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Oceania Motocross - Barrabool - Race Report and Results
A great team effort from Australia has seen the 18 member national squad win the Yamaha Oceania Motocross Championships beating New Zealand in the Trans Tasman battle 327 points to 309 points at Geelong’s Barrabool track in fine, sunny conditions today (November 13)..
A sensational effort by Aussie captain, international Pro Lite rider Yamaha’s Brett Metcalfe, set up the win for Australia. Despite bike problems, he rode the house down to win both Pro Lite races on the challenging 2.7km track.
In the first race, Metcalfe picked his way back from sixth to first; but in the second race he stalled at the start, came out of the gate well and truly last and trailed the field by 30 metres. But he rode as a man possessed, and over the 9 laps worked his way up to first to take victory and show the qualities that saw him win last month’s US Open.
Other Australians who made a major contribution to the points haul included Pro Open rider, Craig Anderson who picked up two thirds; while in Pro Lite racing Australians Lewis Stewart, Cameron Taylor and Troy Dorron all made it to the podium to score points.
The Kiwis were far from disgraced but their strength focused on their captain, Pro Open rider Josh Coppins and their young blonde hot shot, 17 year old Katherin Prumm racing in the womens catgory.
Both Coppins and Prumm clean sweeped their categories – Coppins winning both 9 lap Pro Open races for 450cc motocross bikes; while the young Prumm totally dominated the women’s class on her Kawasaki taking all three battles and winning her last race by over a lap.
In the Grand Final – featuring 20 Pro Open and 20 Pro Lite riders – Josh Coppins on the 450cc Honda came through to win; California’s Honda pilot Tommy Weigand was second while Australia’s Brett Metcalfe put in a sterling performance to bring his 250cc Yamaha home third.
“It was an honour to captain the Australian team,” said a delighted Brett Metcalfe. “The whole team performed really well and it was really great to be back here at Barrabool, riding in front of my friends and family for the first time since 2001.
“It was also good to be here to help the club to save the track for motocross’s future,” said Metcalfe.
Despite his awesome results, Josh Coppins was reflective after the team’s loss, but loved his time at Barrabool.
“We had a lot of young riders on the New Zealand team and they put up a great fight – we certainly did not get smoked. The loss for our experienced riders was in the end the young guys gain and to have the experience of racing at a track like Barrabool is awesome.
“I’d love to come back and race here again next year, so Steve, please don’t forget my invitation,” said Coppins.
The event was run by the Sporting Motorcycle Club as a major fundraiser to raise the money to buy the iconic Barrabool track for long term motocross racing. A solid crowd turned out to support the Aussie showdown, and in a final gesture of goodwill to the organizers, the captains of each nations Brett Metcalfe and Josh Coppins donated their prize money back to the club.
Australia 327 New Zealand 309
Summary of races….. Pro Lite Race 1
After yesterday’s clean sweep of women’s racing by Kiwi racer, Katherine Prumm, Australia kicked off the morning with a clean sweep of the Pro Lite podium in the Yamaha Oceania Motocross Championship at Barrabool today. Australian captain Brett Metcalfe steered his Yamaha YZF 250 to victory - winning the opening 9 lap Pro Lite race by 10.1 seconds over Aussie team mates Honda’s Lewis Stewart second and Yamaha’s Cameron Taylor third.
It was not all a joy ride for Metcalfe however, having to claw himself back from fifth after a shocking start. Young Stewart held the early lead, with Taylor in second, WA KTM rider Michael Addison in third and New Zealander, Scott Columb in fourth.
Metcalfe was back to third by lap three and he mowed down Taylor on Horespower Hill. The chase continued for Lewis, with Metcalfe eventually taking the lead on lap six coming up the Yamaha Bowl of Mt McAdam and riding unchallenged to the finish line.
The first Kiwi home was 22 year old Scott Columb, who rode his Suzuki RMZ 250 to fourth.
1. Brett Metcalfe – Yamaha YZF 250 (Australia)
2. Lewis Steward – Honda CRF 250 (Australia)
3. Cameron Taylor – Yamaha YZF 250 (Australia)
Pro Open Race 1
Josh Coppins proved his credentials as Kiwi captain; putting in a sensational effort to lead from start to finish in the first 9 lap Pro Open race of the Yamaha Oceania Motorcross Championships at Barrabool today.
The British Open champion won the opening battle, bringing his Honda home 11.5 seconds in front of California’s Timmy Weigand, with Australia’s Craig Anderson third .
Coppins took the start and steered his Honda CRF 450 with precision, clocking consistent lap times to lengthen his lead on every lap to the chequered flag.
