NZ CHAMPIONS CROWNED | Bikesportnz

The New Zealand Veterans’ and Women’s Motocross Championships have wrapped up for another season with a slew of new names on the various trophies.

The two-day competition, sponsored by Baird’s Collision Centre, this year attracted a few first-timers and, perhaps not surprisingly, some of these riders were among those to achieve unbeaten records.

The annual event, near Southbridge, about 40 minutes’ drive south of Christchurch, featured an entry list that read like a who’s who and who-used-to-be-who of the sport with two-time former world No.2 Josh Coppins the headline act.

The recently-retired Coppins was making his debut appearance at the veterans’ nationals after a career mostly spent racing overseas and only a mechanical problem or a huge crash was ever going to get in his way of his charge for the title in the 35-19 years’ category.

As it turned out, the campaign of the 37-year-old Motueka man was trouble-free and he was one of several riders to notch up an unbeaten run of five wins from five starts.

Other clean-sweep riders at the event were Nelson’s Bryan Heaphy (who easily won the 40-44 years’ under-200cc two-stroke and under-300cc four-stroke class), Auckland’s Tony Cooksley (55-59 years’ class winner) and senior women’s class champion Courtney Duncan, from Otago (pictured above).

New names will be etched on trophies in several other classes, with Queenstown’s Scott Columb, a rider very much still active at the top senior level of racing, running away with the 30-35 years’ over-201cc two-stroke and over-301cc four-stroke class, while Winton’s Martin Axtens dominated the 40-44 years’ overs class with four wins and one runner-up finish.

Taranaki’s Mitch Rowe added more veterans’ class titles to his bulging trophy cabinet as he won both the unders and overs categories set aside for riders aged between 45 and 49 years.

Blenheim’s Moston Wadsworth was beaten only once on his path to taking top honours in the 50-54 years’ category, while the closest racing of the weekend happened in the junior women’s division with defending champion Mikayla Rowe, on New Plymouth, forced to give up her crown to Hamilton’s first-time champion Tyla Cushion. Just two points separated Cushion and Rowe at the end of the weekend.

Full results can be found HERE

Leading NZ Vet and Women’s Motocross Championships results:

30-34 years, overs:

1st Scott Columb 116

2nd Darren Paterson 109

3rd Shaun McFadden 106

35-39 years, overs:

1st Josh Coppins 125

2nd Michael Paterson 110

3rd Dean Rameka 94

40-44 years, unders:

1st Bryan Heaphy 125

2nd Dean Baird 110

3rd Stephen Gomm 92

40-44 years, overs:

1st Martin Axtens 122

2nd Dean Baird 113

3rd Jason Harris 94

45-49 years, unders:

1st Mitch Rowe 122

2nd Brent Scammell 113

3rd Greg Stewart 96

45-49 years, overs:

1st Mitch Rowe 119

2nd Brent Scammell 116

3rd Steve Lange 96

50-54 years:

1st Moston Wadsworth 122

2nd Ricky Trompetter 113

3rd Darryl McFarlane 94

55-59 years:

1st Tony Cooksley 125

2nd Kevin Murphy 106

3rd Dave Ollis 104

Senior Women:

1st Courtney Duncan 125

2nd Sarah Elwin 110

3rd Caitlin Ryan 100

Junior Women:

1st Tyla Cushion 116

2nd Mikayla Rowe 114

3rd Skye Edwards 105

All-in feature race:

1st Josh Coppins

2nd Michael Paterson

3rd Mitch Rowe

4th Martin Axtens

5th Nick Enstrom

6th Tony Cooksley

7th Moston Wadsworth

8th Ricky Trompetter

9th Darryn Henderson

10th Scott Power

Feature race overall: Points + Age =

1st Tony Cooksley 67

2nd Moston Wadsworth 62

3rd Mitch Rowe 61

4th Kevin Murphy 60

5th Dave Ollis 60

6th Ricky Trompetter 59

7th Darryn Henderson 55

8th Martin Axtens 55

9th Scott Power 51

10th Josh Coppins 51

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