“Maximus rode well but just didn’t quite have the fitness and feeling he normally would. He will now build up to Woodville and the final two rounds of nationals.”
Purvis (Mangakino) was the first to put his hand up and take responsibility for his race execution.
“My day didn’t start off too good with stupid mistakes but I sorted a couple of things out and came away with the win,” he said.
Oparau’s James Scott moved up from his usual MX2 class to MX1 for the day and finished an impressive third on a two stroke Yamaha YZ250.
“It was a good hit out for him. Like Maximus, James had a bit of time off after the last two national rounds, with both of them focusing on work commitments, but now they are back onto their motocross training,” Coppins said.
Scott said he decided to race in the top tier MX1 category for the weekend “just for something a bit different”.
“I had a bad start in the first moto and finished fourth. In the next one, I got a better start and finished third. In the final two longer motos, I got good starts and finished third in both of them.
“The two front riders, Josiah [Natzke] and Maximus, were quite far ahead and the fourth rider was quite far behind, so it was lonely racing for me but still good practice. I was using this event for training and testing for the upcoming rounds of nationals.”
Coppins said Karaka-based MX2 rider Hayden Draper was “extremely good and dominated Summercross – winning all four motos”.
Draper was “stoked with the bike (Yamaha YZ250F) and how everything went”.
“I can’t wait for the Woodville GP and then the last two rounds of nationals with the Altherm JCR Yamaha team,” he said.
Coppins said not only was Sunday a successful event for the team, “it was a great day for the Yamaha brand, with Yamaha motorcycle riders winning the Vets 45+ class, MX3 category and also the Youth MX class. The second and third steps of the Women’s class podium were also occupied by Yamaha bike riders”.
“I’m happy to get another event ticked off with some strong results. Now we will keep building for Woodville GP at the end of January and then on to the final two rounds of the Yamaha Motor New Zealand Motocross Championship at the end of February,” Coppins said.
Whakatāne Summerx results
MX1
1st Maximus Purvis (YZ450) – 192
2nd Josiah Natzke – 192
3rd James Scott (YZ250) – 170
MX2
1st Hayden Draper (YZ250F) – 200
2nd Flynn Watts (YZ250F) – 179
3rd Jack Ellingham – 161
MX3
1st Josh de Reus – 146
2nd Mitchell Gleeson – 134
3rd Jamie Bennett – 127
Youth MX
1st Carson Carroll (YZ125) – 146
2nd Travis Taylor – 139
3rd Connor Feather – 129
Women’s
1st Karaitiana Horne – 146
2nd Mikayla Griffiths (YZ250F) – 134
3rd Amie Roberts (YZ250F) – 132
Vets 35-44 Years
1st Bradley Lauder – 139
2nd Sam Blenkinsop – 135
3rd Mike McDonald – 124
Vets 45 Years +
1st Darren Capill (YZ450) – 150
2nd Kane Walmsley – 138
3rd Mitch Rowe – 125
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