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ANOTHER WEEKEND WIND-BACK

Bikesportnz Posted on by

The 2018 New Zealand Motocross Championships kick off in Taranaki today, but, in what we hope might become a regular “Weekend Wind-back” feature on BikesportNZ.com, we turn the clock back 10 years.

Here we go … back in 2008, the first round of the motocross nationals were staged later in the year, in October, and the four-round series wrapped up that year in New Plymouth on December 14.

Cambridge’s Damien King, the top man on the day at round one of the nationals in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

We hope you’ll enjoy this snapshot from our news archives.

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Anyway, let’s climb in the time machine and head back to 2008 …

NEW FACE AMONG THE OLD

The more things change, the more things stay the same.

That could easily have been the verdict as the dust cleared at the end of round one of the 2008 Demon Energy New Zealand Motocross Championships near Rotorua on Labour Weekend Monday.

The event featured five main classes and there were four different winners who emerged on top, but, aside from Taupo’s Cameron Dillon (Honda), who won the day in the inaugural under-21 race-in-a-race combined within the 125cc class, there were no real surprises.

The King kids, taking in all the action at round one of the nationals in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

The other winners were Rotorua’s Michael Phillips (Honda), the MX2 class defending champion making the most of having the event staged on his home turf, two-time former women’s world champion Katherine Prumm (Yamaha), who easily won the day in the women’s class, and Cambridge’s former GP star Damien King (Yamaha).

The 32-year-old King was the only double winner, taking top spot in both the 125cc class – ahead of Dillon – and the MX1 class as well, finishing just two points ahead of national open class No.2 Peter Broxholme (Tauranga, Honda).

The wins by King, Phillips and Prumm were perhaps no surprise but, as a new category this season, the under-21 battle was always going to throw up a fresh face and 15-year-old Dillon was the young man smiling the widest at the end of the day. He finished runner-up to King in the 125cc class and edged out fellow teenager Matt Hunt (Suzuki) for the under-21 honours.

Rotorua’s Michael Phillips lets loose at round one of the nationals in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

Motorcycling New Zealand CEO Paul Pavletich said he was excited the governing body had introduced the new under-21 class.

“This will hopefully give a springboard for our young lions to challenge our established stars,” he said.

Dillon, who turns 16 next week, would have found it remarkable that he was even able to line up on Monday after suffering a serious injury in March. He spent two nights in hospital’s intensive care following the crash in Hawke’s Bay and has only been back on his bike since July.

“I’m 100% again now and feeling great,” he said.

Nelson’s Jared Guthrie, chasing points at round one of the motocross nationals in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

Dillon will keen to impress again when he races on home territory at the stand-alone Swan International Motocross at Taupo next weekend.

The four-round Demon Energy national championship series resumes again a week after that, at the same Hawke’s Bay circuit that caused Dillon so much grief in March, followed by rounds near Timaru (on December 6-7) and, finally, New Plymouth (on December 13-14).

Tauranga’s Peter Broxholme – now one of NZ’s leading motocross coaches – was a contender for national MX1 honours back in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

Leading standings after round one of the 2008 New Zealand Motocross Championships:

MX1 (open class):

  1. Damien King (Cambridge, Yamaha) 47 points;
  2. Peter Broxholme (Tauranga, Honda) 45;
  3. Darryll King (Hamilton, Yamaha) 40;
  4. Nick Saunders (Taupo, Kawasaki) 34;
  5. Hayden McKay (Christchurch, Honda) 31.

 

MX2 (250cc class):

  1. Michael Phillips (Rotorua, Honda) 45 points;
  2. Daryl Hurley (Hawera, Suzuki) 44;
  3. Darryll King (Hamilton, Yamaha) 38;
  4. Mason Phillips (Te Puke, KTM) 33;
  5. Hamish Dobbyn (Warkworth, Yamaha) 32.

 

125cc class:

  1. Damien King (Cambridge, Yamaha) 50 points;
  2. Cameron Dillon (Taupo, Honda) 44;
  3. Matt Hunt (Auckland, Suzuki) 38;
  4. Hayden McKay (Christchurch, Honda) 36;
  5. Cameron Negus (Rotorua, Yamaha) 34.

 

Under-21 class (combined within the 125cc class):

Taupo’s Cam Dillon, top rider in the newly-created under-21 class at round one of the motocross nationals in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

  1. Cameron Dillon (Taupo, Honda) 50 points;
  2. Matt Hunt (Auckland, Suzuki) 44;

3= Scott Barr-Smith (Tauranga, KTM) 38;

3= Ethan Martens (Waitakere, KTM) 38.

 

Women:

  1. Katherine Prumm (Drury, Yamaha) 75 points;
  2. Nikki Scott (Palmerston North, Kawasaki) 59;
  3. Casey Waterhouse (Tauranga, Yamaha) 58;
  4. Alex Dillon (Taupo, Honda) 56;
  5. Kelly Kneebone (Matamata, Yamaha) 49.

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

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