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Photo - Matt Hunt of Gisborne in Taranaki's rarified air:
Photo courtesy of Andy McGechan:
Email Andy: He may have a photo of you in his extensive files?
Yamaha Press Release:
It was a good weekend’s hunting for Yamaha at the New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships near New Plymouth -- or, more specifically, it was a good weekend for a young Yamaha man called Hunt. Gisborne’s Matt Hunt continued what has almost become a routine of his -- collecting national titles -- when he won the New Zealand 125cc title for riders aged 12-14 years.
What’s even more impressive, the 13-year-old took his Yamaha YZ250F to nine straight wins at the three-day meeting, on the hilly track, laid out magnificently under the shadow of nearby Mount Egmont. Hunt was the only rider to complete the weekend unbeaten across the five championship classes.
With more then 300 riders pounding the dirt over a gruelling three days, the track cut up rough but, even at its worst, near the end of the third day, Hunt and his Yamaha looked unbeatable and it was then that he set the fastest time of the meeting.
To further stamp their authority on the class, Paraparaumu’s Jayden Jessup (on another Yamaha YZF250) finished runner-up to Hunt, while Cambridge’s Josh Johnston (Yamaha) collected fourth place in the championship.
Hunt is well accustomed to winning motocross titles and has his eye set on hitting the world championship scene before too much longer.
Hunt was national champion when he was aged nine, won again when he was 10, finished runner-up at the nationals when he was 11, snatched back the No.1 plate when he turned 12 and, this season, went even better in adding the national motocross title to the national supercross title he picked up at the start of the year.
“I think the key to me winning is my positive attitude. Even when things aren’t going well, I look to the positive,” said Hunt, a third-former at Gisborne High School.
His next big assignment is tackling the men from across the Tasman at the Australian junior championships at Coolum in September. He finished sixth in Australia last season despite a series of misfortunes.
After the Aussie nationals, he’s preparing to defend his national title in the 12-14 years 125cc class before moving to the older group in New Zealand - for riders aged 15 and 16.
Meanwhile, Yamaha also tasted success in the other classes, with Waikanae’s Ben Rutten ditching his unflattering No.232 number board in finishing fifth in the elder 125cc age group, for riders aged 15 and 16.
Canterbury’s Nick Sword (Yamaha YZ85) finished fourth in the 13-16 years’ 85cc class with fellow Yamaha rider Hamish Dobbyn, from Warkworth, coming home ninth. Nelson’s Jared Guthrie (Yamaha YZ85) finished fourth in the 11-12 years’ 85cc class with Mangakino’s Kayne Lamont backing him up by finishing ninth in the class.
In the youngest age group, a rider with a two-year-old Yamaha dominated. Auckland’s Joel Doeksen won all but one of his nine races in the 8-10 years’ 85cc class as he stamped his mark on the racing, often winning by 20 seconds or more.
Results from the New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships near New Plymouth at the weekend:
125cc, 15-16 years: 1. K. Bezzant (Cambridge, Kawasaki) 197 points, 2. L. McKinstry (Taupo, Honda) 172, 3. M. Wilkie (Masterton, Suzuki) 162, 4. R. Carter (Murupara, Kawasaki) 146, 5. B. Rutten (Waikanae, Yamaha) 131.
125cc, 12-14 years: 1. M. Hunt (Gisborne, Yamaha) 225, 2. J. Jessup (Porirua, Yamaha) 176, 3. T. Edwards (Lower Hutt, Kawasaki) 170, 4. J. Johnston (Cambridge, Yamaha) 163, 5. T. Coleman (Marton, Honda) 146.
85cc, 13-16 years: 1. M. Menchi (Paraparaumu, KTM) 199, 2. M. Wilkie (Masterton, Suzuki) 197, 3. B. Groombridge (Taupo, Kawasaki) 194, 4. N. Sword (Canterbury, Yamaha) 143, 5. A. Parington (Australia, KTM) 142.
85cc, 11-12 years: 1. R. Flavell (Taupo, Honda) 220, 2. J. Phillips (Rotorua, Kawasaki) 186, 3. M. McCarthy (Marton, KTM) 160, 4. J. Guthrie (Nelson, Yamaha) 146, 5. C. Dillon (Mangakino, Kawasaki) 129.
85cc, 8-11 years: 1. J. Doeksen (Auckland, Yamaha) 222, 2. D. Picard (Atiamuri, KTM) 173, 3. J. Johnson (Whangarei, Suzuki) 164, 4. L. Blackbouren (Kawasaki) 157, 5. J. Locke (Whangarei, Suzuki) 118.
