The Annual Port Nelson Motorcycle Street Races were held on Thursday, January 2, with thunder and lightning on New Year’s Day clearing for the races to go ahead in perfect conditions.

Christchurch’s Dennis Charlett had been crowned King of The Port last year for the fourth consecutive time, but, due to racing commitments in the New Zealand Superbike Championships at Ruapuna this weekend, he was unable to defend his crown for this year.

So this allowed last year’s runner-up, Christchurch’s Dan McKenzie, to take his Honda CBR1000 and steal off with the main prize.

McKenzie also won the Formula 1 Class from Steve Brown.

Also popular were the supermoto classes where New Plymouth’s Mitch Rowe (KTMSXF450) was able to capitalise on a mistake by Motueka’s former Grand Prix motocross star Josh Coppins (Yamaha YZ450F) in the first race to win the S2 Supermoto Class ahead of Chris Manson, with Coppins settling for third.

However, Coppins made no mistakes in the S1 Open Supermoto race, to hold off Aussie Dave Oliver, on a very fast Aprilia VDB550, relegating Rowe to third.

Coppins was showing some interest to race Paeroa Street Race in February to gauge himself against some of the top North Island Supermoto Racers as well – but will be focusing on managing his Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team’s campaign in the upcoming New Zealand Motocross Championship, which kick off near Timaru on February 9.

Other class winners at this week’s Port Nelson Streets Races were:

F2 – Jake Lewis

F3 – Jack Woodley

Bears – Steve Brown

Classics – Bruce Verdon