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The Bushriders Cross Country series was wrapped up for another year last weekend with some new champions crowned. This years series was again a four round series, but new this year was the drop a round system where a rider can drop their worst round out of the four rounds for class standings. Also in the overall this year riders were given a bonus point for starting and one for finishing each round rewarding riders for their patronage.
The club would like to extend a huge thank you to the property owners who made their farms available to host the series. For round one it was Michael Pound and the Hewitt family. Round two as well as the xmas trailride it was the Hislop family and neighbours, . Round 3 was the Smythe family near Dannevirke with Craig Ellingham hosting the final round. I hope they enjoy their $100 Blackstump meal vouchers.
Reigning supreme this year was Napier's John O'Dea (RMZ450) winning the Senior Overall Title from Last years winner Adrian Smith from Awakino. John rode a consistant season finishing in podium positions at all four rounds with a 2nd and three 3rd place finishes. John's younger brother Lance took second place finishing 2nd at round 1 on a RM125, following that up with 2 forths and a 7th . Karl Robert's (YZF250) rounded out the top three.
Adrian Smith took two round wins on his YZ125, but missng round 2 and then this last round due to riding the A4DE this week. Paul Whibley won round 2 in his only appearance this year. Pahiatua's Adam Reeve's won the final round by over 2 minutes, showing he will be a force to reckon with as his National XC title defence begins this weekend near Waipukarau. Adam was absent from the overall podiums due to not contesting two of the rounds.
In the class rankings it was Masterton's Nick Cusack (RMX450) that won the open 4 stroke class from Pahiatua's Bryce Sowry (KLX450) in 2nd and Dannevirke's Daniel Hartridge (CRF450) 3rd . John O'Dea narrowly missing out due to changing classes halfway thru the series. The 250 4 stroke class was won by Karl Roberts (YZF250) from Taranaki with Hawkes Bay's Mark Fleming (CRF250) in second and Dannevirke's Brendon Kendall (YZF250) 3rd . The open Two stroke class was won by Dannevirke's Nick Longstaff (RM250). Two class wins was enough for John O'Dea (RM250) to claim 2nd place ahead of Palmerston Norths Simon Bicknell (RM250).
Lance O'Dea (RM125) won the Under 2 stroke with two seconds and a 4th from Waioru's Ryan Blue (KTM200) in 2nd and Adrian Smith (YZ125) 3rd with two race wins. In the 35-44yr Vets class, Wellington's Hugh Lintott (CRF450) was the convincing class winner from Stu Sowry (KXF250) in second and Taranaki's Craig Robinson (CRF250) 3rd . In the Mege-Vet class (44yr+) long time campaigner Chris Smythe (KXF250) from Dannevirke was class champion with a string of class wins from Marton's Andy Galpin (WR250) in 2nd and Pahiatua's Wayne Fraser (CRF450) narrowly edging out Feilding's Gordon Brooker (CRF450) for 3rd .
Preseeding the seniors at each round is of course the junior race. Being first up these riders usually have slicker conditions to contend with such as morning dew on the green grass, scrubbing a portion of the senior track for them. This years recipient of the Tony Jury Memorial Cup for Junior Overall Champion was Woodville's Ben Exeter (CRF250). Having won the opening two rounds as well as the first round of the North Island XC, and a 2nd at round three, his campaign was put in jeopardy after suffering a broken hand in a training accident. Surgery and a quick recovery saw him back for the final round to lead the first lap. However his hand wasn't 100% race fit causing him to back it off finishing 4th overall on the day. More than enough to win the series 22 points ahead of Taihape's Joshua Anderson (CRF250) in 2nd and Pahiatua's Brayden Stephens (CRF250) 1 point behind to take 3rd .
The class results in the Junior XC1 is a little different from the overall with the drop a round scenario. Ben Exeter was again victorious as the class winner. But it was Eketahuna's Ryan Foothead that stole 2nd with a class win at the final to edge out Joshua Anderson to 3rd .
In the JXC2 (85cc & 150cc) class, a last lap crash at round 2 and an engine failure at the final round was'nt enough to stop Pahiatua's Scott Sowry (KX85) winning the class by 19 points from young up and comers Charlie Richardson (KX85) from Eketahuna in 2nd . Pahiatua's Uriah Young didn't have a very consistant series, but it was enough to take the bottom step of the class podium.
A new class this year was the Trail class. Local riders Douglas Galloway and Jordan Hamilton, both riding CRF230's were tied on points. Douglas was awarded the class win on countback with Martons Charlotte Galpin (TTR230) claiming 3rd . Another new class was the Novice Ladies class. This was won by Sarah Elwin and Ashley Exeter taking 2nd . Wanganui's Kane Dittmer won the 65cc class with Sam Harrington 2nd and Reece Lister in 3rd
.Well that’s it for this issue. Till next month, happy trails & keep diggin’ dirt.
Stu #290
