CAPTION: Lower Hutt’s Jake Whitaker (KTM 300 EXC), top dog again on the hard enduro scene in New Zealand in 2025. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Lower Hutt’s Jake Whitaker has done it again, adding a fourth national hard enduro title to his impressive motorcycling résumé at the weekend.
KTM rider Whitaker managed an unaccustomed and, by his high standards at least, disappointing fifth overall at round five of seven in this year’s Yamaha-sponsored Hard Enduro Nationals held at Moonshine, in the Akatarawa Forest near Pauatahanui, north-east of Porirua, in late September.
Even so, this was still enough for him to retain his outright series lead, and he was anticipating a torrid battle in particular with his main title challengers – Whitecliffs rider Luke Doerner-Corson (KTM), Tokoroa’s Jake Wightman (KTM) and Whangarei’s Owen Broughton (KTM) – as the series headed down south for the penultimate round near Christchurch just over two weeks ago.
But that round was cancelled when heavy rain made the course incredibly treacherous and this determined that Sunday’s seventh and final round, the “Battle of Brittons” series finale, on forestry land off the Haywards Hill near Porirua, had just become a must-win for each of the key title contenders.
Whitaker completed Sunday’s finale just over 15 minutes ahead of Doerner-Corson, with Broughton, Bulls’ rider Connor Newton (Sherco) and Wightman rounding out the top five in the premier Gold Grade.
This meant the final rankings overall saw Whitaker finish end up on top, with Doerner-Corson second, Wightman third, Broughton fourth and Auckland’s Mitchell Gallagher (Beta) rounding out the top five for the series.
In the end, the multi-skilled Whitaker was the only rider to win more than one round in the 2025 Yamaha New Zealand Hard Enduro Nationals, his three wins (at round three, round four and AT the weekend’s finale) eclipsing his main rivals who each celebrated just the solitary round win apiece.
New Plymouth’s Luke Thompson (on a Vertigo trials bike) won round one in Taranaki back in March, Doerner-Corson won round two in Central Otago in April and Rotorua’s Bradley Lauder (GasGas) won round five at Moonshine in September.
“My worst result of the series was at round five near Wellington, but I still had a points advantage starting the final weekend,” explained Whitaker, a 34-year-old father-of-two who is also a record eight-time New Zealand champion in the separate motorcycling code of trials riding.
“I just needed to stay focused on getting the job done.
“The course was tight and relentless, with not much time to rest the body between sections. It was very steep in places, with waterfalls, creek beds and forestry. It had a bit of everything and was very slippery.”
Leading rider in the Silver Grade after the conclusion of the final round on Sunday was Inglewood’s Regan George (KTM), with Whitecliffs rider Shey Doerner-Corson (KTM) and Lower Hutt’s Anthony McGladdery (KTM) completing the series podium.
Masterton’s Meisha Boone (KTM) topped the Bronze Grade standings this season, followed by Kawerau’s Jamie Croad (KTM) and Whangarei’s Duncan Scott (Yamaha).
The series was sponsored by Yamaha Motor New Zealand, Motorcycling New Zealand, Platinum Homes, Kiwi Rider magazine, Silver-Bullet, Macaulay Metals and Mitas tyres.
2025 Yamaha New Zealand Hard Enduro Nationals calendar:
Round 1: Taranaki, March 29-30;
Round 2: Central Otago, April 19-21;
Round 3: Canterbury, May 10-11;
Round 4: Northland, July 19-20;
Round 5: Wellington, September 27-28;
Round 6: Canterbury, November 15-16;
Round 7: Wellington, November 30.
Credit: Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com
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Code No. MNZ-AM1116
