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MNZ - Press Release:
SUZUKI NZ CROSS COUNTRY - ROUND TWO:
The small bikes triumphed in slippery, tricky conditions in the second North Island round of the Suzuki New Zealand Cross-Country championships in Te Awamutu.
Local rider Mark Pollard led virtually all the way to win the three-hour race by two minutes on his Yamaha WR250, competing in the under 300cc four-stroke class.
\"It was pretty tight, and rocky and greasy -- there were some showers during the race,\" Pollard said. \"It wasn\'t fast and open like the first round in Hawke\'s Bay.
\"I had a couple of little tumbles but nothing major.\"
Strong, cold winds also made life difficult for riders on the 20km-plus track but Pollard, 31, said he had been \"trying pretty hard\" and the physical exertion kept him warm enough.
Second outright was Tokoroa rider Sean Clarke on a Suzuki RMZ250, competing in the same class, and third went to Kevin Hermansen from Norsewood, winning the under 200cc two-stroke class on a Kawasaki KX125.
Aucklander Steven Croad, who won the first North Island round on his former home ground in Hawke\'s Bay, was the first big-bike rider home in fourth, winning the open two-stroke class on his Suzuki RM250.
The open four-stroke class went to Jonathan Taaffe on a KTM450.
In the second South Island round of the series near Timaru the new breed of small four-strokes also led the way and the result was a repeat of the first regional round, Brad Thomas (Blenheim) heading off national open four-stroke champion Graeme Allen (Christchurch) .
Thomas was riding a Suzuki RMZ250, Allen a Kawasaki KX250F.
\"It was a great track, fast and flowing hill country,\" Allen said. \"Brad and I were fighting all the way but I had a refueling problem that cost a minute and a half, and that was the margin at the end.\"
Christchurch rider Dean Baird, the open two-stroke national champion, came third outright on a Kawasaki KX250 and won his class. Baird had failed to finish the first round because of a puncture, but the class win puts him back in contention to retain his titles as riders drop their worst result.
The 14km track was \"awesome\' , Baird said, \"although riders had to be careful over some of the blind brows early on until they got to know the track after a few laps.\"
