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Current Enduro World Champion and former Kiwi Stefan Merriman has signed up to compete, and the Kiwi enduro community is buzzing about having him at the event, even though he will be riding for the Australian team.
\"That guy is fast,\" said joint A4DE organiser Sean Clarke after racing with him at last Australian 6-Day Enduro in Victoria. \"He\'s unbelievable! Merriman is in a league of his own.\"
Former World Champion Shane Watts is one of Australia\'s dirt bike icons. With more National titles under his belt than any other Australian, \"Wattsey\" has raced around the world for several years, and tackled the American series last year. By February, he will be champing at the bit to add New Zealand to his list of conquered countries.
Shayne King is almost a household name is New Zealand, and has raced in the World 500cc Motocross Championships since 1995. The KTM racer climbed to the pinnacle of his sport in 1996 when he won the prestigious championship.
Last year, King travelled to America to race, competing in the AMA Supercross series and the Outdoor National series. He also raced at last year\'s Australian 6-Day enduro and finished seventh in his class, winning several of the special tests.
\"I\'m really looking forward to the Australian 4-Day,\" King said. \"It\'s an awesome thing for New Zealand to be able to hold this kind of event in our own back yard.\"
Other top class riders confirmed for the event are National Enduro Champion Paul Whibley, local legends Kevin archer and Paul Wilson, Auckland\'s Dean Humphrey, Palmerston North\'s Steven Bird and 500cc National Motocross champion Michael Cotter.
A further 21 riders from Victoria and two containers of bikes from New South Wales have also been confirmed, but have yet to send in their registrations.
The Australian 4-Day Enduro has never been held on this side of The Ditch before, so organisers Mark Davis and Sean Clarke are keen to make this event one of the biggest this country has witnessed.
The 4-Day will also tie in the Teams State Championship and will also spark off the opening round of the New Zealand Enduro season.
On December 3, Clarke organised a 24km trail ride over some of the land that will be used for the big event. Sixty riders turned up to have their taste-buds whetted, and all of them enjoyed the day and the terrain.
A typical special test was also added for the riders, so they could get a glimpse of what the 4-Day would be like.
The trail ride included huge elevation changes from valley floors to huge hilltops with breathtaking views of the Kawhia Harbour. Tight bush sections, steep farm tracks, rolling paddocks and river crossings were also the norm.
However, Clarke wasn\'t about to give away all his plans on what to expect over the Australian 4-Day.
\"The 24km trail ride covered some of the terrain riders can expect to face in February...but some will be different as well,\" he said with a grin.
With Suzuki securing the naming rights for the 4-Day and a long list of sponsors like the Otorohanga Development Board, Kiwi Rider magazine, Venture Travel United, Waipa Networks Ltd, www.eatmydirt.co.au, Darbi Accessories, Forbes and Davies Wholesale, the Oparau Garage, and the Oparau Community and Districts Club, the event has so far pulled in $20,000 of sponsorship money.
With two of the three early bird cut-off dates now passed, riders can still get discounts for registering for the Australian 4-Day Enduro before January 1 2001.
\"This is a once in a lifetime chance to ride against Australia on our own ground,\" said National Enduro #3 Steven Bird. \"New Zealanders should grab the opportunity to race this event, because it\'s going to be awesome.\"
