A Maximum Effort From the Mini Riders

A Maximum Effort From the Mini Riders

Maximum results were a feature of the mini bike race action at West Melton at the weekend.

The popular annual New Zealand New Zealand Mini Motocross Championships were staged at Moore Park, near Christchurch, on Saturday and Sunday, with several of the classes being totally dominated by just one rider.

Maximum point scores were achieved by the winner of the premier 9-11 years' 65cc class, Darfield's Tyler Wiremu clean sweeping all five races over the two days of the event, sponsored this year by KTM New Zealand, Tracktion.co.nz and BCC (Baird's Collision Centre).

Wiremu finished the championships an impressive 25 points clear of last season's 7-8 years' class champion, Leeston's Kobe Thoms, with Invercargill's Seth Morrow fighting his way to the third step on the 9-11 years' class podium.

Otorohanga's Cooper Phillips also battled hard, forced to accept fourth overall as he finished just five points short of a place on the 9-11 years' class podium.

It was a maximum effort this year also from Thoms' younger brother Kase Thoms, the Leeston lad moving up a grade after winning the 6-8 years' 65cc class title last year to tackle the 7-8 years' 65cc class this time around.

Kase Thoms was unstoppable as he won all five 7-8 years' races, with Rotorua's Delton Manson claiming the No.2 spot and Taupo's Declan Connors settling for third overall.

Dunedin's Alex Gilchrist was another rider to celebrate an unbeaten run of wins as he dominated the 7-11 years' bike trail bike class.

Gilchrist's main rival, Christchurch rider Sam Pickens, finished runner-up on four occasions and dropped valuable points when he crossed the finish line third in the final race of the weekend, but it was still good enough to take the overall No.2 ranking. Third overall in this class was Pukekawa's Ryan Tangaroa.

In was nearly a clean sweep also for Cambridge's William Pluck, who won four out of five races in the 7-11 years' small trail bike class – and he was runner-up in the remaining race – to finish on top and nine points clear of Motupiko's Owen Ellis. Third overall in this class was Palmerston's Lachlan Clearwater.

Pahiatua's Maz Parkes took the title in the 6-8 years' 50cc class after winning four out of his five races.

It was one bad race each that settled the issue between Aria's Luke Riley and Herne Bay's Jack Ellingham – the two riders battling for the runner-up spot.

Riley scored a win and twice finished runner-up, while was runner-up on three occasions, but they each suffered a disastrous 18th place finish over the weekend and this meant Riley eventually claimed the No.2 spot from Ellingham by just five points.

ENDS

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