The start of the 2019 New Zealand Motocross Championships is now just days away and West Auckland’s Hamish Harwood can’t wait to begin.
The defending national MX2 (250cc) champion certainly showed he’s on target to make it four MX2 title wins in a row this season, such was the pace he demonstrated at the weekend’s major event in the Tararua district.
The 23-year-old Harwood dominated senior racing at the big annual New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville, winning three races from four starts in two separate categories on Sunday.
Again supported by the CML Makita KTM Racing Team, the Royal Heights-based former Takaka rider was in superb form on Sunday as he won both his races in the 125cc class and also won outright in the MX2 (250cc) class, thanks to a 2-1 score-card.
Australian MX2 champion Wilson Todd (LMC Husqvarna), representing a serious threat to Hamish Harwood’s MX2 class dominance this year. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
It has been some time since he regularly raced a 125cc bike, with the frequent double-class ironman usually riding both the MX1 (450cc) and MX2 classes, but this year he is targeting the two smaller bike categories and will bid to win both of these at the four-round nationals, starting in Taranaki this coming Sunday.
“I qualified fastest in both classes at Woodville and won three races out of four. I was catching race leader Wilson Todd (the reigning Australian MX2 champion) in the first MX2 race when I dropped the bike.
“I caught back up to him but ran out of time to make the pass.
“My speed is good and I love the KTM 250F. I laughed actually because a lot of people don’t think I can win on a four-stroke bike after I won national MX2 titles in 2017 and 2018 riding a two-stroke KTM.
“But they forget I won my first title on a four-stroke KTM in 2016 and so the rules changing now to have all riders on four-strokes in this class doesn’t really bother me at all.
Royal Heights rider Hamish Harwood (CML Makita KTM 250F), still New Zealand’s best MX2 (250cc) motocross racer. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
“I proved that today didn’t I?
“I’ve got a dodgy left shoulder, with six or seven torn ligaments, so I will need surgery to get that fixed, but not until after the nationals are wrapped up (on March 10). I’m booked in for surgery on March 18.
“It’s putting my body through a lot to do two classes at the nationals, so I will only push on with the 125cc class campaign until I can no longer be competitive.
“If it gets too tough and fatigues me too much, I will drop the 125cc bid. My preferred title to concentrate on is the MX2 class.
“I think my main title threat will be Wilson (Todd). He missed out on the Aussie crown two years ago and then won it last year, so he knows how to win titles.”
Harwood works as a builder during the week, but has still managed to find enough time in his busy schedule for motocross training.
“I have actually be riding lots lately. I don’t usually ride a lot at this time of year, but I’ve been riding both days of every weekend and usually one day after work during the week too, so my fitness is good.
“I want to thank Patrick Stafford at KTM New Zealand and Karl Brabant at CML Makita KTM, and my wife Caydie too, for all the support they give me.”
Several KTM riders travelled up from the South Island to race at Woodville and they were similarly dominant, Rangiora’s Cobie Bourke winning all three races in his 12-14 years’ 125cc class on Saturday, while Invercargill’s Jack Symon scored a hat-trick of wins in the 12-13 years’ 85cc class.
Leeston bothers Kobe Thoms (8-11 years’ 85cc class) and Kase Thoms (8-11 years’ pro 65cc class) dominated in their respective classes too.
Tauranga-based former Rangiora rider Micah McGoldrick (Jeff Scott Electrical KTM), sixth overall in the MX2 class at Woodville on Sunday. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Meanwhile, other individual class winners on Sunday were Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper (MX1 class); Tauranga’s Brodie Connolly (Roddy Shirriffs Memorial trophy, top rider aged under 21); Hamilton’s Amie Roberts (women’s class); Whakatane’s Darren Capill (veterans’ class); Waipukurau’s Steve Sergeant (river race class); Taupo’s Jake Tomblin (vintage motocross).
Individual class winners on Saturday were Australia’s Brad West (14-16 years’ 250cc class); Pukekawa’s Jack Dunlop (15-16 years’ 125cc class); Rangiora’s Cobie Bourke (12-14 years’ 125cc class); Hamilton’s Dylan Westgate (14-16 years’ 85cc class); Invercargill’s Jack Symon (12-13 years’ 85cc class); Leeston’s Kobe Thoms (8-11 years’ 85cc class); Leeston’s Kase Thoms (8-11 years’ pro 65cc class).
Winners on the mini track on Saturday were Pahiatua’s Brody Sparrow (4-7 intro trail); Cambridge’s Nico Verhoeven (4-7 intro 50cc MX); Christchurch’s Levi McMaster (6-8 50cc MX); Tauranga’s Arama Te Whetu (7-8 65cc MX); Dannevirke’s James Joblin (8-11 small wheel trail); Rewa’s Logan Clare (8-11 big wheel trail); Invercargill’s Ryder Sheehan (9-11 65cc MX).
© Words and photos by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ
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