KTM’S Lamont Heralds His Ascendancy
CAPTION: Mangakino’s Kayne Lamont (KTM SX250), on a rapid rise to the top. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
AUGUST 27, 2012: Kayne Lamont has plenty of titles to his name but the latest one is perhaps his greatest achievement.
The Mangakino teenager dominated this season’s Australian Motocross Championships, easily winning the hard-fought
Motocross Development Under-19 class when the nine-round series wrapped up in Coolum, Queensland, on Sunday.
So dominant, in fact, was the CMR Red Bull KTM Team rider that he had the title in the bag with one race still left to
run on Sunday.
For multi-time former New Zealand junior champion Lamont it was a superb way to herald his growing status as one of the
sport’s rising international stars.
Lamont started the day with a 32-point lead over his nearest rival for the crown, fellow KTM rider Dylan Long. But when
Lamont finished third and second in the first two of three races on Sunday, the title was assured.
The Kiwi hero lined up his KTM SX250 two-stroke for the final race of the series with a massive 31-point advantage and
absolutely no need to risk anything, but he still battled through to finish sixth and celebrate his win in style.
“I’m naturally thrilled to win this,” said Lamont afterwards. “It has been a lot of hard work but it has paid off. The
track was extremely rough today and I nearly broke my wrist, so I took it easy in the final race.
“I really need to thank everybody who has helped me,” said Lamont.
“Firstly I want to thank my dad, Stu, the CMR Red Bull KTM team, Jeff Leisk of KTM in Australia, Cannon Smith and
Patrick Stafford of KTM in New Zealand, trainer John Appel, Mike Barnes, Dragon Goggles, Shift apparel, BikesportNZ.com,
Anthony Giles and Choice Suspension for all their support.”
Another Kiwi, Motueka’s Josh Coppins, won the MX1 class title this season, giving New Zealand two out of the three
Australian crowns this season.
Both Lamont and Coppins now prepare for the upcoming big annual Motocross of Nations, the “Olympic Games of motocross”
set for Lommel in Belgium in less than a month.
At that event they will become team-mates, joined by Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper, to form the three-rider Team New
Zealand.
“My focus now is on the Motocross of Nations. I will come home for a few days and then head to England on September 6 to
join Josh (Coppins). I will spend a few weeks training with him before the big race weekend in Belgium.”
Credit: Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com
ENDS