The high-profile Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team featured high in all three bike categories at this year’s New Zealand Motocross Championships, which wrapped up in Taupo on Saturday afternoon.

Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper (The Honda Shop Racing Team CRF450) again won the MX1 class but he was hounded all the way for a second consecutive season by Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team rider Billy MacKenzie, the Scottish-born but Australian-based international rider in New Zealand to build up for the start of the Australian Motocross Championships, which kick off near Melbourne next weekend.

With five runner-up finishes during the four-round Kiwi series, and by finishing solidly in the seven other races that made up the New Zealand championships, the Edinburgh native was always impressive and he heads back to Australia confident that he will go well across the Tasman this year.

“Cody is always fast on his home turf, but I know I have the pace to win in Australia,” said Mackenzie.

His Altherm JCR Yamaha team boss, fellow former world championship Grand Prix rider Josh Coppins, was also impressed with MacKenzie’s form in New Zealand.

“Overall it was a so-so day for the team here in Taupo,” said Coppins.

“But Billy rode brilliantly and it was great for him to finish runner-up in the MX1 class. We also had Jay Wilson (Australia, Yamaha YZ250F) and Logan Blackburn (Te Puke, BikesportNZ.com Yamaha YZ125) finish on the podium in their classes, so that is not a bad result for us.

“It was a tough MX2 title defence for Scott Columb (Yamaha YZ250, of Queenstown) … her deserved better … but that’s motocross sometimes,” he shrugged.

“Jay (Wilson) was in Brisbane hospital on Wednesday night getting an infection drained, so for him to perform today like he did is very courageous. He really put his heart and soul into the racing today.”

Blackburn finished third overall in the 125cc class and this was despite him crashing at the start of the day’s second of three 125cc races and breaking his collarbone.

Coppins will now switch his focus to arranging trail rides with Altherm and also with working towards testing the bikes for major events coming up, including the big annual Michael Godfrey Memorial Motocross near Christchurch in June.

The Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing team is supported by Yamaha Motor New Zealand, CRC, Fox, Holland’s Collision Centre, Star Moving, GYTR, Yamalube, Pro Circuit, Alpinestars, Matrix, DID, NGK, Renthal, Pirelli, Etnies, Workshop Graphics, POD, Atlas, Motomuck, Uni, Giltrap Prestige, Hinson, Racetech Plastics, Vertex Pistons, SKF and Biketranz.

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

Find BikesportNZ.com on Facebook HERE

Full results can be found HERE … thanks to Nicole Bol and the MX Timing team.

Full story and more photos in your next issue of KIWI RIDER magazine.