The sun was out for the annual Whakatāne Summercross and the three Altherm JCR Yamaha stars shone bright as they notched up podium results at the Awakaponga Motorcycle Track on Sunday.

Team manager Josh Coppins was impressed with the track conditions, which were aided by a sprinkling of rain on the Friday night and also with his riders’ performances in this event, which sits in the middle of the Yamaha Motor New Zealand Motocross Championship’s four rounds.

“It was a good day for us. Maximus [Purvis] in MX1 started off a little bit slow as he’s had some time off and didn’t come in as prepared as he normally would be.”

Coppins said he went 2-2 in the first two motos and then started to find his flow for moto 3 and 4 and won them, to take the overall.

“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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