Turnwald Within Strike Range

Turnwald Within Strike Range

JANUARY 8, 2014: Onewhero’s Jayden Turnwald is within strike range of the top of the New Zealand motocross rankings and he reckons it’s just a matter of time before he gets there.

Judging by his recent form, this may be a realistic proposition for the 14-year-old Yamaha ace.

Turnwald, who will start back at school as a year 11 student at Onewhereo Area School, near Pukekohe, finished runner-up to Hamilton’s Josiah Natzke in the junior 12-14 years’ class at the big annual New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville last January.

He is hoping for a repeat of that performance, or even to celebrate a slight improvement to the No.1 spot, at the 2014 edition of the iconic event in just a few weeks’ time.

His impressive form over the past 12 months certainly indicate that he’s on the right track.

He finished third overall at the Waikato Motocross Championships, again behind winner Natzke, with Ngatea’s Benjamin Broad in the runner-up position, and Turnwald achieved the same result at the Labour Weekend Motocross Extravaganza in Taupo.

Turnwald finished third overall in the 12-14 years 125cc class at the New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships in April, once again behind Waikato’s Natzke and Ngatea’s Broad, and he has continued to secure podium placings at major New Zealand events since then.

He took his YZ125 to place fourth overall in the 12-15 years’ 125cc class at the recent Whakatane Summercross, just after Christmas, and heads to the Valley Championships at Patetonga, near Morrinsville, this weekend in a confident mood and determined to achieve another top-five finish.

“I’m often on the podium but always the bridesmaid, never the bride,” he shrugged.

“Hopefully that will change soon.

“I will step up to the 15-16 years’ 125cc class for the Woodville GP, racing the juniors on Saturday and then I will also race the senior under-21 125cc class on the Sunday.”

He is studying hard for NCEA credits towards a career in either graphic designing or perhaps panel-beating, so he is fully prepared for a life outside motocross if his dream of a professional racing career in Europe or the United States doesn’t eventuate.

But, for the moment at least, he is focussed on putting his Yamaha YZ125 out front as he builds towards the Woodville GP and then the 2014 New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships later in the year.

Turnwald is supported by Yamaha Whangarei, RCK Contractors, Ward Demolition, Ride Concepts NZ, Traffix Ltd, Fox, SuperLiquor Tuakau, Koromiko Engineering and MotoX Central.

Words by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

ENDS

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