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APRIL 15, 2007: It was one of the closest motocross battles in years as the fight for national junior 125cc honours went right down to the wire in Mosgiel at the weekend.
Nothing could separate Bay of Plenty riders Luke Temple and Scott Barr-Smith at the New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships, the action blazing hot despite the chilly conditions that included a vicious wind and driving rain.
The two Yamaha riders traded blows throughout the three-day meeting and went into the seventh and final race in the 15-16 years’ 125cc class with the two teens locked together on points.
Whoever finished in front at the end of that last race would take the national title for 2007.
In the end, it was Ngatea’s Temple who prevailed, but not without first surviving a cut and thrust battle with Barr-Smith.
“Luke grabbed the lead at the start,” said Tauranga’s Barr-Smith. “But then I managed to get past him and led for a while. He retook the lead near the end of the race and I just couldn’t stay with him.
“I stated the champs expecting a top five and didn’t think I’d be challenging for the No.1 spot. I’m disappointed not to win but still I’m satisfied with runner-up. It’s a good result,” said the Tauranga Boys’ College sixth-former.
In addition to winning the top 125cc class, Temple also finished runner-up to Wellington’s Henry Madams (KTM) in the 14-16 years’ 250cc class, switching back and forth from two-stroke 125cc machine, to climb on board the 250cc four-stroke Yamaha YZF250 for a total of 14 races over the weekend.
“It’s my first ever national title … and my first national No.2 ranking too,” said a cheerful Temple afterwards.
“It was hard work though, doing two classes. I think I’ll sleep well tonight. I was very nervous before that last 125cc class race. I was on the verge of vomiting,” the Hauraki Plains College sixth-former confessed.
While Temple was battling with Barr-Smith and Madams for glory in the big bike classes, fellow Yamaha rider Kieran Leigh (Cambridge) was untroubled as he charged away with the 13-16 years’ 85cc title.
Leigh (15) was unbeaten in all seven races, easily beating Hawke’s Bay’s Kieran Scheele (KTM) to the silverware.
“Everything went really well. The pressure was off once Hamish Dobbyn crashed out of the champs,” said Leigh.
Wakworth’s Dobbyn (Yamaha) had been the class favourite and had set a qualifying time seven seconds faster than the rest of the field but he crashed heavily and injured his knee in one of the big bike classes, ending his campaign in three classes.
“There’s always another year,” said a philosophical Dobbyn afterwards.
Other class winners were Cameron Dillon (Mangakino, Honda, 12-16 years’ 150cc and 12-14 years’ 125cc classes), Campbell King (Dunedin, Honda, 11-12 years’ 85cc class) and Jesse Dobson (Australia, KTM, 8-10 years 85cc class).
