Kiwi Karting Champions Earn Qualification For Global Finals

Three national karting champions have won the opportunity of a lifetime to compete against the world’s best.

The winners of the Rok DVS Senior, Rok DVS Junior and Vortex Mini Rok classes at the Gazley KartSport New Zealand National Sprint Championship in Wellington at the weekend have gained an invitation to the famed Rok Superfinals in Italy.

The invitations go to Morrinsville’s Clay Osborne (winner of the Rok DVS Senior), Christchurch’s Zach Tucker (Vortex Mini Rok) and Napier’s Tom Bewley (Vortex Rok DVS Junior), following their successes in Wellington.

They will join Auckland’s Marco Manson (Vortex Mini Rok), his brother Sebastian (Vortex Rok DVS Junior) and Hastings’ Jamie Van den Berk (Vortex Rok DVS Senior), who won their respective classes of the Rok Cup NZL series contested earlier this year.

The Rok Superfinals are staged by famed manufacturer Vortex which is part of the OTK Kart Group with headquarters in Italy, the historic stronghold of karting globally. It attracts over 300 karters from more than 40 nations who qualify for the Superfinals over the seven Rok categories.

The National Sprint Championships also realised winners in five categories for the KartStars series national honours, decided on results at the City of Sails event in Auckland in January, the CIK Trophy of NZ in Hamilton in February and the New Zealand Sprint Championships.

The Cadet Rok Kartstars award went to Manawatu’s Tommy Hart with 141 points, ahead of Jayden Buttimore (Taranaki) 130 and Indi Urwin (Waikato) on 114.

Kartstars winner for Rotax Max Junior is Waikato’s Jay Urwin, older brother on Indi. He won by the narrowest of margins on 131, just one point ahead of Sebastian Manson and Oscar Jackson (Hamilton), both on 130 points over the three rounds.

Sebastian’s brother Marco had more fortune in Vortex Mini Rok, claiming the Kartstars honours with 147 points ahead of fellow Auckland karter William Edmondson and Hamilton’s Mikes Baker, both on 133.

Honours in Vortex Rok DVS Senior went to Hawkes Bay’s Jamie van den Berk on 126 points over Auckland’s Ayrton Williams, who was unable to compete at the weekend, and Manawatu’s Michael McCulloch.

The Rok DVS Junior Kartstars honours went to Tom Bewley, who capped an outstanding weekend along with a National Sprint title and a spot in the Rok Superfinal. His win edged him to 137 points, two ahead of an unlucky Sebastian Manson and Hamilton’s Jake Young both on 135.

The Kartstars titles for KZ2, KZ2 Heavy, Rotax Max Heavy, Rotax Max Light and Rotax DD2 will be decided on the completion of the second half of the Gazley KartSport New Zealand National Sprint Championship in Wellington on 26-27 August.

Caption: Clay Osborne (15), Zach Tucker (33) leading Marco Manson (69); and Tom Bewley (4) in action at the Gazley KartSport New Zealand National Sprint Championships.

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