Tokoroa the Top Team

Battle of the Clubs

maddix park mx

Click here for race highlights.

A great day of racing was promised and, as usual, Taupo delivered.

Twenty four teams took part in the 2014 edition of the Battle of the Clubs with last year’s runner up, the Tokoroa Club made up of Oliver Ayre (85cc), Wyatt Chase (125cc), Ben Broad (Junior 250), Cohen Chase (MX2), Dion Picard (MX1) and Nigel Gainford (Vets), taking the top honours.

Tokoroa is the 4th different club to win the title of top club since the event began 5 years ago. It was good to see that podium honours were shared by several clubs (Pukekohe A:1st Seniors, Taupo A: 2nd Seniors, Nelson: 2nd juniors & 3rd overall, North King Country:3rd Juniors, Taranaki A: 2nd overall) but Tokoroa was the only club standing on all three podiums (3rd Seniors, 1st Juniors and 1st overall) this year. 

Bragging rights for the fastest lap went to Darren Capill (in practice when the track was smooth and fast) followed by Josh Coppins, Brad Groombridge and John Phillips.

The track was good with only a couple of puddles and soft spots and sawdust that formed nicely into ruts but, as per the norm, it became rougher as the day progressed.  The absence of a number of top pro riders who are competing in Australia this weekend meant that the spotlight fell on different helmets and different great to watch battles such as that between John Phillips and an attacking Brad Groombridge in the MX1/MX2 race.

Chris Merriman, riding with the Tauranga Dukes team, was pretty happy with his 26th and 22nd and particularly enjoyed powering past some of the 250s on his 85cc machine.

Jovhann Phillips, from the same team, rode well with 10th and 6th place finishes despite suffering from arm pump.

Paul Burgess, a young nearly 60 year old, was the Vet rider for the team. “It was great fun” says Paul, “but a bit of a shock as I haven’t done any motocross for 10 years!  Once I had got over the scariness of the jumps and gained confidence, I got better and better. It was definitely easier than the 50 to 60 km trail rides that I’m used to,” he adds  “and I don’t think there was any other rider there as ancient as me”.

The Tauranga Dukes finished 7th in the Juniors and 18th in the Seniors for a creditable 13th overall.

Reece Garrett was the 85cc rider in the Tauranga Lords team which finished 18th in the Juniors, 20th in the Seniors and 20th overall.  It was the first time that Reece had raced at Taupo so everything was a bit new. “It was a bit different as well racing in with the 125s and 250s”, he says, “I felt really small but it was a great experience and in a great atmosphere; everyone tried really hard and had a good time.”

Nearly $10,000 was raised at this annual event which raises funds to send NZ motocross riders to the international  MX of Nations event.  This year the MX of Nations will be held in Latvia in September.  The NZ team has not yet been announced.

Senior Teams

1st Pukekohe A, 2nd Taupo A, 3rd Tokoroa……..11th BOP, 12th Rotorua, 18th Tauranga Dukes, 19th Patetonga,  20th Tauranga Lords.    

Junior Teams

1st Tokoroa, 2nd Nelson, 3rd North King Country……..7th Tauranga Dukes, 12th Rotorua,  13th Patetonga, 14th Taupo B, 15th Taupo A, 18th Tauranga Lords, 21st BOP.

Overall

1st Tokoroa (Dion Picard, Cohen Chase, Nigel Gainfort, Ben Broad, Wyatt Chase & Ollie Ayre)

2nd Taranaki A (Daryl Hurley, Aaron Janes, Mitch Rowe, Nick Hornby, Ryan Gwynn & Kade Wilson)

3rd Nelson (Josh Coppins, Hayden Wilkinson, Grant Walker, Isaac Millson, Reece Walker & Clayton Roseke)

 4th Pukekohe A, 5th Manawatu Orion, 6th Taupo A, 7th Rodney, 8th Kapi Mana, 9th Pukekohe B,  10th Taupo B…….  13th Tauranga Dukes, 14th Rotorua,  17th Patetonga, 18th BOP Whakatane, 20th Tauranga Lords

Go to MyLaps for full results.

Local riders:

Junior 85 / 125

13th Josh Tredinnick, 14th Brad Cameron, 16th Simon Atkinson, 23rd James Scott, 26th Chris Merriman, 28th Jordan Milsom, 32nd Reece Garrett

Junior 125 / 250

3rd Ben Broad, 8th Jayden Turnwald, 10th Jovhann Phillips, 25th Josh Tredinnick, 30th Simon Atkinson, 42 Brad Cameron, 43 Jesse Bussas

Junior 250 / 85

1st Jayden Turnwald, 4th Ben Broad, 6th Jovhann Phillips, 13th James Scott, 22nd Chris Merriman,  28th Reece Garrett, 29th Jordan Milsom,  34th Jesse Bussas

Senior Vets / MX2

12th Matt Kenyon,  25th Keith Paterson,  33rd Jared Koningsveld, 43rd Paul Burgess

Senior MX1 / Vets

6th Dion Picard, 7th Campbell Bailey, 21st Keith Paterson,  23rd Brendon White, 25th Cam McCaskie, 27th Sam Lutes,  39  Paul Burgess,

MX2 / MX1

5th Dion Picard, 6th Campbell Bailey, 30th Cam McCaskie, 31st Matt Kenyon, 32nd Brendon White, 34th Sam Lutes, 41st Jared Koningsveld  

 
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