Cullen Curtis a Rising Star

Cullen Curtis a Rising Star

NOVEMBER 20, 2013: Kaiwaka’s Cullen Curtis doesn’t attract much attention to himself, until, that is, the gate drops on the start line at virtually any major quad bike race meeting.

That’s when everyone sits up and takes notice.

The 15-year-old Yamaha ace, a year 11 pupil at Otamatea High School in Maungaturoto, took up quad bike racing only a couple of years ago, but already he’s a national champion, crowned No.1 in the Junior 250cc Production class at the New Zealand ATV Championships near Te Kuiti on Sunday.

He took his 2008-model Yamaha Raptor 250 to record an astounding seven wins from seven starts over the two-day championship, finishing the weekend a comfortable 43 points clear of fellow Yamaha riders Lucas Burborough, from Royal Heights in Auckland, and 45 points ahead of third-ranked Nathan Hunt, of Tauranga.

So dominant, in fact, was Curtis that he had the national title wrapped up with a race to spare.

In addition to winning the New Zealand title, he also collected the North Island championship trophy, Sunday’s four races counting towards that contest.

“I started off racing motocross on a Yamaha Yz85 when I was 12, in 2011,” he explained.

“But then I turned up at the ATV nationals north of Auckland and gave the quad bikes a go. I enjoyed it so much I decided to stick with quads.

“I finished third overall in my first ATV nationals in 2011. I only raced the North Island ATV Championships the following year ... and won that title ... I didn’t do the nationals because it was being held way down south (in Christchurch).”

But this season he bagged both major ATV titles, and looked remarkably comfortable doing it.

“I only managed to get one holeshot all weekend and so I had to work a bit at the start of each race to get into the lead. But, once in front, I pushed hard to create a gap and then backed off and cruised to the finish.”

Curtis also plays rugby, basketball and touch rugby too, “just to keep me fit for quad bike racing really”.

“I had sore shoulders at the end of the weekend because seven races is a lot to do in two days. But the track was awesome, probably the best track I’ve ever ridden on.”

Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

ENDS

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