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MAY 3, 2007: All eyes will focus on Te Awamutu's Mark Penny this weekend.
The Suzuki rider was in outstanding form as he wrapped up the three-round North Island Motorcycle Cross-country Championships title last month and this makes him favourite to win at the one-day New Zealand Cross-country Championships near Waipukurau on Sunday.
New Plymouth's Renny Johnston (Suzuki), who won round one of the North Island series and Rotorua's Cam Negus (Yamaha), who won round two, are expected to present stiff challenges to Penny, as is the defending national champion from 2006, Awakino's Adrian Smith (Honda).
Although these men are the clear favourites, it will be much more than a four-rider race on Sunday with any of a dozen men likely to battle for the lead.
Te Kauwhata's Jason Moorfield (Kawasaki), New Plymouth's Mitch Rowe (Yamaha) and Pahiatua pair Adam Reeves (Suzuki) and Ross Bird (Yamaha) are also fancied to feature.
But the wise money is perhaps still on 32-year-old bike shop parts manager Penny to prevail at Waipukurau.
“I had a few problems with crashes (at the final round of the North Island series) but I feel like I’ve got the form now to go on and win the New Zealand title,” said Penny.
Te Kauwhata's Luke Ramsey (Kawasaki) won the under-21 years' category in the North Island Championships series and also finished runner-up in the under-200cc two-stroke class, beaten to that title by Whangamata’s Jason Davis (KTM), and these two up-and-comers perhaps rate as dark horses to win this weekend.
Motorcycling New Zealand’s cross-country commissioner, Te Kauwhata’s Lewis Speedy, said it would be particularly difficult to make predictions for this weekend.
“It’s a rare thing to have a national title like this decided on one day, so I imagine there will be a few surprise entries on Sunday,” he said.
“I have heard rumours that a few of the top motocross riders, men such as Damien King (Cambridge, Yamaha) and Nick Saunders (Taupo, Kawasaki) will be coming down to race. This will really put the cat among the pigeons.”
Sunday’s event doubles as the third and final round of the New Zealand Junior Cross-country Championships and that title will go down to the wire with 14-year-old John Phillips (Rotorua, Kawasaki), Pukekohe 15-year-old Jason Price (KTM) and Raetihi’s Charles Alabaster (Yamaha) the favourites for the main class.
Raglan 12-year-old Jason Dickey (Kawasaki) looks on target to win the junior 85cc class.
