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Photo: Kawasaki riders Brad Norton (Christchurch, bike No.10) and Jesse Wiki (Hamilton, No.614) battle through a sandy corner at Taupo.
A great pic taken by NZ's top MX scribe.
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Riders regroup for next phase
AUGUST 29, 2005: It was a tough day at the office for the Kawasaki motocross team but, as Team Green manager Mike Ramsey was quick to point out “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”.
Every one of Kawasaki’s leading riders had an “off day” at the opening round of the New Zealand Motocross Championships in Taupo on Sunday, but each of them remain upbeat and focused on the demanding season ahead.
“To finish first, first you must finish and that’s just what we intend to do. Despite our problems on Sunday, we are encouraged by the fact that each of our riders walked away from this brutal track in one piece,” said Ramsey.
Rotorua’s Michael Phillips, this year campaigning a Kawasaki KX250 in the 250cc class, started the day brightly by setting one of the fastest times around the gnarly sand circuit at the Digger McEwen Motorcycle Park.
Phillips turned that into points when he finished a fighting fifth in the opening 250cc race.
But disaster struck for him in the second race when the 19-year-old was struck by another rider and then shunted into trackside tyre. Already suffering from serious bruising from a practice session crash the week earlier, he nonetheless picked himself up to bravely battle back though the pack but, with a knock to the head affecting his vision, he was forced to withdraw.
He opted out of starting the third race but is still 16th on the championship table and expects to improve at the following rounds.
Cambridge rider Mike Cotter also had a difficult day but still finished top-10 in each of the 125cc class races and is 10th overall after the first round.
He also expects to improve at the following rounds.
Hamilton’s Jesse Wiki also suffered an early setback in his 250cc class campaign, looping the bike over backwards and smashing off the rear mudguard in the first race. He limped home with his bent bike to finish 23rd and out of the points.
“Despite having the stuffing knocked out of him, Jesse battled on to finish 15th in both the next two races,” said Ramsey.
Pukekohe schoolgirl Katherine Prumm (Kawasaki KX250F) took on the boys in the 125cc class and scored points at each outing in the 125cc class. The 17-year-old is 22nd in the standings after the Taupo event and confident she’ll improve her ranking at the rounds to follow.
“She was pushing hard in the day’s final race when her foot slipped from the foot-peg and she injured her ankle. She showed remarkable courage and fight-back to endure all of that. She will need time to recover but should be okay again by the next round (in Timaru on September 11).”
Christchurch rider Brad Norton does not enjoy the treacherous Taupo track and arrived at the venue expecting the worst. He wasn’t disappointed – the track was as nasty as ever.
Despite his loathing for the terrain, Norton took his Kawasaki KX250 to solid finishes in the 250cc class and is currently 15th overall in the standings.
One particularly bright piece of news for the Kawasaki contingent was the result achieved by Tuakau’s Nathan Daly in the MNZ Cup class for under-250cc bikes. Daly finished 4-4-6 in his three outings, good enough to place himself at fourth overall after round one.
“It’s his first time in such a massive competition and I’m sure he’ll improve as the series wears on,” Said Ramsey.
Kawasaki Press Release
