Motorsport: Motorcyclists bring their dirt to city square

National enduro champ Rory Mead is off to Austria after winning the inaugural event. Photo / Greg Bowker

It was trees and rocks, gravel and boulders versus glass and tar seal and aluminium, concrete and steel.

It was motocross versus trials, enduro versus crosscountry.

It was Mexico versus Germany versus New Zealand.

The contrasts could not have been more extreme. This was the inaugural Red Bull City Scramble in downtown Auckland on Sunday afternoon.

The dream-child of Kiwi international Chris Birch, the Red Bull-sponsored KTM bike rider bringing his sport - one that is more typically staged in the deep, dark bush of the countryside - to the city masses.

What's more, Birch emerged as the early favourite, early on setting the fastest time around the man-made off-road circuit, set up in the car park area of Britomart Square. But it was not to be, with national enduro championship rival Rory Mead (Yamaha) snatching the best possible start in the feature final and riding virtually unopposed to victory.

Birch settled for runner-up spot, with German visitor Andreas Lettinbelcher finishing third.

Birch was philosophical in defeat.

"I achieved what I set out to do, bringing my sport to mainstream New Zealand," he said. "I didn't win but, in a way, I still did. Enduro racing is typically carried out a lot way from any population base. Today was very different."

Mead's prize includes an all expenses-paid trip to the annual extreme enduro at Erzberg, Austria. Mead will again come up against Birch, the Kiwi ace a podium finisher at Erzberg last season.