It was her first time racing in New Zealand, but you wouldn’t have guessed that when watching Honda rider Taylah McCutcheon demolish her rivals in Taupo over the Labour Weekend.
The ease with which the 18-year-old McCutcheon dismantled the competition at the annual Huka Honda MX Fest event in Taupo also belied the fact that it has been almost two years since she has been able to compete at the top level.
McCutcheon and fellow Honda CRF250 rider Roma Edwards, from Mount Maunganui, finished first and second in all three senior women’s races at the popular Bay of Plenty event over Labour Weekend, but it was McCutcheon’s total dominance that really turned heads.
The diminutive McCutcheon hit every corner with such fury, the ground rumbling and the pumice and sand exploding in the force, that it seemed she was determined to leave her mark on the soil and perhaps really underline the fact that she was back to her best after an unwelcome hiatus caused by a pandemic and then injury.
The factory Honda Racing Australia rider from the Gold Coast won the 2018 Australian titles in Tasmania, but then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, ruling out all forms of racing.
Then, just as things were started to open back up again, McCutcheon was injured, which means she has effectively been sidelined for two years.
“Basically, I just wanted to race some of the New Zealand girls and get back up to speed,” she said.
“It’s my first time in New Zealand and I’ve found the soil here is completely different to Australia. It’s been completely different racing here and pretty good to see where I sit against the riders over here.
“I’m looking forward to racing against (New Zealand’s three-time women’s world champion) Courtney Duncan at the New Zealand Women’s and Veterans’ Motocross Championships at Cambridge next weekend.
Australia’s Taylah McCutcheon (right) and Mount Maunganui’s Roma Edwards were a dominant force in the senior women’s class at the Huka Honda MX Fest in Taupo over Labour Weekend. The two Honda girls finished 1-2 in every race. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
“I’m very excited about that, to see how I’ll go up against a world class rider like her. She is one rider I’ve always wanted to race.
“I’d like to head over to race in the women’s world championships next year too. I will be having a chat with Courtney next weekend and learning as much as I can about racing in Europe.
“The Honda New Zealand team loaned me a bike for my visit here and I can’t thank them enough for that. It’s exactly the same as my bike at home. I brought my own handlebars, seat and suspension over but, other than that, it’s the same as my bike at home.”
Meanwhile, Bay of Plenty’s Edwards, who races for the Motul Honda team in New Zealand, is herself no stranger to competing and winning at the top level.
Edwards was crowned the British Women’s Motocross Champion earlier this year, which meant she had also completed a remarkable comeback from injury in the process.
Edwards was seriously hurt in November 2019, breaking both ankles while racing at the Marlborough championships. She was then given heartbreaking news by her doctor: Both her ankles were broken, her racing days were over and she could lose her left foot.
Just over a year later, in January 2021, Edwards had fully recovered and she impressed in becoming the women’s champion at the 60th annual Honda New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville … her comeback was complete.
To watch these two young women battling together at Taupo at the weekend was certainly inspirational.
Third overall in the senior women’s class at Taupo was current New Zealand women’s champion Amie Roberts, of Hamilton.
© Words and photos by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com
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Mount Maunganui’s Roma Edwards (Honda CRF250), impressive charging through the field in her women’s races in Taupo on Sunday. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Mount Maunganui’s Roma Edwards (Honda No.79) gets the jump on Honda team-mate and rival Taylah McCutcheon (Honda No.146) at the start of this race on Sunday. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com