FAMILY ATMOSPHERE AT THE RACES

The Stroud family. What can we say?

Simply unbelievable!! (And if you didn’t live in NZ and see it for yourself, you’d think we were making it all up).

Mum and dad – Andrew and Karyn – with 10 beautiful children.

Dad, Andrew, is a nine-time former New Zealand superbike champion who, at age 48, has just finished runner-up in the 2016 NZ Superbike Championship and, then, no sooner had he wheeled his bike back into the garage after each of his races at Hampton Downs but he’s out giving his 13-year-old son Jessie (in leathers that are a size or two too big) a hand to get on track for his races in the Development class.

“He can’t start the bike on his own,” Andrew explained.

While this is happening, another son, 17-year-old Jacob, is winning the Superlites class, the first in what may yet be many national road-racing title victories.

Another son, 16 year-old Caleb, raced earlier in the season but crashed at round two and injured himself.

Phew, we’re exhausted just thinking about all of this.

Of course there’s always the Rees family, from Whakatane, another example of a dad, Tony, racing with his sons, brothers Mitch and Damon.

Then there’s the Hoogenboezem brothers, from Christchurch – Alastair, James and Matthew – also in action at the top level of road-racing ion New Zealand.

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