The Cambridge Motorcycle Club created history at the weekend, becoming the first three-time winner of the annual Battle of the Clubs motocross event in Taupo.

Not only was it trophy win No.3 for the Cambridge riders but it also marked the third time in a row that they have won the popular fundraising spectacle, the event this year its ninth running since the inaugural Battle of the Clubs (BOTC) in 2010.

The winning Cambridge Motorcycle Club team riders this year were  Dylan Westgate (junior 85cc class, 9+14), Brodie Connolly (junior 125cc, 1+2), Daniel White (junior 250cc, 13+4), Jacob Steel (MX2 class, 4+18), Cohen Chase (MX1 class, 16+4) and Damien King (veterans’ class, 7+12).

Runners-up on Saturday were the six-rider squad representing the Mosgiel District Motorcycle Club, with the Tauranga Motorcycle Club team claiming the third podium spot.

Representing the Mosgiel club were Jack Symons (junior 85cc class, 12+15), Ben Wall (junior 125cc, 6+6), Grason Veitch (junior 250cc, 1+1), Sam Cuthbertson (MX2 class, 6+8), Dave Hay (MX1 class, 23+34) and Caleb Holmes (veterans’ class, 31+29).

Representing the Tauranga club were Connor Hart (junior 85cc class, 19+37), Sam Meredith (junior 125cc, 3+8), Adam Molloy (junior 250cc, 25+17), Josh Tredinnick (MX2 class, 2+15), Ben Townley (MX1 class, 2+2) and Michael Fleming (veterans’ class, 37+35).

The winning Cambridge Motorcycle Club team (from left) Jacob Steel, Cohen Chase, Daniel White, Dylan Westgate, Damien King and Brodie Connolly. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

The manager of the BOTC winning club team, Cambridge’s Loren Stockley, was naturally thrilled to see her team succeed again on Saturday.

“It was quite unexpected,” she said.

“We knew we’d be among the frontrunners but we certainly didn’t think that we could make it a three-peat like this. We produced consistent performances across all of the squad and that was the secret to our success.”

Two individuals were stand-out riders for this year’s BOTC event: North King Country Motorcycle Club MX1 rider Rhys Carter, who finished with a 1-1 score-card and Mosgiel’s junior 250cc rider Veitch, who also posted a 1-1 score-card.

The BOTC event is staged primarily to raise funds to assist in sending a New Zealand team to the annual Motocross of Nations (MXoN) event – the Olympic Games of motocross – this year to be held in the United States in October.

Six-rider teams representing 27 clubs from the length and breadth of New Zealand travelled to Taupo for Saturday’s BOTC event and, at the pre-race briefing, the naming rights sponsor for this year’s MXoN campaign was revealed, along with the naming of a squad of riders who are on the short-list to contest the MXoN in Buchanan, Michigan, on October 6-7.

Innovative building company Penny Homes was revealed as the MXoN team’s main sponsor this year and the six riders named in the short-list for Team New Zealand were: Mount Maunganui pair Cody Cooper and Rhys Carter, Massey’s Hamish Harwood, Christchurch’s Dylan Walsh and Taupo bothers Cohen and Wyatt Chase.

Motorcycling New Zealand general manager Virginia Henderson thanked the participating clubs and the host Taupo Motorcycle Club, for their support and also appreciated that event commentator Neil Ritchie and results and timing co-ordinator Nicole Bol had donated their time to the event.

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

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LEADING RESULTS:

Clubs overall:

1st Cambridge

2nd Mosgiel

3rd Tauranga

Senior classes overall:

1st Cambridge

2nd Tauranga

3rd Taupo Blue

Junior classes overall:

1st Mosgiel

2nd Cambridge

3rd Manawatu Orion

Minis overall:

1st Pukekohe

2nd Bush Riders (Pahiatua)

3rd Bay of Plenty

or visit here for SENIORS & JUNIORS or MINIS for full results.

Full story and more photos in your next issue of KIWI RIDER magazine.

Check back here on www.BikesportNZ.com during this week as we bring you more words and pictures from the weekend.