Cross-Country Battle Set To Heat Up   30 Mar 2016

Cross-Country Battle Set To Heat Up

MARCH 30, 2016: Mokau's Adrian Smith will probably regard this weekend's second of four rounds in the New Zealand Cross-country Championships as a make-or-break event for him.

The record four-time former national cross-country champion always knew it was going to be tough for him to reclaim the national title he last held in 2014, but, when he was beaten to the chequered flag at round one near Huntly in February, it became a little bit tougher.

Taupo's Brad Groombridge (Suzuki RM-Z450) won the day at Huntly, with Smith (Yamaha YZ250FX) forced to settle for the runner-up spot, while Coatesville's Sam Greenslade (Kawasaki KX250F), Pahiatua's Charles Alabaster (Honda CRF450) and Howick's Liam Draper (Husqvarna FE250) rounded out the top five.

Smith had seen his bid for a fifth crown stymied by fellow Yamaha ace Paul Whibley last season and, although Whibley did not contest the 2016 series opener near Huntly, Smith has more than enough to contend with battling Groombridge and other leading riders such as Greenslade, Alabaster, Draper, Raglan's Jason Dickey and Morrinsville's Tesselaar brothers, Nathan and Hayden, to name just a few.

"I'm pretty happy with how I finished at round one," said the 30-year-old Smith. "I have not been training too hard lately, so this was a good result.

"But Brad (Groombridge) was too good for me that day. He looked comfortable too. He was going fast without looking as though he was really trying. There are a lot of guys going at this pace this year, so It's going to be a tough season.

"Anything can happen in cross-country racing and a rider who wins round one could easily finish 15th at the next round. Plenty of times it's happened that the guy who won the first round didn't win the series. That's what happened to me last year."

"I think I can build on my result from round one and a win on Sunday will be the perfect way to do that."

The 90-minute junior race to be held earlier in the day also promises some fierce fighting.

Raglan's Logan Shaw (Honda CRF250) won junior race at round one, crossing the finish line ahead of Taupiri's Andrew Barr (Honda CRF250) and Nelson's Jackson Walker (Yamaha YZ125) and these three could be expected to feature near the front this weekend too.

The top 85cc class rider at round one was Taupiri's Zak Fuller (Kawasaki KX85), who finished 15th overall. Te Awamutu's Rachael Archer (Husqvarna TE125) finished a remarkable 12th overall to win the non-championship junior women's grade race.

The venue near Mosgiel on Sunday is at Hall's Property, 1108 Blackrock Runs Road, Outram.

Rounds three and four of the national cross-country series will be held respectively in Taranaki on April 16 and, finally, near Nelson on May 14.

Points only the best three of four rounds are counted, so riders will discard their worst result, ensuring the battle will go down to the wire.

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