It's Club versus Club for Motocross Glory 23 Jun 2015
Related articles
- Niki Roderick Extends Depth To New Zealand Record Sport
- NZ More Interested in All Whites than All Blacks Sport
- All Whites claim historic point Sport
- Minister launches SmartGate in Wellington Travel
- Prime Minister to travel to South Africa News
- Brownlee Leads Aviation Mission To Shanghai News
- Trams to make a comeback on Auckland’s streets News
- Snow on The Remarkables Living
- Team Selected for Ultimate Ride Jet-ski Sport
- Trubridge Triumphs With Unassisted Freedive Record Sport
The Sixth Annual Battle of the Clubs Motocross
IT'S CLUB VERSUS CLUB FOR MOTOCROSS GLORY
by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
JUNE 23, 2015: It will be one big weekend to help out another when New Zealand's leading motocross riders flock to Taupo this coming Saturday for the sixth annual Battle of the Clubs motocross.
The BOTC event is a fundraiser to help send a three-rider New Zealand team to contest the big annual Motocross of Nations (MXoN) – the Olympic Games of motocross – this year to be held in France on the weekend of September 26-27.
Team New Zealand failed to qualifying among the top 20 countries at this event when it was staged in Latvia last September and that means no travel assistance funds are being offered by the world's governing body for the New Zealand team to attend this year's event in France.
The Taupo Motorcycle Club's annual fundraiser initiative this weekend therefore takes on added significance this time around.
The event organisers hope they can at least equal, or perhaps even exceed the $10,000 they have previously been able to offer to Motorcycling New Zealand to assist the three-rider national squad.
The BOTC fundraiser on Saturday will see the country’s most talented motocross riders put aside their traditional rivalries and brand allegiances as they instead join together under provincial colours to compete.
The "State of Origin" format used for racing at the BOTC motocross will be very similar to what the Team New Zealand trio can expect when they line up in France against national teams from all around the world this September.
Each of the national teams at the MXoN comprise just three riders – one on an MX2 (250cc) bike, one on an MX1 (450cc) bike and one on an open class bike – while the club-based teams at the BOTC each comprise six riders – three junior and three senior riders – who will compete on 85cc, 125cc, 250cc and 450cc machines.
Each contestant rides twice, with the two worst results to be discarded so that only 10 of the 12 results at the BOTC are counted in the final tally.
The South Waikato Motorcycle Club won last year's BOTC event, while previous winners were the Pukekohe Motorcycle Club (in 2010), the Bay of Plenty MCC (in 2011) and the host Taupo MCC (2012 and 2013).
Approximately $9000 was raised at the event last season, that cash going towards New Zealand’s three-rider entry to the MXoN in Latvia last year, while it is hoped as similar amount will be raised to send the Kiwi team to France this time around.
Motorcycling New Zealand has whittled down the list of applicants to a short-list of six riders for the New Zealand squad to head to France and they are (in no particular order) national MX1 champion Cody Cooper (Mount Maunganui), former national MX2 champion Kayne Lamont (Mangakino), national 125cc champion Josiah Natzke (Hamilton), former world and national champion Ben Townley (Tauranga) and talented Rotorua brothers Michael and John Phillips.
The final selection of the three riders (plus a reserve) who will eventually make the trip will be announced in the coming weeks.
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