KTM Rider Mcbreen Takes Top Honours At Enduro Champs

North Canterbury’s Ethan McBreen was fast from the start of the 2023 New Zealand Enduro Championships series and he kept the pressure up throughout the gruelling off-road bike competition.

So, when his main rival made a mistake at the final round near Martinborough at the weekend, he was ready to pounce.

Omihi’s McBreen (KTM 250XC) had led the series after the first two rounds of the series in the South Island last month, but his nearest threat, Tauranga-based former Wairoa man Tommy Watts, snatched the lead away when he won the third round of four in the series, in forestry just north of Wellington, just over a week ago.

This had set up the championship for a winner-takes-all, two days of racing at the fourth and final round, on farmland near Martinborough at the weekend (June 10-11).

Watts had still been in the championship lead at the start of the final day at Martinborough on Sunday, but an indiscretion in receiving outside assistance was protested and the time subsequent penalty punishment imposed on Watts sent his campaign into a spin, dropping him to second overall for the series and thereby handing the premier ‘outright’ title to McBreen.

It is understood that Watts may yet appeal the penalty, but, as it stands, McBreen is celebrating his first national enduro crown.

When the dust had settled at Martinborough, McBreen had also won battle-within-a-battle for the over-200cc two-stroke class title, finishing ahead of Whitianga’s fellow KTM star James Kerr and New Plymouth’s Josh Houghton (Husqvarna).

Even with Watts (Yamaha) relegated to overall runner-up at Martinborough, it was still easily enough for him to take top honours in the under-200cc two-stroke and under-300cc four-stroke class title, Watts finishing ahead of Nelson’s Bailey Basalaj (Honda) and Hamilton’s Liam Calley (Beta) in that separate battle.

Stoke’s Kurtis Bandy (Yamaha) won the over-300cc four-stroke class ahead of Havelock North’s Tom Hislop (KTM).

Hastings rider Andy Gunson (KTM) topped the series score-sheet in the over-40 years’ veterans’ class, finishing the series ahead of Rangiora’s Travis Churchill (Sherco).

Tapanui’s Kylie Dorr (Beta) was best of the female competitors this year, easily securing the women’s class title.

Other class winners this season were Blenheim’s Raphael Zyla (KTM, intermediate under-200cc two-stroke/under-300cc four-stroke class); (Rerewhakaaitu’s Zach Sefuiva (KTM, intermediate over-200cc two-stroke/over-300cc four-stroke class); Paeroa’s Mark Whyte (Beta, intermediate veterans’ 50-54 years’ class); Blenheim’s Don Munro (Beta, intermediate veterans’ over-55 years’ class) and Brightwater’s Wayne Bensemann (KTM, intermediate veterans’ 40-49 years’ class).

In all, KTM riders won five of the 10 bike classes, more than any other bike brand.

Martinborough stood as round two of the parallel-but-separate North Island Enduro Championships, meaning there was plenty to fight for at the weekend, and the winners in this parallel-but-separate competition were McBreen (over-200cc two-stroke class); Watts (under-200cc two-stroke and under-300cc four-stroke class title); Hislop (over-300cc four-stroke class); New Plymouth’s Tony Parker (Husqvarna, over-40 years’ veterans class); Dorr (women’s class); Judgeford’s Cameron Judd (Kawasaki, intermediate under-200cc two-stroke/under-300cc four-stroke class); Sefuiva (intermediate over-200cc two-stroke/over-300cc four-stroke class); Whangarei’s Mark Gray (KTM, intermediate veterans’ 50-54 years’ class); Munro (intermediate veterans’ over-55 years’ class) and Napier’s Nigel Reid (Beta, intermediate veterans’ 40-49 years’ class).

2023 NZ Enduro Champs calendar:

Round 1: May 6-7, Omihi, North Canterbury.

Round 2: May 13-14, Pigeon Valley Road, south of Nelson.

Round 3: June 4-5, Moonshine Valley Road, near Porirua, Wellington.

Round 4: June 10-11, Martinborough.

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