WEEKEND WIND-BACK TO 2008
Today we turn back the clock to round two of the NZ Motocross Championships in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
It’s round two of the 2018 New Zealand Motocross Championships in Rotorua this weekend and so, in BikesportNZ.com’s occasional “Weekend Wind-back” feature, we turn the clock back 10 years to have a look at what went on that day.
Here we go … back in 2008, the second round of the motocross nationals were staged later in the year, in November, and the four-round series wrapped up that year in New Plymouth on December 14.
We hope you’ll enjoy this snapshot from our news archives.
Katherine Prumm in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Send us your feedback on our FACEBOOK page.
Anyway, let’s climb in the time machine and head back to 2008, round two of the nationals that year being staged near Hastings …
THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS
The action got hot and spicy at the battle of Hastings – round two of the 2008 Demon Energy New Zealand Motocross Championships – in Hawke’s Bay at the weekend.
Auckland’s Katherine Prumm (Yamaha), as expected, wrapped up the women’s title at round two of the Demon Energy New Zealand Motocross Championships near Hastings at the weekend.
Meanwhile, Cambridge’s Damien King (Yamaha) rode strongly to maintain his position at the top of both the MX1 (open) and 125cc classes. Rotorua’s Michael Phillips (Honda) stretched his lead in the MX2 (250cc) class and Taupo’s Cameron Dillon (Honda) kept his lead in the class-within-a-class under-21 division, despite Gisborne’s five-time former national junior champion Matt Hunt (Suzuki) winning the day at Hastings.
Scotsman Barry Morris carves his way towards the front in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Two-time former women’s world champion Prumm was too classy for her opponents in this domestic series, finishing the two-round women’s title chase unbeaten in her six races, ending her campaign 25 points clear of her nearest rival, Palmerston North’s Nikki Scott (Kawasaki), while Taupo’s Alex Dillon (Honda) was third.
The 20-year-old Prumm said she was “thrilled to be fit and healthy again”, referring to the series of injuries that had sidelined her in recent months and ruined her bid to defend her world title this season.
“I’m still not 100% now,” she said. “My surgeon gave me the thumbs-up to race again but I was forbidden from racing the men this year.”
She finished 12th in the men’s MX2 class last season.
Prumm prepares to return to Europe next season, hungrier than ever to reclaim the women’s world title and brimming with confidence after her comfortable title win at home.
“Hopefully I’ll be back to 100% by December and will be able to race the men at the final two rounds of their championship.”
The racing at Hastings that day was brutal, as both Damien King (left) and Peter Broxholme would agree. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
As for Scott, she was the first to congratulate Prumm.
“She’s a fantastic rider … no weaknesses that I could see. My championship could have been better but it’s hard work trying to keep up with a former world champion.”
In the MX1 battles, GP rider Scott Columb (Queenstown, Suzuki) was unstoppable, winning both races at Hastings on Sunday.
However, because he’d suffered misfortune with a crash and a bent bike at the series opener near Rotorua a fortnight earlier, his double wins on Sunday were not enough to put him in title contention … yet.
Columb is now up to third in the championship standings but still has a lot of ground to make up.
King did enough to stay two points clear at the top of the class, with Tauranga’s Peter Broxholme (Honda) still breathing down his neck.
King and Broxholme shared second and third placings on Sunday.
That Broxholme lined up to race was remarkable after he’d sustained serious injuries while racing at Taupo a week ago.
“I simply put the shoulder injury out of my mind. I am just grateful I was able to score some good points today and keep my campaign alive.”
Phillips was in sublime form as he padded his lead in the MX2 class at Hastings.
Phillips won both his two races to stretch his lead from one to nine points over Hawera’s national 500cc champion Daryl Hurley (Suzuki).
Dual-class rider King also stretched his lead in the 125cc class, out to 14 points over Taupo teenager Dillon, while Hunt remains third in this class, still six points behind Dillon.
For the men, there are still two rounds left to run, in Timaru and New Plymouth, next month.
Waitakere’s Ethan Martens, one of the leading under-21 and 125cc class riders in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
© Words and photos by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com
Find BikesportNZ.com on FACEBOOK here
LEADING RESULTS (from 2008):
Leading standings after round two of the 2008 Demon Energy New Zealand Motocross Championships near Hastings:
MX1 (open class):
- Damien King (Cambridge, Yamaha) 89 points;
- Peter Broxholme (Tauranga, Honda) 87;
- Scott Columb (Queenstown, Suzuki) 70;
- Nick Saunders (Taupo, Kawasaki) 67;
- Hayden McKay (Christchurch, Honda) 57.
MX2 (250cc class):
- Michael Phillips (Rotorua, Honda) 95 points;
- Daryl Hurley (Hawera, Suzuki) 86;
- Justin McDonald (Christchurch, Honda) 65;
- Hamish Dobbyn (Warkworth, Yamaha) 63;
- Jesse Wiki (Hamilton, Kawasaki) 57.
125cc class:
- Damien King (Cambridge, Yamaha) 100 points;
- Cameron Dillon (Taupo, Honda) 86;
- Matt Hunt (Gisborne, Suzuki) 80;
- Ethan Martens (Waitakere, KTM) 63;
- Cameron Negus (Rotorua, Yamaha) 63.
Under-21 class (combined within the 125cc class):
- Cameron Dillon (Taupo, Honda) 94 points;
- Matt Hunt (Gisborne, Suzuki) 89;
- Ethan Martens (Waitakere, KTM) 74.
MNZ Cup:
- Matt Walker (Wellington, Honda) 121;
- Mark Collier (Auckland, Honda) 93;
- Mark Hunt (Rotorua, Honda) 81.
Women (final championship standings):
- Katherine Prumm (Drury, Yamaha) 150 points;
- Nikki Scott (Palmerston North, Kawasaki) 125;
- Alex Dillon (Taupo, Honda) 116;
- Casey Waterhouse (Tauranga, Yamaha) 103;
- Kelly Kneebone (Matamata, Yamaha) 101.