Taikorea’s Paul Whibley doesn’t race as much as he’d like to these days, but, when he does, it can usually mean only two things, an entertaining afternoon and more than likely a victory too.

The 38-year-old former Manawatu forestry worker, affectionately dubbed “The Axeman” on the motorcycling scene, has a dirt bike racing career that many would envy, although he now devotes much of his time to mentoring riders and demonstrating bikes for long-time sponsor Yamaha.

A two-time former Grand National Cross-country Champion (GNCC) in the United States (in 2008 and again in 2012) and a six-time former US Off-road Motorcycle and ATV series (OMA) champion, before returning home and becoming the New Zealand cross-country champion in 2015, he needed no persuasion to show up at the weekend to contest the second round of the New Zealand GNCC series, at Matata, in the Bay of Plenty, and he romped away to a seemingly effortless win.

With riders set off in waves, Whibley (Yamaha YZ450FX) was quick to move forward from the second row of the grid and he took the lead in the two-hour race at the start of the second lap of what would eventually become a seven-lap marathon.

Taupo’s Nathan Tesselaar had led the race at the start on Saturday, with young Cambridge rider Ashton Grey in close pursuit and, when Tesselaar crashed on the opening lap, Grey was quick to take advantage, although it wasn’t long before Whibley had powered past the pair of them.

“Once I was in front, I was riding alone,” said Whibley, who quickly opened up a gap on his pursuers.

“I didn’t actually realise I was in the lead until I came in for a refuel on lap four and my pit crew informed me.

“I don’t get to race as much these days as I’d like and so I had done no real preparation for this race but I didn’t really have to push that hard and felt pretty comfortable on the bike.

“I will probably aim to contest the river race at the Woodville Motocross (at the end of January), but, other than that, I have no more racing planned in the short term.”

Whibley is intending to head overseas again in the New Year and he said he will announce details of those plans in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the eventual runner-up at Matata on Saturday, fellow Yamaha rider Grey, is also soon to be heading overseas.

He will be joined by fellow Kiwis Liam Draper (Howick) and Rachael Archer (Te Awamutu) as the three of them tackle the first couple of rounds of the 2017 GNCC series in the United States.

“I am very excited about that,” said Grey, about to start the year as a year 13 pupil at St Peter’s High School in Cambridge.

“It will mean I will miss a few weeks of school, but I’m okay with that, ” he laughed.

The first two rounds of the US GNCC series are set for South Carolina on March 5 and Florida on March 12.

Whibley is supported by Yamaha Motor New Zealand, Arai, TCX, Oakley, G2, Asterisk, MotoSR, Vortex Ignitions, EC3D, Bush Riders MCC, Rossco’s Start Up Services, Unabiker, Leatt Brace, Tire Balls, Renthal, Bikesportnz.com, CarbSport, KettleClamp, Alliance Offroad, Ride Eng MotoSeat, FMF, Michelin, Yamalube CV4  GYTR, IMS  O’Neal, Rekluse, Workshop Graphics and Silverbullet.co.nz

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

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