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It features the Kiwi`s latest news, pictures, profile etc.
COPPINS HEADS TO FINAL GP:
The final round of the world motocross champs takes Honda ace Josh Coppins
to France this weekend.
Coming into hot form after dominating the year\'s last British championship
event on Sunday, the expat Kiwi has set his sights on a podium placing in
this weekend\'s premier class, Motocross GP.
It would be only his second podium of the year after the likeable ace was
sidelined through the early season by serious injury.
\"It\'s a bit of a pain that I\'m just starting to reach a peak as the season
finishes,\" commented 26-year-old Coppins. \"But I\'m determined to make the
most every ride and build as much speed as possible in preparation for next
year.\"
New Zealand\'s top motorcycle racer, Coppins can expect hot competition at
this weekend\'s French Grand Prix at the Circuit de Vahais near Rennes in
the west of the nation.
Although the world title has already been won by Belgian Stefan Everts,
most of the top ten riders in the championship have plenty to prove as they
jockey for 2004 positions.
\"There are some guys still finalising their rides for next year, and others
who have negotiations underway with outside sponsors,\" explained Coppins,
nine-year professional at the world champs.
\"A good showing at the last race of the year tends to stay in people\'s
memory, so right through the field guys will be giving it everything this
weekend.\"
Everts will remain favourite for the big class, having won every race since
round four. The first three went to French hero Mickael Pichon who is now
sidelined by injury but is secure in third spot overall.
Second place is already wrapped up by Belgian Joel Smets, who has also
clinched the 650 support class title. That gives the tough veteran five
world crowns, a huge tally but one eclipsed by Everts\' seventh this year.
Round 12 of 2003 concludes an historic year in world motocross: the
introduction of four-strokes to the former 250 and 125 classes, plus the
renaming of the big class as 650 then the announcement it will be phased out.
That makes Smets the first and last ever world 650 champion. And Everts has
said he will create more history by being the first and last rider ever to
contest all three classes on one day, this weekend.
The 30-year-old has already entered, and won, several doubles this year in
the Motocross GP and 125 classes.
For Coppins the challenge is to get his CAS Honda CR250R two-stroke as high
as possible on the leaderboard against opposition of this calibre.
A good tally of points could improve his placing in the championship in
which he was runner-up last year, from the current 12th after he missed
early rounds and came back slowly from a broken back, ankle and both feet.
Qualifying at Ernee is on Saturday with the big race starting at 12.35pm
Sunday local time.
Championship points after 11 of 12 rounds:
1 Stefan Everts (Belgium) Yamaha 250; 2 Joel Smets (Belgium) KTM 221; 3
Mickael Pichon (France) Suzuki 188 points; 4 Brian Jorgensen (Denmark)
Honda 154, 5 Kenneth Gundersen (Norway) Kawasaki 137; 6 Andrew McFarlane
(Australia) Kawasaki 134; 7 Claudio Federici (Italy) Yamaha 127; 8 Marnicq
Bervoets (Belgium) Yamaha 116; 9 Yoshitaka Atsuta (Japan) CAS Honda 106; 10
Kevin Strijbos (Belgium) Suzuki 104. 12 Josh Coppins (New Zealand) CAS
Honda 80.
Ian RJ Miles
