Hamilton’s Josiah Natzke is again chasing motocross glory in Europe this season.

He is hoping to emulate the great Kiwis who have gone before him in past years, riders such as brothers Shayne, Darryll and Damien King, Katherine Prumm, Josh Coppins and Ben Townley.

After seeing him perform at the New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville last weekend, his final fling in New Zealand before the tough European campaign begins, there’s no reason to think he can’t taste similar success.

Natzke has touched down in Europe and he’s ready to begin final preparations to contest the European Motocross Championships 250cc class.

He finished a close runner-up in the EMX125 last season and hopes he can replicate that, or preferably move up to the top step, in the EMX250 class this year.

Natzke’s own KTM team-mate last year, Spanish rider Jorge Prado, won the EMX125 crown, while French Yamaha rider Maxime Renaux occupied the third step on the podium at season’s end.

The 2016 EX250 championships are set to kick off in the Netherlands in March.

“The first GP is at Valkenwaard, a deep sand track, and that’s why I’m heading across so early. I need to do a lot of sand track riding before the championships begin.”

He’s come a long way in a few years and we decided to dig into the BikesportNZ.com archive to find a couple of photos from his earlier years.

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

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