Auckland’s Cobie Bourke (14-16 years’ 250cc
class); Tauranga’s Brodie Connolly (15-16 years’
125cc class); Te Puke’s Kyan Loomans (12-14
years’ 125cc class); Invercargill’s Jack Symon (14-
16 years’ 85cc class); Waitoki’s Cole Davies (12-
13 years’ 85cc class); Invercargill’s Seth Morrow
(8-11 years’ 85cc class); Tauranga’s Levi Townley
Dylan Walsh (Yamaha)
(8-11 years’ 65cc class).
There was little rest for many of the riders,
with the first of four rounds in this year’s FOX-
sponsored senior New Zealand Motocross
Championships kicking off in Balclutha, near
Invercargill, the following weekend.
James Scott (KTM)
TRANS-TASMAN SPICE
Sporting showdowns between trans Tasman
neighbours Australia and NZ have always
drawn crowd attention and the rivalry between
these friendly nations certainly added an extra
dimension to this year’s Woodville Motocross
Grand Prix at the end of January.
The Honda-sponsored 59th annual NZ MX
GP at Woodville was another brilliant contest,
with the inaugural G&H Engineering-sponsored
ANZAC Challenge Cup adding a dash of spice
to the two-day affair.
A squad of visiting Australian riders was
matched up against their Kiwi counterparts,
with a beautiful trophy on the line and, of
course, bragging rights.
After the junior phase or racing at Woodville
on Saturday, the New Zealanders led the
108 KIWI RIDER
contest-within-a-contest by 180 points to 97,
although the Trans-Tasman showdown was
much tighter the following day.
When the points were tallied up at the end
of Sunday’s senior racing, the Kiwis had won
overall by 334 points to 274.
Elite MX1 riders Cody Cooper (Mount
Maunganui) and Kirk Gibbs (Sunshine Coast,
north of Brisbane) were the high-profile stars
for their respective countries, but it was a
teenage girl who was the best-performing
individual in the mini battle of the two nations.
Australian junior champion Charli Cannon,
aged just 14, from Queensland, finished an
impressive eighth overall (against the boys)
in the Junior 14-16 years’ 250cc class on the
Saturday and then the teenager showed