The nation’s elite dirt bike racers managed to escape the worst of the weather bomb that struck New Zealand’s North Island at the weekend, but the action was stormy nonetheless in forestry near Tokoroa on Saturday.
Round two of the popular National Club Enduro Series drew riders from throughout the North Island to race the tricky forestland course at Tar Hill, just south of Tokoroa, and all enjoyed the flowing terrain that wound through the wooded area at Kinleith.
Run by the Forestland Motorcycle Club, Saturday’s racing marked the second round of four in this popular competition, with more than 120 riders arriving with their fans and support crews.
The opening round of the Husqvarna-sponsored National Club Enduro Series (NCES) was staged at Oparau, near Kāwhia, at the end of January and the frontrunners in that occasion therefore knew there would be targets on their backs on Saturday.
That concern was well-founded, with a couple of fresh faces rising to the challenge and featuring at Tar Hill on Saturday.
Taupo’s Wil Yeoman, a no-show at the series opener, was the standout rider on Saturday, winning the day in the premier Expert Grade, albeit finishing just a handful of seconds ahead of New Plymouth’s Sam Parker, with round one winner Callum Dudson, from Rotorua, clinching the third podium spot.
New Plymouth’s Blake Lusk and Thames rider Chris Birch – a former international champion, also with numerous New Zealand titles to his credit – rounding out the top five in the Expert Grade.
After two of four rounds, Dudson continues to lead the grade, just three points ahead of Parker, with Lusk, fourth overall after round one, now up to third spot overall, just six points adrift of fellow Taranaki man Parker.
After winning the Intermediate Grade at round one, Gisborne’s Angus Thomas was favoured to feature again on Saturday and that’s just what he did, making it two round wins in a row and cementing his position atop the grade.
Runner-up to Thomas was Whangaparoa’s Nathan Refoy, with Otorohanga’s Max De Malmanche completing the Intermediate Grade podium.
Top rider in the Youth Grade on Saturday was Rotorua’s Dominic Spanbroek, with Raglan’s Riley Shaw and Rotorua’s Lukas Bjarnason completing the podium.
Spanboek now leads the series in the Youth Grade after the round one winner in the grade, Rotorua’s Hadlee Fowler failed to show on Saturday.
Saturday’s event was again organised and run by a man with vast experience in the sport, Tokoroa enduro wizard Sean Clarke.
He is a multi-time former New Zealand champion and a four-time medallist at the “Olympic Games of enduro racing”, the International Six Days Enduro, so he knows first-hand what it takes to win at the ultimate level of the sport.
The next round of the series is set for forestry land at Ohakuri, near Atiamuri, on May 16.
The NCES is sponsored by Husqvarna motorcycles, Forbes and Davies accessory distributors, O’Neal apparel, Maxima oils, Arai helmets, Ogio bags, Blur, Maxi Grip, Kiwi Rider magazine, Muc-Off, Metzeler tyres, USWE and SATCO logging attachments.
NCES CALENDAR:
Round one: February 28, Oparau;
Round two: April 11, Tar Hill, Tokoroa;
Round three: May 16, Ohakuri, Atiamuri;
Round four: June 20, Ohakuri, Atiamuri.
For more information, call Sean Clarke on 027 599 6046
© Words by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com
Photo by Madison Clarke
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