The fourth and final round of the 2015 Dirt Guide Cross-country Series is set for South Waikato this weekend (Oct 4) and, although Manawatu’s Paul Whibley already has the main trophy in his grasp, it doesn’t lessen in any way the intensity of what is in store for competitors on Sunday.

It is perhaps no surprise that the 37-year-old Whibley has won the series with a round to spare, his 1-1-1 results clearly putting him out of reach of his senior class rivals, and he heads to the venue at Tar Hill, just south of Tokoroa, with nothing left to prove in the final two-hour race.

The Yamaha rider from Taikorea, on the outskirts of Palmerston North, is a two-time former United States champion and he made a triumphant return to domestic competition earlier this year when he tackled his first national series at home in over a decade and snatched away the New Zealand Cross-country Championships crown from four-time winner and defending champion Adrian Smith, of Mokau.

Affectionately dubbed “The Axeman” on the motorcycling scene, Whibley knows he has no reason to go chopping down his rivals at Tar Hill on Sunday, but that won’t prevent him from trying to make it a clean sweep of wins and the action will be fierce anyway as riders battle for the remaining podium spots and also fight for individual class wins.

“I don’t need to win on Sunday, but I never like to settle for second,” smiled the unbeaten Whibley.

“I have really been enjoying these Dirt Guide Series races. Series organiser Sean Clarke always puts on good events and he’s really nailed it again this year.

“The courses have been of national-calibre, well-marked and interesting, challenging but not too difficult. Sean has done a great job and I believe one or two of these events should be used as national championship rounds.”

The fight is on for the No.2 spot overall, with Wainuiomata’s Jake Whitaker and North Shore rider Sam Greenslade the most obvious contenders.

Coatesville’s Greenslade won this series last season and has had his work cut out trying to match Whibley this year. Greenslade finished overall runner-up to Whibley at the last round but, with only three of four rounds to be counted as riders discard their worst result, it puts him level with Whitaker and so the battle for the No.2 ranking goes down to the wire.

Smith has experienced a mixed campaign so far and he is currently in fourth position overall, just ahead of Masterton pair Allan Gannon and Jacob Hyslop.

However, if Smith discards his worst result, a DNF at round three earlier this month, it puts him back into contention for a podium finish.

In terms of class honours, Whibley has obviously wrapped up the over-300cc four-stroke class, and Greenslade looks to have a stranglehold on the under-300cc four-stroke class, while Whitaker is unbeatable in the chase for over-200cc two-stroke class glory.

Havelock North’s Ben Hislop and Waimauku’s Jake Wightman are locked in a tight battle for the under-200cc two-stroke class win, while Te Awamutu’s Kevin Archer has a firm grip on the expert veterans’ (over-40 years) class.

Junior riders have their fourth and final 90-minute race of the series on Sunday morning with Te Awamutu’s Daniel White and Hamilton’s Lachlan Bishop the leading title protagonists, with other riders such as Eketahuna’s Chris Dickson, Whitianga’s Blake Wilkins and Te Awamutu’s Rachael Archer also sure to be battling near the front.

The Dirt Guide series is sponsored by Michelin, Bel Ray, Renthal, O’Neal, DRC, Zeta, Kiwi Rider magazine, Oakley, TCX boots and Yoshimura.

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

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