Hamilton’s Phil Goodwright (Husqvarna FX350), looking to challenge for the win at Ormondville this weekend. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

The pressure goes on for national title hopefuls at the second round of four in the 2018 New Zealand Cross-country Championships in Central Hawke’s Bay this weekend.

Defending champion Brad Groombridge (Suzuki RM-Z450) simply picked up where he left off last season when he won the opening round of the 2018 series at a rain-lashed Huntly last month, and he will possibly again be hard to beat at Ormondville on Sunday.

However, although the 27-year-old Taupo locksmith did win the day at Huntly, he found himself in a tough battle with Hamilton rider Phil Goodwright (Husqvarna FX350) early on in the muddy marathon.

The 36-year-old Goodwright will fancy his chances of making life difficult for Groombridge again on Sunday.

Groombridge won his first national cross-country title in 2016 and swiftly followed that up by defending that crown last year and now he’s already on track to make it three title wins in a row, unless equally-talented riders such as Goodwright, or perhaps Cambridge’s Ashton Grey (Yamaha YZ250FX), Taupo’s Nathan Tesselaar (KTM 350 XCF) or Napier’s Mackenzie Wiig (KTM 300XC) can halt his progress.

Stratford’s Josh Hunger (Husqvarna FX350) and New Plymouth pair Tony Parker and (KTM 350 SX-F) and Dougy Herbert (Husaberg TE300), among others, could also be expected to challenge on Sunday.

The junior race, held earlier in the day at Huntly, went right down to the wire and more close racing is expected in the junior grade this Sunday as well.

The junior winner at Huntly was Cambridge rider Callum Paterson (Yamaha YZ125), with runner-up Adam Loveridge (Eltham, Husqvarna TE150) crossing the finish line just 30 seconds behind him.

Napier’s Bryn Codd (Yamaha YZ125), Raglan’s Coby Rooks (Honda CRF250) and Eltham’s Josh Loveridge (Husqvarna FE250) rounded out the top five.

Best of the junior women at Huntly was Palmerston North’s Hannah Rushworth, the multi-talented rider who is also an international moto trials exponent finishing 21st overall against the boys.

Racing on Sunday at on farmland at Ahiweka Road, east of Norsewood.

Round three of the New Zealand Cross-country Championships is set for Taupo on April 8 and, finally, it all wraps up near Mosgiel on May 12.

Only three of the four rounds are counted towards the championships, with riders to discard their one worst score, but there is a stipulation that riders attend the final round and this means the battle for national glory could last right until the final lap at Mosgiel.

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

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