Junior riders perform better than expected

Motocross stars: Jack Murphy (left) and Atawhai Wirepa-Hei line up to race. Picture by Liam Clayton

MOTOCROSS

Junior motocross riders Atawhai Wirepa-Hei and Jack Murphy outperformed expectations at the 2020 Mini Motocross Nationals last weekend.

Both riders gave it their all over the weekend, racing hard in every event and leaving nothing out on the track.

Jack Murphy had some minor mechanical difficulties in qualifying, which meant he fell back in the order and qualified in 21st position. This gave him 21st pick on which gate he wanted to start on, and he had to push hard to force his way past those who had a better line to the first corner.

It was tough going for Murphy, who pushed the limits and paid the price with several tumbles, but he was able to quickly recover and stay in the race.

His aggressive riding paid off with a ninth place overall and two sixth placings in his last two races.

Wirepa-Hei was back on his bike after a massive crash in Taupo the weekend before that almost ruled him out of the event.

He rode consistently, but still didn’t have the confidence to push his bike while he was still recovering physically and mentally from his crash.

Despite this, he managed to qualify in 24th place and finished 21st overall, his best result being an 11th placing in the first race.

Both riders will be eligible for the same six-to-eight-years MX 50cc class next year and will be hoping their experience leads to improved results.