Dominant performances were the hallmark of racing at the 2014 New Zealand Junior Motocross Champions near Greymouth at the weekend.

Titles were on offer in six separate categories and maximum tallies were achieved by riders in four of those at the Backflips Clothing and KTM-sponsored event, held at Waipuna Station, Ikamatua, Westland, over the Anzac weekend.

Racing was reduced from seven races per class to just five over Saturday and Sunday as wild weather leading up to the event had turned much of the venue – about halfway between Reefton and Greymouth – into a quagmire. But fine weather greeted the riders for much of the weekend and there seemed to be no problems for the riders to find traction on the farmland course.

It may be a long way from the Bay of Plenty to Westland but Taupo brothers Cohen and Wyatt Chase are very glad they made the trip.

The two Yamaha riders won two of the six classes at the weekend.

It was especially sweet for 14-year-old Wyatt Chase (Yamaha YZ85) with his title win in the 13-16 years’ 85cc class his first junior crown. For his 16-year-old big brother Cohen Chase, winning the premier 14-16 years’ 250cc class was perhaps less of a surprise after he’d collected the national 15-16 years’ 125cc class title last season.

Cohen Chase (pictured above) won three of his five 250cc races, and finished runner-up in the other two, easily beating Oamaru’s Joel Meikle (Honda) to the trophy, while Wyatt Chase won four of his five outings, an eighth placing in race one his only hiccup. Wyatt Chase finished the championship equal on points with Taihape’s Hayden Smith (KTM), but was eventually given the title on a count-back because he had scored more race wins.

It has been a solid spell for Wyatt Chase, who also finished third overall in the Australian Junior Motocross Championships at Horsham last year.

Other class winners at Greymouth were Rangiora’s Dylan Walsh (KTM), who won the 15-16 years’ 125cc class ahead of Ngatea’s Benjamin Broad (Yamaha), while Nelson’s Reece Walker (Yamaha) won the 12-14 years 125cc class ahead of Te Puke’s Tyler Steiner (KTM).

Visiting Australian rider Tyler Darby (KTM) won the 11-12 years’ 85cc title and Auckland’s Ryan Webley (KTM) won the 8-10 years’ 85cc crown.

Walsh, Walker, Darby and Webley were each unbeaten over the weekend, achieving their respective title wins with maximum points to their credit.

“I started the championship pretty well and won the first two races of the weekend,” said Cohen Chase.

“But then I dropped the bike in race three but got up again to finish second. I knew I had to win at least one race on day two to get the title and won the first race on Sunday to make things fairly safe. I was getting pressure from Levin’s Billy Frank in the last race but he wasn’t a threat to my title, so I let him by.

“Joel Meikle kept me honest throughout the racing, but it was comfortable for me in the end.”

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

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Full results HERE, thanks to Nicole Bol and the team at MX Timing.

Leading results:

14-16 years’ 250cc:

1. Cohen Chase (Taupo, Yamaha) 119 points;

2. Joel Meikle (Oamaru, Honda) 101;

3. Bryn Gilbert (Alexandra, Honda) 96;

4. Billy Frank (Levin, Honda) 87;

5. Sam Guise (Masterton, Honda) 78.

15-16 years’ 125cc:

1. Dylan Walsh (Rangiora, KTM) 125 points (maximum);

2. Benjamin Broad (Ngatea, Yamaha) 99;

3. Nick Hornby (Hawera, Yamaha) 95;

4. Isaac Millson (Nelson, Yamaha) 85;

5. Ryan Gwynn (Patea, KTM) 79.

12-14 years 125cc:

1. Reece Walker (Nelson, Yamaha) 125 points (maximum);

2. Tyler Steiner (Te Puke, KTM) 108;

3. Camden Butler (Masterton, Yamaha) 98;

4. Tony Cvitanovich (Feilding, KTM) 88;

5. Troy Taylor (Whangarei, Yamaha) 79;

13-16 years’ 85cc:

1. Wyatt Chase (Taupo, Yamaha) 113;

2. Hayden Smith (Taihape, KTM) 113;

3. Adam Moss (Wellington, Kawasaki) 98;

4. Jack Dalton (Blenheim, KTM) 84;

5. Piggy Suzuki (Invercargill, KTM) 81.

11-12 years’ 85cc:

1. Tyler Darby (Australia, KTM) 125 points (maximum);

2. James Scott (Oparau, Kawasaki) 108;

3. Grason Veitch (Dunedin, KTM) 102;

4. Trent Garland (Christchurch, Yamaha) 90;

5. Daniel White (Te Awamutu, Kawasaki) 78.

8-10 years 85cc:

1. Ryan Webley (Auckland, KTM) 125 points (maximum);

2. Regan Turner (Dunedin, Kawasaki) 110;

3. Luca Palmer-Donaldson (Nelson, KTM) 92;

4. Cobie Bourke (Kaiapoi, KTM) 92;

5. Ryan Tutty (Gore, KTM) 82.