Anderson was the first Australian home, after a ding dong battle with Yamaha’s Cheyne Boyd. Boyd had been holding third , but by the last lap Newcastle’s Anderson was in close pursuit. Ando eventually came out the winner, when Boyd came unstuck on the last lap losing it on the esses - with Anderson finishing third and Boyd fourth.
1. Josh Coppins – Honda CRF 450 (New Zealand)
2. Timmy Weigan – Honda CRF 450 (USA)
3. Craig Anderson - Honda CRF 450(Australia)
Juniors Race 1
In the Juniors, Team New Zealand’s 15 year old Brad Groombridge from Taupo won the 7 lap battle, steering his Kawasaki KXF 250 to victory, 8.5 seconds in front of Australia’s Joel Passlow (Honda) with young Yamaha rider Luke George in third.
Pro Lite Race 2
Australia’s team captain, Adelaide’s Brett Metcalfe put in another sensational performance, coming from dead last to win the second 9 lap Pro Lite race at the Yamaha Oceania Motocross Championships at Barrabool today.
Metcalfe had a shocking start on his Yamaha YZF 250 – stalling in the start gates and getting tangled in a lap one pile up - and trailed the field by more than 30 metres out of the first sweeper. He attacked each lap to work his way through the 32 rider field eventually taking race leader, local favourite Geelong’s Troy Dorron, on the last lap as the duo came out of Sahara Strip and into the Michelin hairpin.
Metcalfe came home 3.8 seconds in front of Honda’s Dorron with New Zealand’s Scott Columb on the Suzuki RMZ 250 in third.
Metcalfe is running on a career high after winning the US Open Pro Lite last month, and used his riding talent, determination and grit – no doubt honed over years on the international circuit – to secure the impressive victory.
1. Brett Metcalfe –Yamaha YZF 250 (Australia)
2. Troy Dorron – Honda CRF 250 (Australia)
3. Scott Columb - Suzuki RMZ 250 (New Zealand)
Pro Open Race 2
Honda’s Josh Coppins continued to dominate Pro Open racing in the Yamaha Oceania Motocross Championships at Barrabool today, with a convincing win in the second 9 lap race.
Coppins led from the start, streeting ahead to cross 13.9 seconds in front of California’s Honda rider Timmy Weigand with Australia’s Craig Anderson (Honda) in third.
Mid race and while holding fourth, Australia’s Cheyne Boyd (Yamaha) had a massive off coming over the flyover and into the esses, allowing New Zealand’s Corrie Sargeant to grab fourth. But the Kiwi’s glory was short lived – being flung off his bike going into the sweeper and being taken from the track assisted by marshalls.
The crashes quickly ended the race days of both Boyd and Sargeant; with Boyd sidelined with a mild concussion and the loss of a lot of skin on his back, hips and stomach and Sargeant being taken to hospital with a suspected broken ankle.
1.Josh Coppins – Honda CRF 450 (New Zealand) 2.Timmy Weigan – Honda CRF 450 (USA) 3.Craig Anderson - Honda CRF 450(Australia) Shoot-Out Josh Coppins and Brett Metcalfe continued to dominate results, with Kiwi captain Coppins quickest in the Pro-Open category on his Honda CRF 450 in the head to head, knockout THOR Shootout and Australia’s chief Metcalf taking out the Pro-Lite on his Yamaha YZF 250. YAMAHA OCEANIA GRAND FINAL Kiwi captain Josh Coppins continued his winning streak with a convincing win in the 40 strong grand final of the Yamaha Oceania Motorcross Championships. Featuring the weekend’s best 20 Pro Open and 20 Pro Lite riders, Honda pilot Coppins led from the start, took the hole shot once again, and race unchallenged to cross ?? in front of Californian privateer Timmy Weigand on his Honda CRF 450. Crowd favourite, Brett Metcalfe thrilled fans with his courageous racing on his 250cc Yamaha. Despite a much smaller bike, the Pro Lite champ came from seventh position at the end of lap two to tick off the field and eventually take third overall. His mid race conquests included fellow Aussie team mates Pro Lite rider Cameron Taylor and Pro Open rider Craig Anderson. Metcalfe then took on the challenge of New Zealand Pro Open competitor, Damien King, and the duo entertained spectators with a head to head battle, until King finally broke at the end of lap five and Metcalfe assumed third position through to the finish.
