ELITE KIWI DIRT BIKE RACERS ACCEPT CHALLENGE

The National Club Enduro Series is at the halfway stage and the second phase of the tremendously popular off-road motorcycle competition gets underway this weekend, with everything still at stake for trophy hopefuls.

Run by the Forestland Motorcycle Club, Saturday’s racing is significant as the third round of four in this series, with more than 150 riders expected to converge with their friends, fans, sponsors and support crews.

The opening two rounds of the Husqvarna-sponsored National Club Enduro Series (NCES) were staged at Oparau, near Kāwhia, at the end of January, followed by round two at Tar Hill, just south of Tokoroa, on April 11, and the main title contenders realise that it means there will be targets on their backs this weekend.

The site for Saturday’s racing is a new venue, situated just south of Tar Hill, at Atiamuri, and will be signposted from State Highway 1.

The overall winner at Oparau’s opening round was Rotorua’s Callum Dudson, with Oparau’s Hunter Scott and New Plymouth’s Sam Parker hot on his rear wheel, while Taupo’s Wil Yeoman was the leading star at round two at Tar Hill, followed by Taranaki’s Parker and Bay of Plenty’s Dudson, and these riders will obviously be among the favourites in the premier Expert Grade this weekend.

Riders such as New Plymouth’s Blake Lusk and Thames rider Chris Birch – a former international champion, also with numerous New Zealand titles to his credit – could also be expected to feature in the premier grade.

After winning the Intermediate Grade at both rounds one and two, Gisborne’s Angus Thomas is the obvious favourite to win again this coming Saturday, although he can likely expect fierce challenges from Whangaparoa’s Nathan Refoy and Otorohanga’s Max De Malmanche.

Top rider in the Youth Grade at round two was Rotorua’s Dominic Spanbroek, with Raglan’s Riley Shaw and Rotorua’s Lukas Bjarnason completing the podium. Spanbroek leads the series in the Youth Grade after the round one winner in the grade, Rotorua’s Hadlee Fowler, failed to show up at round two.

Saturday’s event is 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 club-based enduro series proved popular last year with its rideable courses and easy times for the sections,” said Clarke. “The terrain is mostly forest tracks, with plenty there to both excite and challenge the riders.”

The fourth and final round of the series is set for similar forestry land at Ohakuri, near Atiamuri, on June 20.

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.

Meanwhile, here’s the brilliant footage produced by Ash Sowman from round two of the NCES competition.