Dunedin’s Grason Veitch (KTM), the top individual at the 2018 edition of the New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships near Mosgiel at the weekend. Photo by Tristan Tolley, of Flash Media New Zealand & BikesportNZ.com

A title win in one class and overall runner-up finish in another meant Dunedin’s Grason Veitch was the top individual at the 2018 edition of the Backflips-sponsored New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships near Mosgiel at the weekend.

Veitch won five races from five starts in the premier 14-16 years’ 250cc class, comfortably winning that title, and he also ranked overall runner-up in the 15-16 years’ 125cc class, in that class finishing behind Wairoa’s Tommy Watts.

And what’s more, the 15-year-old Veitch, a year 12 pupil at Otago Boys’ High School, still has another year to run as a junior competitor and so he’ll be back to defend his 250cc title and perhaps then also add the 15-16 years’ 125cc title to his list of achievements.

Wairoa’s Tommy Watts, runaway winner in the 15-16 years’ 125cc class this year. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

“It was a really challenging, but enjoyable, track,” said Veitch, who had to deal with contrasting conditions over the two days, initially dry but muddy when rain arrived midway through Saturday, but then “perfect” conditions on Sunday.

“I had a couple of crashes over the weekend … just silly mistakes from me really … but nothing major.”

Watts was similarly dominant in winning the 15-16 years’ 125cc class, scoring five wins from five starts and, in what has been a stellar season for the 16-year-old,  it added to the overall runner-up that he achieved in the national 125cc class at the senior championships in March.

Keeping with the “maximum man” theme, Tauranga’s Brodie Connolly was also unbeaten at the weekend, winning five races from five starts in the  Junior 12-14 years’ 125cc class.

Other class winners were Rangiora’s Cobie Bourke (Junior 13-16 years’ 85cc class); Darfield’s Tyler Wiremu (Junior 11-12 years’ 85cc class); Leeston’s Kobe Thoms (Junior 8-10 years’ 85cc class) and Invercargill’s Charlie Baynes (Junior 8-11 years’ 65cc, support class).

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

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Full results are HERE

RESULTS:

Leading final standings from the 2018 New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships near Mosgiel:

Junior 14-16 years’ 250cc class: 1. Grason Veitch (Dunedin, KTM) 125 points (maximum); 2. Mitchell Stocker (Ashburton, KTM) 108; 3. Max Singleton (Nelson, Kawasaki) 90.

Junior 15-16 years’ 125cc class: 1. Tommy Watts (Wairoa, Husqvarna) 125 points (Maximum); 2. Grason Veitch (Dunedin, KTM) 104; 3. Joshua Bourke-Palmer (Rotorua, Yamaha) 96.

Junior 12-14 years’ 125cc class: 1. Brodie Connolly (Tauranga, KTM) 125 points (maximum); 2. Jack Treloar (Otautau, KTM) 110; 3. Ryan Webley (Auckland, KTM) 90.

Junior 13-16 years’ 85cc class: 1. Cobie Bourke (Rangiora, KTM) 110 points; 2. Ben Wall (Ashburton, Husqvarna) 94; 3. Luke Freemantle (Palmerston North, KTM) 88.

Junior 11-12 years’ 85cc class: 1. Tyler Wiremu (Darfield, KTM) 116 points; 2. Mitchell Weir (Tokanui, KTM) 112; 3. Jared Hannon (Cambridge, Kawasaki) 93.

Junior 8-10 years’ 85cc class: 1. Kobe Thoms (Leeston, KTM) 117 points; 2. Cole Davies (Auckland, KTM) 107; 3. Jack Coleman (Hamilton, Husqvarna) 103.

Junior 8-11 years’ 65cc (support) class: 1. Charlie Baynes (Invercargill, KTM) 75 (maximum); 2. Wills Harvey (Nelson, Kawasaki) 62; 3. Ryder Sheehan (Otatara, KTM) 60.