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IT PERHAPS comes as no surprise that some of the best off-road motorcyclists in the world come from New Zealand -- riders like Motueka\'s Josh Coppins, Taranaki\'s King brothers, Darryll and Shayne, Hawera\'s Daryl Hurley, and Tauranga\'s Stefan Merriman -- when the terrain these riders grew up on is so challenging.
And it seems this factor is what could make the Year 2001 Australian Four-Day Enduro Championships an even more exciting prospect than usual because, remarkably, the annual event is not being staged in Australia but across the Tasman, on rugged New Zealand farmland.
Set for February 3,4,5, and 6, in 2001, the Australian Four-Day will be held at Oparau, west of Hamilton in the central North Island.
If the Australian stars don\'t know what they\'re letting themselves in for, they only need ask the leading Kiwi enduro riders what they think of the geography in New Zealand.
The opening round of the New Zealand enduro champs, at Urenui in February, sent a few ripples through the usually unflappable enduro community.
The demanding 120km course was modified for the next day\'s racing, with several of the most difficult sections removed.
Urenui event co-ordinator Doug Herbert, himself a leading national class rider, made no apologies for the gruelling nature of the Saturday course.
\"It\'s a national championship afterall,\" he said. \"The hard part is plotting a course that is a challenge for the top 5% and yet is still enjoyable and manageable for the lesser riders. Perhaps I didn\'t get the balance quite right,\" he conceded.
Courtesy of Andy McGechan, ph 06 758 5182
Email: teamtoad@clear.net.nz
