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He\'s carrying the torch for New Zealand, and now for the whole of Europe, as motocross ace Josh Coppins rides his last event of the year next weekend (Sat 25th).
The high-flying youngster from Motueka goes into the second and final round of the World Supercross Champs in fourth spot, the only Euro-based rider to challenge the all-conquering Americans.
At round one in Paris last month, the Kiwi expat stunned the French with his ability to switch from gruelling outdoor motocross, where he finished a close fourth in the 15-round summer championship, to the spectacle of stadium supercross.
The French rate themselves as the top motocross nation on earth and hoped they had the firepower to run with the American-based stars who make indoor supercross a specialty, but it was 23-year-old Coppins who quietly went about accumulating the points to top the European leaderboard by night\'s end.
His highly-fancied teammate from the Suzuki Corona team and runner-up in this year\'s outdoor champs, French favourite Mickael Pichon, tangled with US legend Jeremy McGrath through the evening and the pair crashed themselves out of the final.
Other outdoor stars faded too - world champion Fred Bolley of France did not even start - and Coppins travels to Leipzig in Germany under a burden of expectation.
\"It\'s a bit over the top really,\" said the mature young professional just finishing his first year as a factory rider.
\"The fans can be pretty hysterical over supercross, but really this two-round world series suits the Americans who are riding this stuff all the time.
\"They\'d struggle to foot it with us over the world outdoor season, and I\'m rapt to be keeping them in sight indoors.
\"Just the same, come Saturday night I\'ll be giving it everything . it\'s my last ride of the year and I know I can have a good break after this.\"
Ironically it\'s a Frenchman who is favoured to take the title - expat David Vuillemin, riding for the US Yamaha team, dominated round one.
American Mike Larocco (Honda) holds second from South African Suzuki racer Greg Albertyn, former world champion while based in Europe and now in his final season in America before retirement.
