    |
 |
|
|
|
Photo - Shayne King:
Photo courtesy of Andy McGechan:
Email Andy: He may have a photo of you in his extensive files?
THE HONDA NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL MOTOCROSS GP is not only the first major title event in New Zealand but it is also the first GP in the world for 2005 and it happens this weekend at Woodville, its traditional home for the last 44 years. Although not part of the world championship, the antipodean motocross meeting gets worldwide attention, particularly as our top two riders are ranked one and three in the world.
The three day event starts Friday - by Sunday night the first 13 GP titles (junior and senior) anywhere in the world will have been decided on the track that is only used once a year. By Monday, the track will be returned to agriculture.
The event is hosted by the Manawatu Orion Motorcycle Club.
Shayne King knows all about the NZ GP, he won his first senior GP in 1987 and has gone on to collect 24 national titles, numerous Australian titles and, in 1996, the World Open Motocross Championship. "This race meeting is everything" said the current 500cc GP title holder. "It is the prestige event on the calendar and it is invaluable as a platform to launch the year - everybody wants to do well at the GP. It’s an early indicator of form and a chance to see the new year’s models. With the track only being used for this event, nobody has any advantage."
The King family coat of arms will be carried by Shayne (Honda, New Plymouth) and Damien (Yamaha, Cambridge), Darryll (Yamaha, Hamilton) is not riding this year because of injury, the first time for over 20 years that the evergreen former world number two, and the eldest of the over achieving motocross family, hasn’t made the starting line.
There are plenty of very good riders to fill the void. Daryl Hurley (Suzuki, Hawera) is in a rich vein of form. The 28 year old international rider has already banked the NZ 250cc Supercross Title without being beaten in nine races. Paul Whibley (Marton) commences his 2005 programme before leaving for Europe - Whibley came 6th in the 2004 World Enduro Circuit. He is likely to be the outright favourite for Sunday’s river race which is a unique feature of the GP programme and he holds the 250cc crown.
Other well performed riders at the event include Cody Cooper (Honda, Opotiki), Peter Broxholme (Honda, Tauranga), Luke Burkhart (Suzuki, Masterton), Barry Morris (Yamaha, Wellington) and Scott Columb (Suzuki, Queenstown). Riders from Australia and Europe are also competing.
Shayne King, whose summer training was based around re-locating his New Plymouth business, was guarded when asked to predict the winners of this weekends races. ‘The fields are fantastic; it’s great that so many good riders are out there, I’m looking forward to it."
