Motocross is a brutal sport, so why do anything that would make it tougher?

Taking the journey from the arrival lounge at Auckland International to the podium at one of New Zealand’s biggest motocross events in just 48 hours must be one of the toughest assignments ever, but this is what the men of the Altherm JCR Yamaha race team managed to do at the season-opening MX Fest at Taupo over Labour Weekend.

Just back on Thursday from a holiday in Europe, Queenstown’s Scotty Columb had not been expected to challenge for outright honours in the MX1 class – but he did.

Just touched down from a business trip to the United States, retired former Grand Prix star and Altherm JCR Yamaha team boss Josh Coppins had likewise probably not been expected to threaten in the MX2 class, riding in a class he had not contested in many years and two seasons after giving up his fulltime racing career – but he did.

Coppins’ last major international act was to win the MX1 open class crown in Australia in 2012, but he showed he’d forgotten nothing when he lined up as a fill-in rider to race the team’s YZ250F in the MX2 class on Sunday.

With the team’s MX2 class champion Kayne Lamont, of Mangakino, still recovering from injury, Coppins decided to take his bike and enter MX Fest and, although the 37-year-old was more than twice the age of many of the competitors in the class, he battled throughout the day for top honours.

In the end he had to settle for overall runner-up spot, behind 15-year-old rising star and fellow Kiwi international Josiah Natzke (CMR Red Bull KTM), of Hamilton, but Coppins was quietly satisfied with his showing.

“I knew it was going to be tough, having just flown in from the US yesterday. But things got better for me as the day wore on and I guess I showed I’ve still got it.

“I had a race win against Josiah and we were pretty close all day. We’re both at different stages of our careers, and I wasn’t prepared to put everything on the line at age 37,” he said.

The Altherm JCR Yamaha team’s MX1 class rider, 31-year-old Columb, was in a similar predicament, flying home following a three-week holiday in Europe and tackling many of New Zealand’s leading 450cc exponents.

In the end Columb was forced to settle for third overall in the MX1 class, behind Taupo’s Brad Groombridge (Bel Ray Pro Rider Suzuki) and Warkworth Husqvarna rider Hamish Dobbyn.

Columb finished no lower than fourth all day and easily earned the third podium position.

“There were a lot of races today and I hadn’t been on a bike at all these past few weeks,” said Columb.

“I qualified on pole today, which I thought was pretty good going against home-town rider Groombridge.

“To finish on the podium was the aim and now I will be building up towards the nationals early next year.

“I am very tired after today’s races but I don’t feel shattered. I even think I could do another race right now if I needed to, so that’s good.”

A third member of the Altherm JCR Yamaha racing team, Waitakere’s Ethan Martens, finished fourth overall in the MX1 class, while Rotorua’s John Phillips (The Honda Shop Racing Team) rounded out the top five.

The riders now prepare themselves to tackle the New Zealand Motocross Championships, which kick off in New Plymouth in February.

The Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing team is supported by Altherm Window Systems, Yamaha, JCR, CRC, Ados, GYTR, Yamalube, Fox Racing, Hollands Collision Centre, Star Moving, Ward Demolition, Fulton Hogan, Pirelli, FMF, DID, NGK, Matrix, Renthal, Motomuck, Workshop Graphics, Motoseat, Hammerhead, SKF, Vertex Pistons, Rtech Plastics, Etnies, Biketranz.

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

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