New Zealanders are constantly riding high among world’s elite, and have done so for many seasons, and today we offer a big salute to our modest heroes and heroines.
They could be called New Zealand’s “secret army”, a virtual platoon of motorcycle racers who, with very little fanfare and virtually no mainstream media recognition, left our shores to take on the world’s elite.
These are our modest sporting heroes, some of whom became or have latterly become pin-up stars in European, Australian and American bike magazines and who have been in the past or are currently attracting the attention of high-profile race teams abroad.
Over the years, the world’s motorcycling media have been following the wheel-tracks of such pioneering Kiwis as Burt Munro (of The World’s Fastest Indian fame), John Britten, Hugh Anderson, Kim Newcombe, Graeme Crosby, Ginger Molloy, John Woodley, Stu Avant, Rod Coleman, Dennis Ireland, Keith Turner, Len Perry, Trevor Discombe, Geoff Perry, Aaron Slight, Andrew Stroud, Simon Crafar, John Hepburn, Jason McEwen, Rodger Freeth, Robert Holden, Shaun Harris, Chris Haldane, Richard Scott, Wellington brothers Dave and Neville Hiscock, Bruce Anstey, Tony Rees and sons Mitch and Damon, Dennis Charlett and son Hunter, Sloan Frost and son Nixon, Jake Lewis, brother and sister Zak and Billee Fuller, Sam Croft, Blayes Heaven, Connor London, Cormac Buchanan, Avalon Biddle, multi-time speedway world champion Ivan Mauger, Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs.
Then, of course, there’s Chris Maindonald, Frank White, Craig Coleman, Murray Anderson, Bryan Patterson, Cliff Tolley, Taranaki brothers Darryll, Shayne and Damien King, Darryl Atkins, Scott Columb, multiple cross-code champion Stefan Merriman, Chris Birch, Rory Mead, Jake Whitaker, Sean Clarke, Adrian Smith, Katherine Prumm, Tony Cooksley, Josh Coppins, Darryl Hurley, Ben Townley, Paul Whibley, Liam Draper, Rachael Archer, Hamish Harwood, Kayne Lamont, Josiah Natzke, Brodie Connolly, James Scott, Maximus Purvis, Cody Cooper, Roma Edwards, Shelley Hickman, Tania Satchwell and four-time women’s motocross world champion Courtney Duncan, to name just a selection.
Robert Holden and Jason McEwen getting ready to launch off the start line at Manfeild. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Our apologies in advance if there’s a glaring omission in this list.
The point we’re making is that more world championships have been won by New Zealand motorcyclists than by competitors in any other sport in this country and the story of Kiwi motorcyclists boxing above their weight on the world stage continues today.
When these riders headed overseas, they left with no trumpet blast and certainly they expected no ticker-tape parade when they returned.
Therefore it’s the least we can do to throw a small light on them today and perhaps we’ll repeat the quiet applause again – after adding a few more names no doubt – at a later date too.
In the meantime, let’s just hope that the press work done by BikesportNZ.com can continue to push rugby and cricket aside for just a brief moment and edge its way onto the nation’s mainstream media platforms.
© Words and photos by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ
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