Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis was simply sensational at the big annual Whakatane Summercross, near Matata, at the weekend.
The 18-year-old took his Altherm JCR Yamaha YZ250F to dominate the MX2 (250cc) class at the two-day motocross event, winning all five races on the track, although denied a clean sweep after he was adjudged to have jumped past a yellow caution flag and was docked one minute, dropping him back to 15th in race four.
It didn’t matter in the end, though, because he was still able to amass enough points to get the job done, winning the class ahead of Taupo’s Wyatt Chase and Rangiora’s Micah McGoldrick.
It was a perfect work-out for Purvis who now looks ahead to racing the New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville at the end of January.
After that, Purvis will line up to contest the MX2 class at the four-round 2019 New Zealand Motocross Championships, kicking off in Taranaki in February.
If that doesn’t get the heart racing, then consider what Purvis has next in store – he heads across the Tasman Sea to tackle the under-19 Motocross Development (MXD) class at the Australian nationals.
The Kiwi motocross international is already well familiar with what’s ahead of him in Australia after he finished third overall in the MXD class there in 2018.
A key member of the Altherm JCR Yamaha Race Team in New Zealand, Purvis will ride for the WBR Yamaha Team in Australia.
“Max rode really well at Summercross today … dominated really,” said Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team manager Josh Coppins afterwards.
“It was the first time for Max on the new race bike. I’m happy with his progress.
“And then for Yamaha to also finish 2, 3 and 5 in the MX1 class today was also great.”
Honda rider Cody Cooper won the MX1 class, with fellow Mount Maunganui rider Rhys Carter clinching second overall on his Yamaha YZ450F, while the 41-year-old Coppins himself rode one of the Altherm JCR Yamaha YZ450F bikes – “just to keep the seat warm for our injured MX1 rider Kayne Lamont” – and he took the third podium spot, while Taupo’s Cohen Chase (Eni Lubricants Kawasaki) finished fourth and Reporoa’s Hadleigh Knight rode his privateer Yamaha YZ450F to claim fifth overall.
There was also an impressive cluster of Yamaha riders at the top of the women’s grade, with Motueka’s Roma Edwards dominating the class on her Yamaha YZ125, followed by Cambridge’s Rachael Archer (Yamaha YZ250F) and Hamilton’s Amie Roberts (Yamaha YZ250F), with Te Kuiti’s Samantha Kelly (Yamaha YZ250F) and Tauranga’s Jesse Waterhouse (Yamaha YZ250) rounding out the top five.
© Words and photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ
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