It was impossible to make predictions about winners and grinners before this year’s Suzuki International Tri Series motorcycle event began and now that’s perhaps doubly so, even after the competition kicked off at Hampton Downs on Saturday.

The day was full of surprises at the new circuit just north of Huntly with the most sensational perhaps being the unexpected pace of Tauranga racer Sloan Frost.

The BMW rider has always been in the shadow of such international superstars as Waikato man Andrew Stroud, the defending Tri Series champion, talented Canadian visitor Andy Nelson and Australian heroes Robbie Bugden and Dan Stauffer … but not any more.

By the end of racing on Saturday, Frost was very definitely in the spotlight.

The pace was incredible in the opening superbike encounter with pole-winner Bugden and Frost locked in a fierce battle, while Stroud was forced to play catch-up after a slow start.

The pace was so hot that the top four riders all lapped under the old lap record, previously held by Stroud, but it was Frost who crossed the line first, followed by Stroud, Bugden and Yamaha’s Stauffer.

Bugden then went out in the next race and shattered the lap record on his way to a convincing win, with Frost forced to settle for second, just ahead of Feilding’s Craig Shirriffs (Suzuki), Stroud and Hamilton’s Nick Cole (Kawasaki).

With his 1-2 results in the two superbike races, Frost enjoys a one-point series points lead over Bugden, but he can take nothing for granted because Suzuki men Stroud, Bugden and Shirriffs pose very serious threats and will no doubt come on strong at round two at Manfeild this coming weekend and at the third and final round on the public streets of Wanganui’s famous Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day.

Stroud and Shirriffs, in particular, are extremely familiar with and blindingly fast on the streets of Wanganui and it will perhaps be there, the day after Christmas, where the Tri Series will actually be decided.

Other class winners on Saturday were Wellington’s Glen Skachill (F2 600 Supers), New Plymouth’s Terry Fitzgerald (F3 Sports Bikes), Taupo’s Scott Moir (Super Moto over-451cc), Italy’s Davide Gozzini (450 Super Moto), Auckland’s Graham Moorhead (Post Classics, pre-89) and Christchurch’s John Ross (Bears).

Three sidecar teams share equal first place. They are Wanganui crews Adam Unsworth and Stu Dawe, Ash Martin and Charles Bilby and Steve Bron and Dennis Simonsen.

© Words and photos by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

LEADING RESULTS:

F1 Superbikes race 1: Sloan Frost (Tauranga, BMW S1000RR), 1; Andrew Stroud (Hamilton, Suzuki GSXR1000), 2; Robbie Bugden (Australia, Suzuki GSXR1000), 3; Craig Shirriffs (Fielding, Suzuki GSXR1000), 4; Dan Stauffer (Australia, Yamaha YZF-R1), 5; James Smith (Christchurch, Suzuki GSXR1000), 6.

F1 Superbikes race 2: Robbie Bugden, 1; Sloan Frost, 2; Andrew Stroud, 3; Craig Shirriffs, 4; Nick Cole (Hamilton, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 5; Dan Stauffer, 6.

Series points: Sloan Frost, 47; Robbie Bugden, 46; Andrew Stroud, 42; Craig Shirriffs, 36; Dan Stauffer, 31; James Smith, 29.

450 Supermoto race 1: Toby Summers (Auckland, Yamaha YZF450), 1; Davide Gozzini (Italy, TM SMX450F), 2; Jayden Carrick (Wanganui, Suzuki RMZ450), 3; Richard Dibben (Wanganui, Honda CRF450), 4; Andrea Occhini (Italy, Suzuki RMZ450), 5; Duncan Hart (Tauranga, Husqvarna SMRR450), 6.

450 Supermoto race 2: Davide Gozzini, 1; Jayden Carrick, 2; Toby Summers, 3; Richard Dibben, 4; Andrea Occhini, 5; Duncan Hart, 6.

Series points: Davide Gozzini, 47; Toby Summers, 46; Jayden Carrick, 42; Richard Dibben, 36; Andrea Occhini, 32; Duncan Hart, 30.

Supermoto Open race 1: Scott Moir (Taupo, Aprilia SXV550), 1; Scott Birch (Rotorua, Aprilia SXV550), 2; Casey Bullock (Taupo, Aprilia SXV550), 3; Glen Haden Wanganui, Honda CRF490), 4; Lewis Waho (Taupo, Aprilia SXV550), 5; Craig Flood (New Plymouth, Aprilia SXV550), 6.

Supermoto Open race 1: Scott Moir, 1; Scott Birch, 2; Casey Bullock, 3; Glen Haden, 4; Wade Thorburn (Taupo, Aprilia SXV550), 5; Craig Flood, 6.

