Trans-Tasman Clash Added Spice to Woodville MX

JANUARY 28, 2020: The 49th annual New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville had extra spice this year with Trans-Tasman rivalry adding some "nice niggle".

The Honda-sponsored Woodville event is regarded as the New Zealand's premier two-day motocross but, while most focus may have been on the individuals who were winning in each of the various categories, there was also an undercurrent of "friendly friction" running through the event with the inaugural G&H Engineering-sponsored ANZAC Challenge Cup.

A squad of visiting Australian riders was matched up against their Kiwi counterparts, with a beautiful trophy on the line and, of course, bragging rights.

After the junior phase or racing at Woodville on Saturday, the New Zealanders led the contest-within-a-contest by 180 points to 97, although the Trans-Tasman showdown was much tighter the following day.

When the points were tallied up at the end of Sunday's senior racing, the Kiwis had won overall by 334 points to 274.

Best-performed individual was 14-year-old Australian junior champion Charli Cannon, from Queensland, who finished eighth overall (against the boys) in the Junior 14-16 years' 250cc class on Saturday and then showed iron-women spirit to also race in the women's grade on Sunday, finishing the day unbeaten.

Best of the New Zealanders chosen to represent their country in the ANZAC Challenge was Taupo's Wyatt Chase, who finished overall runner-up in the senior MX2 (250cc) class on Sunday.

The high-profile Go Girls Racing Australia (GGRA) team contributed the majority of riders to Australia's bid for ANZAC Challenge Cup honours.

GGRA is an organisation set up to promote and develop females in motocross, explained president Nicole McIntyre.

The organisation started with 10 girls in 2004 and last year had 150 members. It is growing all the time.

"I would like to thank the committee from the Manawatu-Orion Motorcycle Club (that ran the Woodville event) for their amazing support of our GGRA team and really want everyone to know that the effort they put in to overcome some hurdles was truly appreciated," said McIntyre.

"The weekend saw me close out 12 months of planning to take six of Australia’s top female riders and parents to New Zealand to race, a total of 14 people under the banner of Go Girl Racing Australia. The logistics and cost alone was huge, but we did it."

The GGRA group has committed to returning to race at Woodville again next year too.

The New Zealand Grand Prix at Woodville always attracts the cream of talent from all corners of New Zealand, but has also over the years enticed visitors from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, The United States, Great Britain, Sweden and other parts of Europe, a testimony to the event's world class status.

Thousands of hours are put in by a massive crew of club volunteers, with heavy duty earthmoving equipment also donated by various organisations and so many sponsors all coming together to make it happen.

This year's New Zealand Grand Prix at Woodville was supported by Blue Wing Honda, the Tararua District Council, Fly Palmy, Copthorne PN, Manawatu Toyota, Scan Power, Placemakers, G&H Engineering, McDonalds Manawatu, New Zealand Natural Clothing, Kiwi Rider magazine, BikesportNZ.com, Stringfellows, the Lion Foundation, NZCT, Profab Engineering, Roofing Industries, ACP, Judd refrigeration and Dwyertech.

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