🏍️ 🇳🇿 NZ Motorcycle Awards – Click to Learn More!

Purvis and Draper wrap up MX1 and MX2 championship titles

03 March 2026 | All News, Motocross

As the final moto wrapped up at the Yamaha Motor New Zealand Motocross Championship’s fourth round, there was double cause for celebration within the Altherm JCR Yamaha team on Saturday.

Mangakino-based MX1 rider Maximus Purvis continued his dominant form, defending his 2025 championship victory again this season, and winning by 49 points over Huntly’s Josiah Natzke (Honda). Invercargill’s Jack Symon had a consistent season to give him third overall for the championship.

While Australian MX1 champion Kyle Webster, who came over to contest the final two New Zealand rounds, finished runner up for the day after Rotorua’s three motos.

Purvis says he was happy to have “finished the season off with winning the championship and winning the round. I felt pretty good on the bike all day and was pretty happy with my riding apart from dropping the bike in the first race,”

Defending his MX1 Championship was a “good feeling and I’m happy as to get the job done again for Josh and the team,” he says.

Purvis heads off to Australia this week where he will do some off-road, cross-country racing with AJ Roberts in the ShopYamaha Off Road team.

In the MX2 category, the title came down to the Yamaha team’s two riders, 16-year-old Hayden Draper (Karaka) and Oparau’s James Scott, with the youngster eventually edging out Scott.

Australian visitor Caleb Ward didn’t claim a podium spot for the fourth round at the Rotorua MX Track, with Madoc Dixon taking third, but he racked up enough points to finish third for the MX2 Championship.

The 125cc Championship’s standings remained the same as the previous round with GasGas rider Phoenix Van Dusschoten, of Levin, staying out in front to claim the championship title by 26 points over Waipukurau Yamaha rider Carson Carroll. The round and championship podium was wrapped up by Tauranga’s Arama TeWhetu.

The Women’s Championship had a special guest, with four-time Women’s World Motocross Champion Courtney Duncan turning up to claim victory in Rotorua. Defending champion Karaitina Horne had to settle for second on Saturday but her win at last weekend’s opening round in Tauranga, allowed her to claim her second consecutive championship.

Hamilton Yamaha rider Amie Roberts was runner-up in the championship and Hannah Perris, of Whangarei, wrapped up the final spot.

Motorcycling New Zealand Operations Manager Vicky Hicks says: “The final round delivered incredible racing from start to finish. Congratulations to our Championship winners – a tremendous achievement.”

“It was great to see the international riders in action against New Zealand’s best and it was especially exciting to watch all the FIM Oceania Women’s Motocross team riders line up together in the women’s class. It was a special moment as we now look ahead to seeing them compete on the Oceania stage.”

“I’d like to say thank you to every rider, team, volunteer, host club and sponsor. Without their commitment and support, a championship of this calibre simply wouldn’t be possible.”

CAPTION: Altherm JCR Yamaha’s star rider Maximus Purvis defended his MX1 title at the final round of the Yamaha Motor New Zealand Motocross Championship.  PHOTO CREDIT: DEREK MORRISON

NZMX CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS – ROUND FOUR:

MX1

1st Maximus Purvis – 72

2nd Kyle Webster – 69

3rd Josiah Natzke – 58

MX2

1st James Scott – 72

2nd Hayden Draper – 69

3rd Madoc Dixon – 49

MX125

1st Phoenix van Dusschoten – 72

2nd Carson Carroll – 69

3rd Arama Te Whetu – 60

MX3 Cup

1st Josh De Reus – 75

2nd Ryan Mason – 60

3rd Jackson Ward – 58

MXW

1st Courtney Duncan – 75

2nd Karaitiana Horne – 66

2nd Amie Roberts – 58

Yamaha MX85 Cup

1st Henry Hillar – 50

2nd Kobe Carroll – 42

3rd Nicholas Oakshott – 40

NZMX CHAMPIONSHIP OVERALL RESULTS (R1, R2, R3 & R4):

MX1

1st Maximus Purvis  – 297

2nd Josiah Natzke – 248

3rd Jack Symon – 216

MX2

1st Hayden Draper – 253

2nd James Scott  – 245

3rd Caleb Ward – 229

MX125

1st Phoenix van Dusschoten – 291

2nd Carson Carroll – 265

3rd Arama Te Whetu – 221

WMX

1st Karaitiana Horne – 151

2nd Amie Roberts  – 117

3rd Hannah Perris – 105

Catherine Pattison

Yamaha Motor New Zealand Motorsport Media
T 0274455389
y[email protected]
www.joshcoppins.com

Search our site

Recent News

Watch: Cole Davies Reclaims Red Leader’s Plate At Budds Creek

Cole Davies reclaims the red leader's plate with a 1-3 in the mud at Budds Creek. The second overall performance puts Davies 14 points clear of Levi Kitchen as the championship heads to the final round at Ironman Raceway next weekend. For the first time all season...

Watch: Cole Davies Wins The Overall At Unadilla, Brodie Connolly In The Mix

Cole Davies goes 2-1 at the technical Unadilla MX track and narrows his title chase, with championship leader Levi Kitchen, to a single point. Tauranga's Brodie Connolly finds his form to put his Quad Lock Honda into the top 10 in both motos, passing Kitchen for fifth...

Nine-year-old James Drought To Represent New Zealand At Guangzhou Super Cup

Nine-year-old Taupo rider James Drought is the first New Zealander invited to compete at the Ohvale Guangzhou Super Cup, which will be held in China next week. The 2026 Ohvale Guangzhou Super Cup runs from August 17-24 and includes opening ceremonies and cultural...