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HUSQVARNA N Z RACE TEAM REPORT - By Jeff Sole:
RIDER: PAUL WHIBLEY:
NORTH ISLAND ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP, ROUND 4
ROTOEHU FOREST, ROTORUA
JULY 28 2002
Weather: Mild
Course: Loamy/Sandy
RESULT: 1st
CLASS PLACE: 1st
2nd in Series
BIKE: HUSQVARNA CR250
Tyre Choice: Pirelli MT32/MT32
Tyre pressures: Mousse
Tyre wear: Excellent
PRODUCT REPORT
Again the Pirelli MT32 tyres worked well in the soft loamy soil. The Acerbis Rally 2
hand guards also proved their worth in the bush, deflecting numerous branches and
undergrowth.
EVENT REPORT
The event was great. It was held over a loamy and sandy course that included four
terrain tests. I won all four from Chris Birch (Kawasaki KX250) and at the end of the
day, I beat him for the class win by 17 seconds. That meant I won the round. But
with two wins, a second and a third place each, that meant Chris and I ended up
tied on points over the four rounds of the series.
Unlike other events where the best result in the final round is used as a tie-breaker, in New Zealand enduro competition, the winner is determined by total trail time. This saw Chris win the North Island Enduro Championship in the 250cc two-stroke class and I finished runner-up.
So far this year I haven’t had a weekend when I haven’t been racing, but that could change as a couple of events in Australia have been cancelled. In total contrast to the weather conditions in New Zealand, in country New South Wales they’re in drought conditions.
As a result, the third round of the GNCC series, scheduled for August 11, has been cancelled because it’s too dusty and the third and fourth rounds of the enduro champs. have been called off for the same reason.
It will be a bit strange not to be racing at the weekend, but if I don’t find an event to contest here in New Zealand, I suppose I could go hunting. That’s something I’ve done all my life, starting off as a youngster with my father. He still comes with me at times.
I like to go after red deer in the native bush of the Waewaepa Range near Pahiatua.
It’s a thrill to be able to get up close to one without them seeing, or hearing me.
The
rifle I use is a bolt action .243 Ruger with a stainless barrel. I would use a Husqvarna
– but they stopped making rifles about 30 years ago...
