahead of his real focus, to win the sixth and final round of the enduro nationals near Tokoroa in less than two weeks’ time (on September 21).

“I am running third overall in the over-300cc four-stroke class after five rounds so far this year and I really want to finish strongly at Tokoroa,” said the 32-year-old Power, the national over-300cc four-stroke class enduro champion last season.

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

Share