East Coast father and son win enduro series classes

Norm Thomas and son Angus with their motorcycles after they won their classes in the National Club Enduro Series (NCES) in the forests near Tokoroa.

A disintegrating muffler gave Angus Thomas an anxious time in the lead-up to the decisive fourth race in the junior division of the National Club Enduro Series (NCES).

Angus and his father, Whangara farmer Norm Thomas, won their divisions of the NCES, held in four events across five months in the forests near Tokoroa.

Angus Thomas, who turned 16 during the motorcycle enduro series, had won the first race, on May 18, and finished second in rounds 2 and 3, on July 5 and August 16. He had to win the last race, on September 13, to take the series.

But a mechanical issue threatened to thwart his ambitions. The problem was diagnosed just in time for a repair to be made before the crucial race.

A disintegrating muffler was found to be choking and retarding the engine. The problem was fixed and Thomas got his bike back from the workshop the day before the final round.

He went on to win that race by 42 seconds and clinch first place overall in the section for youth aged 14 to 16, and the title of first junior overall for the series.

Enduro motorcycle races are endurance events run across challenging off-road terrain.

Rounds 1 and 2 of this series were held on the Tar Hill course, about 12 kilometres south of Tokoroa. Rounds 3 and 4 were held at Ohakuri, about 10km north-east of Tokoroa.

Each event entailed around four hours of riding, covering about 100km. Riders set off at one-minute intervals to complete the course within a set time. Along the way, special “test” sections were raced and timed to the nearest second to contribute to an overall time score for the day.

Angus Thomas raced a Beta RR200cc motorcycle in the junior class. It was his first experience contesting the enduro format.

“I didn’t know what to expect but really enjoyed it,” he said.

It was “a bit more relaxed than cross-country racing” but still required speed and skill.

Weather for the first two rounds was “pretty hectic”, with conditions wet and slippery, especially as the juniors had to follow all the senior riders around the same course.

“We were riding on some pretty rough tracks, which made it challenging,” Angus said.

“I was pretty nervous in the final round, hoping my bike would get me to the finish after the troubles with it earlier . . . big thanks to my mechanics at Whyteline for the hard work getting it running so well.”

His father Norm won the 50 to 59-year category on a KTM 300EXC motorcycle. He won rounds 1, 3 and 4 and was second in the other round.

Norm Thomas said he surprised himself with the overall series win in his class, as he was up against some experienced opponents.

He enjoyed the opportunity to train, ride and race with his son at these events.

“It’s lots of travel but great fun,” he said.

“I’ve spent 13 or 14 years following Angus around the tracks, keeping an eye on him. Now he’s faster than me and I’m still following him, but trying to keep up. I reckon it’s made me ride as fast as I ever have.”

Thomas Snr said it was a typical winter series. Conditions played a big part in the results.

“Round 2 was an absolute ‘mudder’ and ended up being shortened to three of four laps when the track became impassable,” he said.

Rounds 3 and 4 closely followed large rainfall events but the free-draining pumice soils in the Kinleith Forest meant the tracks were “awesome” and got better as the days wore on.

“Enduro events have waned over the past few years but this series was well organised by Sean and Adele Clarke and the Forestland Motorcycle Club,” Norm Thomas said.

Each round attracted about 150 riders.

“Those big numbers meant the tracks were pretty roughed up for the younger riders at the back of the field, but everyone seemed to have fun.”

Father and son are looking ahead to a multi-day “hard enduro” this year in the forests around Taupō and Tokoroa.

“This event mimics the legendary Red Bull Romaniacs Hard Enduro held annually in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania,” said Norm Thomas, who has taken part in – and finished – the Romanian event.

Angus Thomas has set his long-distance sights on travel for the Romanian event. In the meantime, the forests around Taupō and Tokoroa will have to do.