Taikorea’s Paul Whibley
(Yamaha), overall winner of the
NZGNCC Series opener in the
Woodhill Forest
he New Zealand Grand National Cross-
country Championships are off to a roaring
start and the series creator could not be
happier.
Taikorea’s Paul Whibley (Yamaha YZ450F)
was comfortable winner of the first round of
five in this year’s NZGNCC Series in Woodhill
Forest on Sunday, July 28, crossing the finish
line eight minutes ahead of the next best rider,
Whanganui’s Seth Reardon (Yamaha YZ250FX),
making it a Yamaha 1-2 finish, while Tokoroa’s
Jake Wightman (KTM 250XC-F) claimed the third
podium spot.
102 KIWI RIDER
The NZGNCC Series – not to be confused
with the GNCC Series in the United States or
with the separate New Zealand Cross-country
Championships held earlier this year – is actually
a rebranding of the popular NZXC Series that
Whibley himself created when he retired from
fulltime international racing and settled back at
his Manawatu base at the end of 2014.
The now 41-year-old Whibley became New
Zealand Cross-country Champion at his first
attempt in 2015, but he has had plenty on his
hands in more recent years as he puts back into
the sport he loves, running coaching clinics and,
of course, overseeing his new series.
WHIBLEY STARTS GNCC SERIES
IN BEST WAY POSSIBLE
T