The 2015 New Zealand Enduro Championships season is likely to be an even better one for multiple and defending champion Chris Birch than it was last year.

Rounds four and five of this year’s KTM-sponsored series were held in the South Island over the Easter Weekend break and the man from Glen Eden was able to celebrate twice more, extending his unbeaten run in 2015 to five in a row.

Birch took his KTM 350 XC-F to win both the Easter Weekend events – on Banks Peninsular, near Christchurch, on Saturday and in the Berwick Forest, near Mosgiel, on Monday – and set himself up for a comfortably successful title defence when it wraps up with the final two rounds in May.

Birch was beaten just once as he steamrolled his way to outright and over-300cc four-stroke class victory in the national enduro series last season and he is easily on target to equal or improve upon that this time around.

With just two rounds left to race in the KTM-sponsored series, the 2015 title is really Birch’s for the taking and time is running out for his rivals to steal a win from him.

Christchurch rider Hamish McDonald (Sherco SER300) ended the day second overall on the steep course on Banks Peninsular, finishing just 49 seconds behind Birch, while Taupo’s Brad Groombridge (Suzuki RM-Z450) finished third overall.

Howick’s Liam Draper (Husqvarna TE125) finished fourth overall on Saturday and maintained his position at overall series runner-up.

“I had quite a big crash on Saturday, clipped a rock and went over the handlebars. It didn’t cost me too much in the end, just a bit of lost skin,” Birch laughed.

Birch was supreme again at Mosgiel on Monday, winning that event from fellow Auckland rider Chris Power (Yamaha WR450F).

Draper finished third on Monday and remains overall runner-up for the series, although still 29 points adrift of Birch.

Draper is, however, dominating the battle-within-a-battle for under-200cc two-stroke class honours.

“Monday’s event was a bit chaotic and a few riders got lost. The trails were awesome but not that well marked,” said Birch.

“I think I was riding too cautiously … it was pretty slippery … and when I saw the times and how Chris (Power) was beating me, I decided to pick up the pace on the last terrain test and I made up the lost time.”

When the times were tallied up at the end of the day, Birch had beaten Power by just five seconds.

“My job is to get the championship won and that’s what I seem to be doing.”

The series continues with round six is at Waimiha on Saturday, May 9, and then wraps up at the seventh and final round near Tokoroa on Sunday, May 10.

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

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