KIWI RIDER JANUARY 2021 VOL2 | Page 14

DIRT NEWS

HUGE DOUBLE FOCUS FOR WOODVILLE MX

By Andy McGechan , bikesportnz . com

T here will be so much more than meets the eye with this year ’ s edition of the famous New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville . Now celebrating its 60th year , the iconic event , set this year for the weekend of January 30-31 , will have double the significance , also recognised this time around as the opening round of the New Zealand Motocross Championships . It ’ s the first time that the Honda-sponsored Woodville event , the largest stand-alone event on the New Zealand motorcycle racing calendar , has been afforded this honour and certainly appropriate when considering that this event already enjoys the status as the premier motocross event in this part of the world . New Zealand ’ s elite motocross racers will again flood into the Tararua town for the New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix , with more than 700 riders , along with their support crews , families and supporters , expected to arrive for the two-day event in search of GP trophy honours and now also coming to hunt down valuable points towards national titles . The host Manawatu Orion Motorcycle Club president Brad Ritchie said he was thrilled the club had been granted hosting rights to the nationals . “ We are excited to be running round one of the senior motocross championships at Woodville in January , an event that also incorporates the Women ’ s Cup ,” he said . “ The club is looking forward to hosting a truly world class motorcycle event and I am sure motorcycle fans will be hungry for Woodville , especially considering the year we have had with

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