Bikesportnz

Like the legendary Phoenix from the ashes, the big annual New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville is sure to rise up again.

Instead of racing at Woodville at the weekend, the COVID-19 pandemic means riders were probably just out racing with just a few mates, on land near their homes, or perhaps isolating indoors, stuck in front of the television.

Thanks very much COVID … you might have won this one, but Kiwis are fighters and we’ll be back.

We can either feel angry or sad when we think about what might have been, or just accept it’s a condition of the times and believe it’s something that will simply pass through and eventually fade away.

We should instead perhaps just sigh, take a deep breath and look back with fondness at what we have enjoyed over the years … and then look forward to a resurrected Woodville GP in the near future.

The 2022 season may have spat us off our bikes like a gnarly whoop, but just think how refreshed and sharp we are all going to be when we do bounce back.

It’s been a remarkable past 60 years and, future blips aside, we’re pretty sure the next 60 will be just as thrilling.

Of course, there have been some absolute legends at Woodville over the years.

The Woodville honour roll over the decades has read like a Who’s Who of leading New Zealand motocross talent and has also featured some of the best riders of the day from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Sweden, England, Scotland, Wales, Japan, Indonesia, Australia and the United States.

Even legendary British two-time former world champions Jeff Smith and Dave Bickers raced at Woodville. Smith, 500cc motocross world champion in 1964 and 65, beat Bickers, 250cc world champion in 1960 and 61, to the Woodville trophy in 1970.

Other big international names such as Akira Watanabe, Gunnar Lindstrom, Pius Beeler, Paul Hunt, Greg Hanson, Perry Leask, Billy Mackenzie, Jake Nicholls, Willie Surratt, Frankie Brundage, Craig Dack, Vaughan Style, Glen Bell, Dave Armstrong, Brett Metcalfe, Tye Simmonds, Dean Ferris, Kirk Gibbs, Todd Waters, Jed Beaton, Jay Wilson and Wilson Todd, to name a few, have graced the illustrious Woodville MX programme over the years.

However, it has been the star Kiwis riders who have enjoyed the most success there, although only six riders have won the main trophy at Woodville three times or more in the past – Taranaki ‘s Shayne King (a record 9-time Woodville winner), his elder brother Darryll King (5-time winner), Motueka’s Josh Coppins (5-time winner), Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper (3), Tauranga’s Peter Ploen (3) and Pahiatua’s Ken Cleghorn (3).

The event typically attracts hundreds of competitors and spectators number by the thousands and the programme has expanded over the years to boast more than 70 races. It easily fills two days.

Sadly, with COVID-19 continuing to wreak havoc worldwide and governments from so many countries forced to consider drastic options in a bid to curb the virus, some of the freedoms we previously enjoyed can be no more than cherished memories for the time being.

Hopefully, when the pandemic eventually wanes, we can look forward to mixing with our mates and racing again on the hallowed turf at the eastern end of the Manawatu Gorge.

© Words and photos by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

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Previous Woodville winners:

1961 Ken Cleghorn (Pahiatua);

1962 Tim Gibbes (Australia);

1963 Malcolm Campbell (Taranaki);

1964 Tim Gibbes;

1965 Ken Cleghorn;

1966 Ken Cleghorn;

1967 Keith Hickman (Britain);

1968 Gunnar Lindstrom (Sweden);

1969 Gordon Adsett (Britain);

1970 Jeff Smith (Britain);

1971 Alan Collison (Palmerston North);

1972 Peter Ploen (Palmerston North);

1973 Brian Martin (Wellington);

1974 Peter Ploen;

1975 Peter Ploen;

1976 Bill Aldridge (Britain);

1977 Peter Boyle (Wellington);

1978 Ivan Miller (Blenheim);

1979 Frank White (Atiamuri);

1980 Information required;

1981 Craig Coleman (Wanganui);

1982 Craig Coleman;

1983 Bryan Patterson (Rotorua, Kawasaki);

1984 Murray Anderson (Stokes Valley, Yamaha);

1985 Bryan Patterson;

1986 Graeme Allen (Christchurch, Kawasaki);

1987 Greg Hanson (Britain, Kawasaki);

1988 Darryll King (New Plymouth);

1989 Willie Surratt (United States);

1990 Darryll King;

1991 Darryll King;

1992 Shayne King (New Plymouth);

1993 Shayne King;

1994 Shayne King;

1995 Shayne King;

1996 Josh Coppins (Motueka, Suzuki);

1997 Darryll King;

1998 Shayne King;

1999 Josh Coppins;

2000 Josh Coppins;

2001 Shayne King;

2002 Darryll King;

2003 Shayne King;

2004 Shayne King;

2005 Daryl Hurley (Hawera, Suzuki);

2006 Shayne King;

2007 Cody Cooper (Mt Maunganui, Honda)

2008 Josh Coppins (Yamaha);

2009 Daryl Hurley;

2010 Justin McDonald (Christchurch, Honda);

2011 Josh Coppins;

2012 Ben Townley (Tauranga, Honda);

2013 Ben Townley;

2014 Cody Cooper;

2015 Kirk Gibbs (Australia, KTM);

2016 Dean Ferris (Australia, Yamaha);

2017 Dean Ferris;

2018 Kayne Lamont (Hamilton, Yamaha);

2019 Cody Cooper;

2020 Hamish Harwood (Auckland, KTM);

2021 Wyatt Chase (Taupo, Yamaha)

2022 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic;