Popular NZXC dirt bike series expanded for 2016 4 May 2016
Related articles
- Niki Roderick Extends Depth To New Zealand Record Sport
- NZ More Interested in All Whites than All Blacks Sport
- Australia Jumping on the Boy Bandwagon Living
- All Whites claim historic point Sport
- Prime Minister to travel to South Africa News
- Snow on The Remarkables Living
- Team Selected for Ultimate Ride Jet-ski Sport
- Trubridge Triumphs With Unassisted Freedive Record Sport
- New Zealand 2011 Business Club launched Business
- 300 feet down: two bare feet and one breath of air Living
POPULAR NZXC DIRT BIKE SERIES EXPANDED FOR 2016
Former Kiwi international Paul Whibley (Yamaha YZ450F), the man from Taikorea putting something back into the sport. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
The brainchild of former international off-road motorcycle racer Paul Whibley, a bigger and better NZXC Series begins its second season in just a few weeks' time.
The one-time Manawatu forestry worker, affectionately dubbed “The Axeman” on the motorcycling scene, raced the world Enduro Championships in Europe before moving to the United States, where he twice won of the Grand National Cross-country Championships (GNCC), in 2009 and 2012, and also became and a record six-time winner of the parallel Off-Road Motorcycle and ATV (OMA) series in a sparkling international career that spanned 12 years.
Although he retired from the international scene and resettled back home at Taikorea, in the Manawatu, at the end of the 2014 GNCC season, Whibley was far from ready to hang up his helmet.
The Yamaha star's first step back into the Kiwi scene earned him the New Zealand Cross-country Championships crown last season.
But the 37-year-old Whibley wanted more and so he hatched a plan to establish his own off-road competition, incorporating many of the pre-existing events on the off-road calendar.
He makes no apologies for "cherry-picking" the best races from several other competitions and last year's inaugural NZXC series was a huge success, so much so that this season's second edition of the NZXC series sees it expanded from five to six rounds.
Whibley said he formed the series because he wanted to create a high quality competition that might assist in preparing young Kiwi riders who wished to follow in his wheel track overseas.
The 2016 NZXC series kicks off at Tar Hill, just south of Tokoroa, on June 19, the event of double significance because it will also be the opening round of the parallel Dirt Guide Cross-country Series, with riders that day earning points towards both competitions.
It was a huge talking point when Whibley actually won his own inaugural competition "by accident" last season.
"The series is not for my benefit ... it's for others," he said, embarrassed at collecting his own trophy.
"I did what I could to make sure I didn't win last year. I sat out of two of the five rounds and rode a Yamaha YZ125 in one round too, thinking the smaller bike would handicap me ... but I won the race that day too," he shrugged.
"I still wanted to ride a few races, just for the fun factor, but I didn't race the final round, thinking that one of the two riders who were closest behind me in the points, Adrian Smith and Adam Reeves, would easily do enough to take out the series overall."
But Palmerston North's Reeves (Yamaha), a three-time former national cross-country champion, was a no-show at the final round and Mokau's four-time former national cross-country champion Smith (Yamaha) failed to finish the race.
That meant that Whibley had earned more points in three rounds than many of the other riders had in five, and so the trophy went to the man who was actually providing it.
"I didn't want people to think I'd just made up a series for me to win. That was never my intention. It's for other riders to enjoy and gain recognition from," said Whibley.
Whibley will also race again in the series he created and, once again, he claims his aim is not to win it for himself, although it's not hard to imagine he will be among the favourites anyway.
Only the best five out of six rounds in the NZXC series are counted, with contestants discarding their one worst score.
Whibley is supported by Yamaha Motor New Zealand, Sidi, Smith, G2, Asterisk, MotoSR, Vortex Ignitions, EC3D, Bush Riders MCC, Darbi Accessories, GHQ, Freedom Moto, Rosscos Start Up Services, Works Connection, Pro Taper, Race Pace Services, Unabiker, Leatt Brace, Tire Balls, BikesportNZ.com, CarbSport, KettleClamp, Alliance Offroad, Ride Eng MotoSeat, FMF, Kenda, Yamalube, CV4, GYTR, IMS, MSR, Rekluse, Ride Eng, Workshop Graphics.
2016 NZXC CALENDAR:
Rnd 1, June 19 (Dirt Guide Series) Tar Hill, Tokoroa
Rnd 2, July 31 (2-Man Series) Woodhill, Auckland.
Rnd 3, Aug 21 (Taikorea 500) Taikorea Motorcycle Park, Palmerston North
Rnd 4, Oct 8 (GNCC), Burt's Farm, Matata
Rnd 5, Nov 13 (Dead Toad), Riverhead, Auckland
Rnd 6, Dec 4 (Central Cross Country Series), Castlehill, Pahiatua
Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com
ENDS
News
Hilary Timmins' Award-Winning UK Documentary Series To Inspire NZ Students
29 Jun 2020 Education
Dream Catchers, produced and directed by Hilary Timmins, celebrates the success stories of more than thirty inspirational New... more
New Zealand reaffirms support for Flight MH17 judicial process
7 Mar 2020 News
Ahead of the start of the criminal trial in the Netherlands on 9 March, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has reaffirmed the need to... more
Business
NZ Government's Economic package to fight COVID-19
17 Mar 2020 Business News
The Coalition Government has launched the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history to cushion the... more
NZ Government announces aviation relief package
19 Mar 2020 Business News
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today outlined the first tranche of the $600 million aviation sector relief package announced earlier... more
Living
Diversity was Key at New Zealand Trade Tasting in London
6 Jun 2022 Food & Wine
New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting was recently held in London, on Wednesday 4 May, in Lindley Hall.
It was the first... more
Kiwi author stuns Behind the Butterfly Gate
12 Jan 2022 Arts
Hidden behind the Butterfly Gate is where the secret has been kept for 76 years...
New Zealand writer Merryn Corcoran’s... more
Property
Fairer rules for tenants and landlords
17 Nov 2019 Property
17 NOVEMBER 2019
The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer... more
New Zealand Government will not implement a Capital Gains Tax
17 Apr 2019 Property
The Coalition Government will not proceed with the Tax Working Group’s recommendation for a capital gains tax, Jacinda Ardern... more
Migration
Boosting border security with electronic travel authority – now over 500,000 issued
19 Nov 2019 Migration
19 NOVEMBER 2019
We’ve improved border security with the NZeTA, New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which helps us to... more
Christchurch reinstated as refugee settlement location
18 Aug 2018 Migration
18 AUGUST 2018
HON IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY
The announcement that Christchurch can once again be a settlement location for refugees... more
Travel
Gallipoli Anzac Day services cancelled
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
The New Zealand and Australian Governments have announced this year’s joint Anzac Day services at Gallipoli will be cancelled... more
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
more
Sport
The Skipper's Diary: Sir Richard Hadlee honouring his father and NZ's Forty-Niners
27 Oct 2019 Cricket
NZNewsUK London Editor Charlotte Everett spoke to Sir Richard Hadlee about why he’s chosen to publish his father’s... more
PREVIEW: All Blacks v England semi-final
26 Oct 2019 Rugby
The two most convincing quarterfinals winners are set to square off in a semifinal showdown for the ages when the All Blacks meet old... more
Columns
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
11 Nov 2016 Opinion
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
First published on Werewolf
The ghastly likes of Marine Le Pen in France and Geert ... more
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
10 Nov 2016 Opinion
Column - Gordon Campbell
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
Well um.. on the bright side, there (probably)... more
Kiwi Success
Congratulations to Loder Cup winner
26 Sep 2018 People
25 SEPTEMBER 2018
The Loder Cup, one of New Zealand’s oldest conservation awards, has been awarded to Robert McGowan for 2018... more
Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
16 Aug 2018 Appointments
16 AUGUST 2018Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
HON JENNY SALESA
Associate Education Minister Jenny Salesa is... more
Recruitment
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
14 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
22 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more