ROAD NEWS
little differently . Over the past few months we have been in productive dialogue with Suzuki New Zealand , the Suzuki International Series organisers and others . We all agree it just makes so much sense .” More details regarding the other dates , venues and supporting sponsors will be outlined in the coming months . Whanganui ’ s Simon Meade , Suzuki New Zealand ’ s general manager of motorcycle and marine , said he was “ super happy ” with the arrangement . “ It ’ s great to see the competition has even more strength and significance ,” he said . “ Suzuki has always tried to provide opportunities through event support for bike riders to compete and to have the two series combine like this is an awesome way to kick off a new season . It ’ s very special .” Organisers are keen to point out that the street racing event on Boxing Day remains a keystone in the Suzuki International Series . It is an iconic event that typically attracts many thousands of race fans to the curb-lined public streets of Whanganui , and this latest announcement does not detract from that , but perhaps serves to make the Cemetery Circuit affair even more of a stand-out . The Whanganui event is highly-regarded internationally and has been a must-do for some of the world ’ s most famous “ street fighters ” in the past , men such as British and Isle of Man legends Michael Dunlop , Guy Martin , Peter Hickman and Richard Cooper , among others . It is anticipated that international stars heading to New Zealand for a “ working holiday ” over the Christmas period may even stay on and continue racing at the national championship rounds . The Cemetery Circuit event also includes the famous Robert Holden Memorial feature race , a trophy that is perhaps among the most coveted of prizes in the road-racing world . The pandemic caused all sorts of disruptions to major sporting events world-wide and New Zealand was not immune to these , the annual New Zealand Superbike Championships series being cut short in 2020 , similarly reduced in size to just three rounds in 2021 and unable to be raced at all in 2022 .
With this latest collaboration , the road-racing community in New Zealand is showing incredible strength and resolve to get back to a “ new normal ” as regards to top-level motorcycle racing in this country .
KIWI RIDER 17