Series points: Scott Moir, 51; Scott Birch, 44; Casey Bullock, 40; Glen Haden, 36; Craig Flood, 30; Doug Stockwell (Auckland, Aprilia SXV550), 27.

F2 600 Supers race 1: Glen Skachill (Wellington, Suzuki GSXR600), 1; Dennis Charlett (Christchurch, Suzuki GSXR600), 2; Jaden Hassan (Auckland, Yamaha YZF-R6), 3; John Ross (Christchurch, Yamaha YZF-R6), 4; Karl Morgan (Auckland, Suzuki GSXR600), 5; Adam Chambers (Clive, Kawasaki ZX-6R), 6.

F2 600 Supers race 2: Glen Skachill, 1; Dennis Charlett, 2; Jaden Hassan, 3; Karl Morgan, 4; Phil Endean (Auckland, Yamaha YZF-R6), 5; Marcus Beagley (Auckland, Kawasaki ZX-6R), 6.

Series points: Glen Skachill, 50; Dennis Charlett, 44; Jaden Hassan, 40; Karl Morgan, 34; Phil Endean, 30; Adam Chambers, 29.

F1 Sidecars race 1: Ash Martin/Charles Bilby, 1; Steve Bron/Dennis Simonsen (Wanganui/Masterton, Suzuki LCR1000), 2; Adam Unsworth/Stu Dawe (Wanganui, Windle F1 1000), 3; Brian Read/Darren Prentis (Auckland, Kawasaki ZX-10R), 4; Darren Pate/Karl Verdell (Katikati, Kawasaki 1000), 5; Tracey Anderson/Jo Mickleson (Tauranga, Yamaha DMR 600), 6.

F1 Sidecars race 2: Adam Unsworth/Stu Dawe, 1; Steve Bron/Dennis Simonsen, 2; Ash Martin/Charles Bilby, 3; Des James/Jonathan Shaw (Auckland, GSXR1000), 4; Brian Read/Darren Prentis, 5; Darren Pate/Karl Verdell, 6.

Series points: Adam Unsworth/Stu Dawe, 45; Ash Martin/Charles Bilby, 45; Steve Bron/Dennis Simonsen, 45; Brian Read/Darren Prentis, 34; Des James/Jonathan Shaw, 32; Darren Pate/Karl Verdell, 31.

Post Classic race 1: Graham Moorhead (Takapuna, Suzuki GS1000), 1; Sean Donnelly, (Paraparaumu, Kawasaki GPZ1100), 2; Russell Barker (Auckland, Suzuki GSXR1100), 3; Jason Hulme (Marton, Honda NC30 400), 4; Mike Webster (Wellington, Kawasaki ZXR H1 750), 5; Chris Sales (Feilding, Honda XR500), 6.

Post Classic race 2: Graham Moorhead, 1; Russell Barker, 2; Sean Donnelly, 3; Paul Wootton (Waikane, Suzuki GSXR1100), 4; Jason Hulme, 5; Mike Webster, 6.

Series points: Graham Moorhead, 51; Russell Barker, 42; Sean Donnelly, 42; Jason Hulme, 34; Paul Wootton, 31; Mike Webster, 31.

BEARS race 1: John Ross (Christchurch, BMW S1000RR), 1; , Joel Reed (Australia, Aprilia RSV4), 2; John Woodley (Australia, MV Agusta R312), 3; Duncan Coutts (Whangarei, Aprilia RSVR1000), 4; Damian Mackie (Te Puke, Ducati 998S), 5; Darren Love (Australia, Ducati 1198), 6.

BEARS race 2: John Ross, 1; Peter Tanner (Feilding, Aprilia RSVR1000), 2; Joel Reed, 3; Damian Mackie, 4; John Woodley, 5; Darren Love, 6.

Series points: John Ross, 50; Joel Reed, 42; John Woodley, 36; Damian Mackie, 34; Duncan Coutts, 32; Darren Love, 30.

F3 Sportbikes race 1: Daniel Kempthorne (Palmerston North, Suzuki SV650), 1; Terry Fitzgerald (New Plymouth, Suzuki SV650), 2; Scott Moir (Taupo, Honda RSV450), 3; Geoff Booth (Dannevirke, Suzuki SV650), 4; Avalon Biddle (Orewa, Honda RS125) 5; Nick Southerwood (Auckland, Suzuki SV650), 6.

F3 Sportbikes race 2: Terry Fitzgerald, 1; Geoff Booth, 2; Scott Moir, 3; Avalon Biddle, 4; Daniel Kempthorne, 5; Dean Bentley (Lower Hutt, Suzuki SV650), 6.

Series points: Terry Fitzgerald, 47; Daniel Kempthorne, 42; Geoff Booth, 40; Scott Moir, 40; Avalon Biddle, 34; Dean Bentley, 29.