1. Josh Coppins – Honda CRF 450 (New Zealand)
2 Timmy Weigan – Honda CRF 450 (USA)
3.Brett Metcalfe – Yamaha YZF 250 (Australia)
Juniors Race 2
Kiwis Brad Groombridge continued to dominate racing in junior racing at the Yamaha Oceania Motocross Championships at Barrabool today, winning the final race of the day 6.2 seconds in front of KTM rider Victoria’s Taylor Potter with Team Australia’s Honda rider Joel Passlow third.
Pro Lite Race 1
Name Diff Best Tm
1-Brett Metcalfe - 02:35.9
2-Lewis Stewart 10.191 02:37.5
3-Cameron Taylor 16.932 02:39.7
4-Scott Columb 37.371 02:40.0
5-Michael Addison 38.17 02:40.3
Jake Moss 46.252 02:41.4
7-Nick Saunders 53.36 02:42.0
9-Blake Gillard +1:07.478 02:44.8
10-Justin McDonald +1:08.301 02:43.4
14-Seadon Baker +1:29.910 02:44.6
21-Tommy Madams +2:11.067 02:49.7
Pro Open Race 1
Name Diff Best Tm
1-Joshua Coppins - 02:33.5
2-Timmy Weigand 11.579 02:35.0
3-Craig Anderson 23.014 02:35.4
4-Cheyne Boyd 26.892 02:36.3
5-Corrie Sargent 46.129 02:36.3
6-Damien King +1:10.256 02:39.2
20-Brett Turnball +2:10.500 02:47.4
Pro Lite Race 2
Name Team Diff Best Tm
1-Brett Metcalfe Team Australia - 02:36.8
2-Troy Dorron Team Australia 3.809 02:40.8
3-Scott Columb Team New Zealand 34.28 02:41.3
4-Justin McDonald Team New Zealand 43.101 02:44.9
5-Nick Saunders Team New Zealand 53.551 02:44.5
6-Blake Gillard Team New Zealand +1:00.603 02:46.3
7-Seadon Baker Team New Zealand +1:06.534 02:46.6
26-Tommy Madams Team New Zealand 3 Laps 03:22.4
Pro Open Race 2
Name Team Total Tm Best Tm
1-Joshua Coppins Team New Zealand 23:30.7 02:33.8
2-Timmy Weigand Pro 23:44.7 02:34.5
3-Craig Anderson Team Australia 23:57.9 02:38.2
4-Damien King Team New Zealand 24:36.7 02:39.7
5-Nathan Brochtrup Team Australia 24:46.4 02:41.9
9-Andrew Porter Team New Zealand 25:16.8 02:45.8
14-Scott Moir Team New Zealand 25:47.2 02:47.8
15-Brett Turnball Team New Zealand 25:56.9 02:49.7
18-Corrie Sargent Team New Zealand 21:16.3 02:37.6
Grand Final Shootout
Name Class Diff Best Tm
1-Joshua Coppins Team New Zealand Open - 02:35.7
2-Timmy Weigand Pro Open 10.66 02:36.5
3-Brett Metcalfe Team Australia Lite 22.407 02:36.3
4-Craig Anderson Team Australia Open 38.516 02:39.4
5-Damien King Team New Zealand Open 41.626 02:37.4
10-Scott Columb Team New Zealand Lite +1:03.543 02:41.6
16-Justin McDonald Team New Zealand Lite +1:35.971 02:46.0
17-Blake Gillard Team New Zealand Lite +1:43.593 02:46.9
18-Seadon Baker Team New Zealand Lite +1:46.468 02:47.3
19-Nick Saunders Team New Zealand Lite +1:47.588 02:46.7
20-Scott Moir Team New Zealand Open +1:56.486 02:48.1
22-Andrew Porter Team New Zealand Open +2:11.049 02:48.5
30-Brett Turnball Team New Zealand Open +2:01.680 03:04.2
Overall Points Class Total points Team Australia Lite 142 Team Australia Open 116 Team Australia 69 Team New Zealand Open 114 Team New Zealand Lite 95 Team New Zealand 100 Total Australia 327 Total New Zealand 309
Junior Race 1
Name Diff Best Tm
1-Brad Groombridge - 02:44.6
2-Joel Passlow 8.723 02:48.4
3-Luke George 13.456 02:49.0
4-Jayden Jessup 19.449 02:48.8
5-Taylor Potter 26.992 02:50.9
Junior Race 2
Name Diff Best Tm
1-Brad Groombridge - 02:47.4
2-Taylor Potter 6.265 02:48.5
3-Joel Passlow 12.867 02:49.5
4-Matthew Hunt 28.378 02:52.5
5-Jayden Jessup 34.422 02:53.7
