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MAY 14, 2008: The enduro season gets down to the pointy end this weekend.
Some of the best endurance motorcycle racers in the country will storm into Taupo on Sunday as the region hosts the fifth of six rounds of the northern regional phase of the popular Yamaha Top Trail Rider Enduro Series.
With riders able to discard their results from one of the series’ six rounds, that means the race is still very much alive for top honours.
Hokianga's Damon Nield (Husqvarna), Wellington's Rory Mead (Yamaha), Auckland’s Chris Birch (KTM) and Whangamata's Jason Davis (KTM) loom as the most likely TTR series champions with little between them in the series points analysis.
Tauranga's Reece Burgess (KTM) and Taupo pair Gordon Maisey (Honda) and Duncan McLaren (Yamaha) should also be among those to challenge for the win on Sunday.
The race venue is at Iwatahi, about 25 kilometres south of Taupo on the Napier-Taupo road.
“Novice and intermediate riders will have about 110 kilometres of riding,” said organiser Darryl August. “The elite expert grade riders will face a real challenge, about 150km of riding.”
He said the terrain was free-draining pumice and mud should not be a problem. The course winds among trees and was mostly flat, with only one moderate-sized hill to conquer.
The Yamaha Top Trail Rider series is aimed at introducing beginners to the sport of enduro racing and the steadily increasing numbers of junior riders attending these events is vindication that the concept is popular.
"I'm counting on about 120 riders attending," said August. "The sport of enduro riding is growing at the moment."
The Yamaha New Zealand TTR series features two parallel but separate series -- the five-round TTR Yamaha Central Enduro Series and the six-round TTR Yamaha Northern Enduro Series.
The northern region phase of the Yamaha Top Trail Rider Series wraps up at Woodhill Forest, near Auckland, in September.
The third round of five in the central region TTR series is set for Gwavas Forest, in Central Hawke's Bay, next weekend (May 25).
The twin series are both sponsored by Yamaha New Zealand, Kiwi Rider magazine, Acerbis, Mitas Tyres, HJC Helmets and is supported by Motorcycling New Zealand.
Riders should contact organiser Darryl August on 07-378-8342.
