Cliffhanger to Start Series

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New Plymouth’s Renny Johnston, surprise winner at Pahiatua. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

MARCH 4, 2007: The North Island Cross-Country Championships look set to be another tooth-and-nail affair after the opening round of the 2007 edition of the series went down to the wire near Pahiatua today (Sunday).

New Plymouth’s Renny Johnston (Suzuki RMZ450) was the surprise winner at the end of the three-hour race over the hilly and rock-hard farmland course.

But he was as surprised as anyone, believing he was still chasing fellow Suzuki rider Adam Reeves as he started his seventh and final lap of the gruelling 23-kilometre loop circuit.

Johnston had not realised he had actually passed Pahiatua’s Reeves, who had failed to exit the pits for his final lap, instead writhing in pain as violent cramp took hold of his body.

“I just couldn’t continue,” the 24-year-old Reeves explained. “I knew I was faster that some of these other guys but I just couldn’t keep up that pace for three hours.”

Johnston said he was just grateful to survive and winning was a bonus.

“That was tough today,” said the 21-year-old mechanic.

“I was a bit under-prepared for it. I took a break from riding at the end of the International six days Enduro (near Taupo last November). I’ve only been back on a bike for three weeks. I think I was a bit lucky today.”

National cross-country champion Adrian Smith (Honda) had a horror start to his season, the man from Awakino crashing just 100 metres after the start on Sunday. He charged from last place to be up to 15th by the end of the first circulation and then ninth a lap later.

He finished the day eighth overall but with riders able to discard their worst result – with only two of the series’three rounds to count – this may be the event that Smith consigns to the scrap heap.

Kawasaki riders had a brilliant day with 35-year-old Jason Moorfield (Kawasaki KXF250) eventually taking the runner-up spot overall, in addition to winning the under-300 four-stroke and veteran’s categories, while fellow Te Kauwhata man Luke Ramsey (Kawasaki KX125) finished fifth overall to head both the under-21 division and the under-200cc two-stroke category.

The two-hour junior cross-country race, staged earlier in the day was won by Pukekohe fifth-former Jason Price (Honda), the 15-year-old beating Raetihi’s Charles Alabaster (Yamaha) and Raglan’s Jason Dickey (Kawasaki) to the finish.

Round two is set for Mamaku, near Rotorua, on March 25, with the third and final round in the Manawatu on April 15;

The format for this year’s cross-country competition is different from last year.

There are separate North Island and South Island series and, after three rounds each of the island championships, the riders put it all on the line at a “grand final” round four, a one-race New Zealand Cross-country Championships, near Waipukurau on May 6.

Leading overall results from round one of the North Island Motorcycle Cross-country Championships near Pahiatua:

1. Renny Johnston (New Plymouth, Suzuki RMZ450),
2. Jason Moorfield (Te Kauwhata, Kawasaki KXF250),
3. Adam Reeves, (Pahiatua, Suzuki RM250),
4. Reuben Vermeer (Honda CRF250),
5. Luke Ramsey (Te Kauwhata, Kawasaki KX125).
6. Ross Bird (Eketahuna, Yamaha WRF450).

ENDS

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