Hudson Poised And Ready for Ruapuna Assault

JANUARY 3, 2017: Canterbury crusader Cameron Hudson will be taking no prisoners when the 2017 superbike nationals kick off in his own back yard this weekend.
The 21-year-old Christchurch TV aerial installer is in a confident mood as he prepares to take his refurbished 2008-model Yamaha R6 into battle at the first round of four in the New Zealand Superbike Championships at Mike Pero Motorsport Park (formerly Ruapuna Raceway), on the outskirts of Christchurch, this Saturday and Sunday (January 7-8).

"It's a 2008-model Yamaha but, with all the work we've done on it, it's virtually a new bike. It's certainly very capable of winning," he said.

Hudson will race in the 600cc supersport class, traditionally a hot-bed of past, present and future national and international stars, and he knows he'll need every bit of his home-town advantage if he's to end the weekend somewhere on the podium.

He finished overall runner-up in the class last season and the man who finished ahead of him in 2016 – Glen Eden's Daniel Mettam – has moved across to the 100cc superbike class for 2017, so he won't be troubled by him, although he recognises there are plenty of other talented individuals who will pose a threat.
"I was watching what was happening in the pre-season Suzuki Series and could see that Whakatane's Damon Rees was going pretty fast. And I know Shane Richardson (of Wainuiomata) and Nathanael Diprose (of Huia, west Auckland) will be capable of winning too.

Hudson finished eighth in the class in the 2014 season, was fourth in 2015 and runner-up last year, so his steady upward progress should make him one of the favourites again this time around.

"I've definitely got the potential to win this weekend. I've done a lot of laps around Ruapuna.

"I didn't have much luck at Hampton Downs last season (the same venue near Huntly that again hosts the fourth and final round this year). I led the series last year right up until the final race at Hampton Downs and I was pretty gutted to lose it on the final race.

"But I'm riding even better now and I'm more focussed than ever, so hopefully things will work out this time around."

He acknowledges that there are some very fast riders in this 600cc class, with Rees, Richardson, Diprose, Westmere's Aaron Hassan and Christchurch's James Hoogenboezem, among others, the main riders to watch out for, as well as visiting Australian hot-shot Alex Phillis.

"I'm really looking forward to the season. I've poured a lot into this nationals campaign, so I really want to make it work out."

Other top men for Hudson to be wary of include Auckland's Royd Walker-Holt, Te Awamutu's David Hall and Kiwi internationals such as Orewa's Avalon Biddle and Rangiora's Jake Lewis.

Following racing at Ruapuna on Sunday, the series heads to Teretonga for round two a week later, on January 14-15, round three follows at Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, near Taupo, on February 25-26 and it all wraps up at Hampton Downs, near Meremere, on March 4-5.

Hudson is supported by Trevor Pierce Yamaha, Race Supplies NZ, Nationwide Accessories, Pirelli Tyres, Warren Hudson Aerial and Telephone and Dynoworx.

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