The 2023 NZ Veterans’ MX Championships
CAPTION: New Plymouth’s Mitch Rowe (KTM), top dog overall at the 2023 New Zealand Veterans’ Motocross Championships at the weekend. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks … but why would you bother when the old tricks are still working just fine?
Former national champions and Kiwi internationals from the recent past all gathered in Central Hawke’s Bay at the weekend for the two-day 2023 New Zealand Veterans’ Motocross Championships.
The venue at Otane tested riders to the limit, but perhaps the most pressure came from within the riders themselves, each of them trying to recapture and relive their glory days from younger years … or perhaps even to find fresh speed.
There was certainly plenty of talent on show at the Yamaha-sponsored event on Saturday and Sunday.
Host Central Hawke’s Bay Motorcycle Club official Raewyn Sergeant said: “It was a great weekend, held in good spirit, with plenty of old mates catching up”.
She also said the region provided great racing weather for both days.
“We had some close battles in some of the age classes and some riders that travelled from far away really enjoyed the track, but commented at prize giving that it was very different to what they normally ride,” said Sergeant.
“Many had come to our New Zealand veterans’ event in 2019, on the same track, and that’s why they came back. Most trophy winners commented that the vet nationals is something they want to see continue, so it was great to see all the riders that came. But we only had three vet women riders show up, which was a shame.”
She said the Central Hawke’s Bay Club appreciated sponsorship from Yamaha Racing, as the event’s major sponsor, and support came too from Tom Twist, of Twist MX Argyll.
“It was an outstanding effort from a small club, with a huge number of CHB volunteers making the event run smoothly over the two days.
Taranaki’s Mitch Rowe won the “handicapped” (points earned in race plus the rider’s age) Champion of Champions feature race that wound up the weekend.
Results from the 2023 NZ Veterans’ Motocross Nationals:
Champion of Champions Feature race winner: Mitch Rowe (New Plymouth).
Vet 30-34 years: 1. Kayne Lamont (Hamilton) 125 points; 2. Matt Sutherland (Otago) 104; 3. Jonathan Martelli (Reporoa) 100.
Vets 35-39 years: 1. Shannon Hewetson (Richmond) 125 points; 2. Bradley Wadsworth (Masterton) 104; 3. Daniel Stoddart (Otane) 102.
Vets 40-44 years: 1. Scott Birch (Rotorua) 122 points; 2. Ryan Buxeda (Auckland) 106; 3. Matthew Vining (Te Kauwhata) 95.
Vets 45-49 years: 1. Josh Coppins (Nelson) 125 points; 2. Brad Thomas (Nelson) 108; 3. Tom Twist (Waipawa) 102.
Vets 50-54 years: 1. Peter Locke (Palmerston North) 120 points; 2. Aaron Fitzgerald (Nelson) 111 points; 3. Hamish McIntyre (Napier) 102.
Vets 55-59 years: 1. Darren Capill (Whakatane) 125 points; 2. Mitch Rowe (New Plymouth) 106; 3. Steve Lange (Marlborough) 104.
Vets 60+ years: 1. Tim Gleeson (Te Aroha) 117 points; 2. David Latta (Balclutha) 113; 3. Steve Holmes (New Plymouth) 94.
Vet Women 30-39 years: 1. Stacey Emms (Blenheim) 125 points; 2. Kylie Forman (Tauranga) 110; 3. Candice Fox (Auckland) 40.
Credit: Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com