KTM rider Jayden Turnwald showed maturity beyond his years as he withstood intense pressure at the Secondary Schools Motocross Championships at Mercer on Sunday.

The 15-year-old, riding for the Onewhero Area School, dominated the early part of the day in his 13-15 years’ 125cc class, winning the first two of his three races, edging ahead of Yamaha riders Benjamin Broad (Hauraki Plains College), Wyatt Chase (from Tauhara College in Taupo) and Tyler Ward (Kings College) on the points table and setting himself up for overall victory.

But then came race three and, with the sand track at its roughest near the end of the day, rival Broad was coming on strong, determined to change his fortunes at the inaugural event, hosted by the Pukekohe Motorcycle Club.

Broad won the day’s final race, but it wasn’t enough to clinch the crown, Turnwald satisfied to “ride safe” and finish third, sufficient to win the class outright by one point.

“I was on a borrowed KTM 125SX and decided to play it safe in the last race, with the track getting so rough and because the bike wasn’t really set up for me,” Turnwald explained.

“I didn’t know what the points situation was (between me and Ben Broad), but I figured third place in that last race would be okay to still win the title.”

And that’s exactly how it turned out.

With his solid performance at Mercer on Sunday, it seems the BikesportNZ.com-supported rider is poised to push on to greater things on the full national scene.

Turnwald finished eighth overall in his senior New Zealand Motocross Championships debut earlier this year and believes he can improve upon that when the new national championships season kicks off in February.

“I’m hoping for a podium finish at the nationals,” he said.

Another impressive performance at Mercer on Sunday came from KTM rider Ben Hahn, riding for Pinehurst College, on Auckland’s North Shore.

Hahn notched up a 1-1-2 score-card to easily edge out Stratford High School’s Nick Hornby (Yamaha) and win the 16-18 years’ 250cc four-stroke class.

Fellow KTM rider Josiah Natzke was, as expected, simply too slick for his rivals in the 14-15 years’ 250cc four-stroke class.

Natzke, just back from a stint in Europe, where he managed third overall at the Czech Republic round of the European 125cc Championships and then seventh overall at the World Junior Motocross Championships in Belgium, showed why he is ranked among the top 10 junior riders in the world.

Riding for Te Kura High School, The CMR Red Bull KTM rider not too surprisingly won all three of his races at Mercer, each time finishing nearly a full lap ahead of eventual runner-up Jovhann Phillips (Tauranga Boys’ College), who raced a Suzuki.

Other class winners were Dean Collins (Waiuku College, 16-18 years’ 125cc class); Andre Whitehead (Te Puke High School, 16-18 years’ 250cc novice); Jordan Milsom (Te Puke High School, 13-16 years’ 85-150cc); Max Simpson (Waiuku College, 13-15 years 125cc novice); Riley Hare (Paeroa College, 14-15 years’ 250cc novice); Jack Broughton (Te Kauwhata College, 85cc novice); and Anna Lawton (Kaipara College, women’s open grade).

Meanwhile, Hauraki Plains College won the battle for schools honours with 577 points, finishing ahead of Waiuku College (496 points) and Hamilton Boys’ High School (352 points).

A total 39 college teams were entered, adding up to more than 140 individuals.

Final overall standings:

1. Hauraki Plains College (18 riders entered), 577 points

2. Waiuku College (16 riders entered), 496 points

3. Hamilton Boys’ High (14 riders entered), 352 points

© Words and photos by Bridget & Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

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

Check back here on www.BikesportNZ.com during this week as we bring you more stories and photos from the weekend.