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This weekends FIM Oceania rounds for both Junior and Senior Motocross riders was yet another clean-up for Josh Coppins, the latest dirtbike star making a big impression at home and overseas.
Home for the Oceania event in Taupo, Coppins made a clean sweep of all three senior rounds, but overseas committments meant that he hadn\'t ammassed enough points to take the individual title. Along with fellow Kiwi senior riders Mark Penny and Nigel Smith, the Kiwis put on an awesome display and left the Australian team of Steven Andrews, Jay Johnson, and Ashley Hodges in their dust as they put 103 points between the teams.
Aussie Junior riders Jay Johnson and Ashley Hodges were able to compete in both senior and junior classes, swapping a Honda CR125 and Yamaha YZ125 for CR250 and YZ250 respictively. This was a tough weekend for both riders competing in a total of six rounds in two classes.
Full fields of over 40 riders put their faces into a cool and blustery headwind on the start line of the Taupo track. From the start Aussie Brett Metcalfe left no one in doubt showing superior form taking two of the three junior heats and, despite a fall in the third, rode a brave ride to finish fourth from last, an effort that earnt the gutsy rider a lot of respect from competitors and spectators on and off the Taupo track.
The Kiwi junior team of Taupo\'s Ben Townley aboard his KX125, Kaine Wrright, and James Robinson both on Suzuki RM125\'s couldn\'t hold out against a formidable Aussie effort.
While the cc rating between the two classes might be nearly double, lap times weren\'t, the juniors clocking up similar lap times to the seniors.
Townly turned it on for the home crowd and inched home by one point to pick up the Junior Individual title. Overall Senior Individual title went to Australian Steve Andrews ahead of Kiwi Mark Penny on 83 and Josh Coppins on 60 points.
Coppins departed the country almost immediately to meet his overseas committments but will return to contest the International Supercross event in Mystery Creek in November.
