AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM

A vast amount of experience will be on show when the New Zealand Veterans’ and Women’s Motocross Championships blast off in Canterbury in just over a week’s time.

The venue near Southbridge, about 40 minutes’ drive south of Christchurch, will host the two-day 2014 veterans’ and women’s nationals on November 22-23, with an entry list reading like a who’s who and who-used-to-be-who of the sport.

Sponsored by Baird’s Collision Centre, the two-day annual event features many riders who, despite their veteran status, still rate among the sport’s elite, while the female side of the sport that shares the race programme is more still a hotbed for rising stars.

Three riders who are expected to shine among the women are Taihape’s Sarah Elwin, New Plymouth’s Mikayla Rowe, and Otago’s Courtney Duncan, all of them in hot form at recent events.

The 19-year-old Elwin is the reigning New Zealand senior women’s No.1, while 16-year-old Rowe was crowned the national junior women’s motocross champion last November and these two riders are both determined to defend those titles at Southbridge, although it’s fair to say that 18-year-old Kiwi international Duncan is perhaps at another level above them.

Turangi’s Oceaana Hardwidge won the junior women’s 85cc two-stroke and 150cc four-stroke title last season, while Te Puke’s Mary Wanhill won the veteran women’s (over-30 years) crown and the winners this time around could be anyone’s guess with neither Hardwidge nor Wanhill so far entered.

Meanwhile, it’s probably a no-brainer to expect recently-retired former Grand Prix racer Josh Coppins to lead the way in the veteran men’s action.

The 37-year-old Motueka man, a two-time former world No.2 and multi-time former New Zealand and British champion, has never really stopped riding since retiring from top-level competition after winning the Australian open class title in 2012.

Former 500cc world champion Shayne King, from New Plymouth, should also be a force to be reckoned with, but in addition expect to see 43-year-old Canterbury rider Dean Baird (pictured top) among the leading riders in the veteran men’s ranks, while Nelson’s Bryan Heaphy, Blenheim’s Steve Lange, Hamilton’s Dwayne Rameka, New Plymouth’s Mitch Rowe, Blenheim’s Moston Wadsworth and Winton’s Brent Scammell could also feature near the front of their respective classes.

Other riders to watch for in the women’s ranks include Hamilton’s Tyla Cushion, Nelson sisters Skye (aged 16), Tyla (15) and Roma Edwards (12), Geraldine’s Kate Brown, Ikamatua’s Grace Soeters, Sefton’s Jessica Ollis, Kaiapoi’s Caitlin Ryan, Hamilton’s Brenda Vickers, Renwick’s Stacey Cleaver, Greymouth’s Alex McCann and Templeton’s Madi Berry.