Suzuki Series and the GIXXER Cup

It looks like Suzuki has hit upon a winner with the new GIXXER Cup class, an integral part of motorbike racing in New Zealand this summer.

This season’s annual Suzuki Series has widened its appeal even further, if that was at all possible, with the inclusion this year of the GIXXER Cup class, a competition reserved for riders aged between 14 and 21 years and all riding identical Suzuki GSX150F bikes.

With the fledgling racers on matching bikes, it was intended that the racing would be intense, a level playing field being an ideal environment for the stars of tomorrow to learn their craft and spread their wings, as so it has proved after the first of three rounds of the Suzuki Series at Taupo last Sunday.

Hamilton’s Jesse Stroud, the 15-year-old son of nine-time former national superbike champion Andrew Stroud, scored back-to-back wins at Taupo on Sunday, but he had his work cut out fending off challenges from Whanganui’s Tarbon Walker.

Stroud leads the class by 10 points from the “West Coast Warrior”, 14-year-old Greymouth rider Clark Fountain, with Paeroa’s Blake Ross, Taupiri’s Zak Fuller and Whanganui’s Ollie Dennison completing the top five.

Others to impress included Timaru’s Harry Parker, Feilding’s Scott Hawkes and Whanganui’s Cameron Goldfinch, although perhaps any number of the 18-rider field could force their way onto the podium by series end.

Round two is at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon in Feilding this Sunday, with round three to follow on the public streets of Whanganui, around the famous Cemetery Circuit, on Boxing Day.

The GIXXER Cup – with the tagline “Growing Future Champions” – is a production racing class that will provide a springboard towards a successful racing future at higher levels.

In addition to being an integral part of the Suzuki Tri-Series, the GIXXER Cup grade of competition will also be a feature of the four-round 2018 New Zealand Superbike Championships, beginning at Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Christchurch, on January 6-7, with rounds to follow at Timaru, Hampton Downs and Taupo.

We can’t wait for it to unfold and grow from here.

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