As the 2025 Yamaha New Zealand Motocross Championship roared into life yesterday, the early class leaders made their mark at Tauranga’s TECT Park.
In the MX1 class there was no doubt that Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis (Yamaha) will be the man to chase this four-round season, as he dominated the top tier category. Qualifying number 1, he continued that winning trend throughout the three motos, to notch a perfect 1-1-1 scorecard.
Purvis says it was a positive first round for him.
“I felt good on the bike all day, had some good starts, and won all my races. I can’t wait for the second round.”
The battle behind him raged with Mount Maunganui Honda rider Josiah Natzke taking the runner-up spot each moto, while defending MX1 champion, Takaka’s Hamish Harwood struggled with his starts on his KTM. However, Harwood chased the frontrunners down, progressing through the pack to finish 3-3-4, which was good enough for a third overall for the round, behind Natzke and Purvis.
The MX2 class’s fight for the podium was fierce, with hometown hero Tauranga’s Madoc Dixon (KTM) trading results with defending MX2 champion, Yamaha’s James Scott, of Oparau. These two rivals look set to duke it out over the next three rounds as they are tied on points for first place after yesterday’s racing.
Dixon is returning to full race fitness following a year off after two knee injuries and was happy with his round one riding. A race-day highlight came when he was chasing Scott and multi-time national champion Cody Cooper in the third moto.
“I threw all my cards on the table and managed to pass them on the last lap,” Dixon says.
The 2025 Woodville GP’s MX2 class winner Auckland’s Cobie Bourke showed he is also in fine form this season, rounding out the MX2 podium on his Honda machine.
Tauranga local Levi Townley (Yamaha) demonstrated his rising talent and consistency to clean sweep his MX125 class’s wins. Hayden Draper, of Karaka, rode his Husqvarna to three, runner-up results, cementing the second overall position for the opening round, while the 2024 Junior New Zealand champion Phoenix Van Dusschoten, of Levin, (GasGas) sits in third place on points.
The Women’s racing saw a masterclass performance from Australian visitor Taylah McCutcheon, as the Queensland rider cleaned up, with three from three moto wins. Fellow Kawasaki rider Raetihi’s Karaitiana Horne came home second overall, with Yamaha’s Mikayla Griffiths (Taupo) in third.
Motorcycling New Zealand Sponsorship and Media Manager Sarah Lindup says the event hosts Tauranga Motorcycle Club did an amazing job in all aspects yesterday.
Feedback from riders following moto one described the TECT Park conditions as “technical and gnarly,” however Club President George Millar says with plenty of water under it, the track got better as the day progressed.
Spectator numbers through the gate were the highest the club had seen, which shows the continued growth and interest there is in motocross.
The 2025 Yamaha New Zealand Motocross Championship riders don’t get a lot of downtime between race events and will line up again only one week later for the second round at the Rotorua Motocross Track on Saturday, February 22. A fortnight break follows before the Pukekohe Motorcycle Club-hosted third round heads north to Mr Motorcycles Raceway, Harrisville on Saturday, March 8. Rotorua Motorcycle Club will do double duties this season, hosting the championship’s final round and prizegiving on Saturday, March 15.
CAPTION: Mangakino-based Yamaha rider Maximus Purvis was a man on a mission at the 2025 Yamaha New Zealand Motocross Championship’s opening round yesterday, winning three from three MX1 motos to lead the top-tier class. PHOTO CREDIT: CD PHOTOGRAPHY.
WORDS CREDIT: CATHERINE PATTISON.
2025 YAMAHA NEW ZEALAND MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND ONE RESULTS:
MX1
1st Maximus Purvis – 75
2nd Josiah Natzke – 66
3rd Hamish Harwood – 58
MX2
1st Madoc Dixon – 65
2nd James Scott – 65
3rd Cobie Bourke – 58
MX125
1st Levi Townley – 75
2nd Hayden Draper – 66
3rd Phoenix Van Dusschoten – 58
Women’s
1st Taylah McCutcheon – 75
2nd Karaitiana Horne – 66
3rd Mikayla Griffiths – 58
MX3
1st Travis Taylor – 75
2nd Lucas Robinson – 64
3rd Seton Head – 63
MOTORCYCLING NEW ZEALAND THANKS THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS FOR THEIR SUPPORT
Yamaha Motor New Zealand, Pirelli, Motomuck, Mediaworks, Fox NZ, Crown Kiwi Enterprises, and Forbes & Davies.
2025 YAMAHA NEW ZEALAND MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR:
15th February 2025 – R1 NZMX Nationals (Tauranga)
22nd February 2025 – R2 NZMX Nationals (Rotorua 1)
8th March 2025 – R3 NZMX Nationals (Pukekohe)
15th March 2025 – R4 NZMX Nationals (Rotorua 2)