Focus on Fun
Club Results
Below is a round up of results from club events held over the past month. Apologies for the belatedness. Sometimes life just gets in the way of the best intentions. The weather has been difficult at times this winter so some rounds are a little behind schedule. However, the riders that turn up each week at events around the country have fun whatever the conditions. Racing is competitive but never forget, the focus must be on fun as well.
Tokoroa Club
Round 5 (4.9.2011)
Xavier Anderson (pictured) and Trent Duggan were among the minis who headed to Tokoroa for Round 5. They were not racing for points. The focus was fun and they definitely enjoyed their day.
Kurt Langford enjoyed his day too and is really enjoying his Yamaha 125. He finished 2nd overall for the day in the 12-16 years class, behind Katikati’s Garth Amrein. Kurt says he needs to work on his fitness, but his speed is good considering the short time he has been back on a bike.
In the first couple of races, Kurt had been pushing hard, wanting to stay with the other guys but found himself making a lot of mistakes. For the 3rd race, he heeded his Dad’s advice and, like the mini riders, focused on having fun. “Stop thinking about racing and concentrate on riding smooth and flowing your corners,” his dad said. “Don’t worry about the other guys, they have all been training hard for the Aussie Nationals and you have only done 9hrs of riding in the last 5 months and you are only 2 seconds a lap slower. Keep your chin up and have some fun”.
It worked. Kurt stayed with the others for 7 laps but then ran out of steam finishing 3rd but a lot happier with his ride.
Lee Ormsby had intended to do both the 125 and 85cc classes but in the end opted not to put stress on his recently broken wrist and just did the 85cc races where he came first overall for the day.
In the senior classes, Brendon White was 2nd and Roydon White 4th in the A grade with Roydon 1st, Garth Amrein 2nd and Brendon 3rd in the one race they did in the Senior Open.
Full results are on www.mylaps.com
Rotorua Club
Round 4 (11.9.2011)
Riders managed to get 2 races in before the rain pelted down and turned the previously slightly dusty track progressively into a more challenging slush. But it was a good fun day nevertheless. All those present were glad they had come.
Chris Merriman raced the 85cc 8-12 years class gaining an 1st and 2nd which should put him into 2nd place for the series.
Matt Kenyon found the conditions good for training. He won both the 125 Junior races and got a 1st and a 2nd in the Senior race. “the older guys get a bit shy when it gets wet” was one comment made. Hayden Rumble and Evan Hawkless continued their private battle within a battle in the same 125 class with Hayden getting the edge this time round. Callum Ranger was pretty pleased with his 2nd place in the 13-16 years 85cc class. Alex & Christina Cameron squeezed in the event between days on the ski fields and admit it was getting a bit slippery out there when the club pulled the pin on the day’s racing. Numbers were a little sparse, no doubt due to the weather forecast, but Connor Lucas, Bradley Jeffries and the Atkinson brothers, Cole and Simon, were among those out there doing it in the 85 and 125 classes and the Waterhouse sisters were racing in the women’s class.
Trent Duggan was one of the many absentees of the day (the reason – rugby) but he still has a healthy lead in the 65cc A grade class.
The Rotorua track is still in the process of being amended so for some “it’s a bit strange riding it at the moment”. Another month to go, we hear. There’s one more club round to go. Points should be up on the Rotorua web site in the near future. www.rmcc.org.nz
Round 3 (14.08.2011)
The odd shower came through and it was pretty cold - “you could almost get hypothermia holding a flag” but round 3 proved good news for some but better to forget for others.
Logan Blackburn crashed into another rider and bent the expansion chamber on his bike. Lee Ormsby was coming second when he crashed into another rider who had dropped his bike so he was out for the last 85cc race with a bent front disc – you couldn’t even spin the wheel. Chris Merriman went into a bank, smacked his head, got a blood nose then couldn’t get his bike up – it was stuck in a rut. Hayden Rumble just had a bad day with bad starts. Cam McCaskie stalled on the start line in race 1. Got a bad start in race 3, tried to pass everyone in the first lap but crashed and couldn’t start the bike so one lap down.
However, Cam’s day had its brilliant moment. A wicked start in race 2 meant he led until he was literally pipped at the post by Nathan Henderson with 2 corners to go. Evan Hawkless, Hayden Rumble, Cole Atkinson, Ash Garrett and Lee Ormsby were lined up in the same race.
They have been logging pine trees around the Rotorua track so the track has been changed and shortened with some sections cut off. Connor Lucas enjoyed getting used to the changes. He rode in the 8-12 years 85cc class along with Josh Tredinnick, Chris Merriman, Bradley Jeffrey, Alex Cameron & Wesley Fuller but it was Tyler Steiner who dominated with a clean sweep of the top spot.
Trent Duggan consolidated his lead in the 65cc A grade class. Christina Cameron did double but fortunately not back to back classes in the women’s and 85cc races. Simon Atkinson and Reece Garrett also rode successfully in the 13-16 85cc class.
Melissa Patterson won all the women’s races but with 2 seconds and a 3rd, Casey Waterhouse maintains her lead in the series. Three Tauranga ladies – Ashley Bond, Christina Cameron and Julie Managh -make up the top 5.
Luke Henry had 3 wins in the Senior novice which takes him to second in the series a mere 1 point behind the leader, Matthew Atchison. Ian Conway was 3rd for the day in the Vets class with Scott Atchison 4th and Julie Managh 7th.
Scott Canham won the MX 2 on the day followed by Danny Merriman in 2nd, however Sheldon Garrett now leads the series. Michael Phillips riding on his home track had the MX 1 class rapidly sewn up. Ian Conway, in his second class, came 4th. Nathan Hunt came a respectable 4th on the day in the ATV races but his consistency means he leads the series.
There was plenty of action on the mini track as well. Jacob Hunt topped the KTM 59 SX class with 4 wins followed by Sam Meredith and Alex Fraser-Brown. Harrison Forrester-Moore did the same in the 65cc class. In the Trail class, AJ Steiner came in the first of the local riders with Luke Fraser-Brown, Tamzin Fuller and Wade Meredith in close contention.
Results are on www.rmcc.org.nz
Taupo Club
Winter Series Round 5 (28th August 2011)
Some good results for local riders at Taupo on a beautiful fine weekend. Jacob Hunt cleaned up the 6-8 Years 50cc Div 2 class and Jontae Carroll was 4th in the 7-8 years 65cc. Chris Merriman still has a few problems with his starts but the race two one was great one and his 4/2/3 finishes gave him 4th for the day in the 9-11 years 65cc ahead of Harrison Moore (9th) and Trent Duggan (11th) who was having problems with his starts too. In the Junior 85cc 8-10 years class, Jordan Milsom led for quite a way but ended up with 3 second places behind Maximus Purvis. Jack McClymont had 3/3/3 finishes and Josh McClymont, riding his 65 was 10th for the day. Jovhann Phillips does not feature in the results because his bike frame broke.
In the 125 classes, Aaron Wiltshier finished 2nd in the 12-14 years age group with Matt Kenyon 4th and Evan Hawkless 13th (one DNS). In the 15-16 years age group, Garth Amrein was 3rd and Cam McCaskie 5th.
Scott Canham headed the MX 2 riders with Roydon White 9th while Ben Townley and then Brad Groombridge dominated the MX1.
Results are on www.mylaps.com.
