Riders pick up the gauntlet

Beach Racing East Coast Challenge - Murdoch Rau, Ben Logan at last year's event. Picture by Liam Clayton

The final beach-racing meeting of Gisborne Motorcycle Sports Club’s season is the Pit Stop (Gisborne) East Coast Challenge at Makorori tomorrow.

Dylan MacGregor (Yamaha R1) will be back to defend his senior open class title.

The competition will be tough. Jay Peach is really getting his Yamaha R6 on track, and Shaun Mitchell is doing the same with his Honda CBR1000.

MacGregor also holds the other trophy up for grabs, the Mark Wilson Memorial.

In the senior 0-to-500cc class, Graham Wedlake (Honda CRF450) holds the title. Malcom Rau (Honda CRF450) wants to move up the ladder from third, and Nick Wilkie (Honda CR500) really wants to ride a two-stroke into a podium place.

Bryce Norman will have to pull one out of the bag if he wants to hold on to the senior 0-250cc trophy tomorrow. Top racers Damian Fogarty (Kawasaki KX250), Dylan MacGregor (KTM SX250) and Sam Spencer (Honda CR250) will all be racing for top spot.

Ian Newman (Suzuki 750-powered Honda) has rebuilt his engine so will be back to defend his ATV (all-terrain vehicle) title.

Alana Andrews (Suzuki LTR450) can expect a real battle, as Graham Wedlake (Suzuki LTR450) and Phillip Macpherson (Kawasaki KFX450) have thrown their hat into the ring. Rob Manson (Yamaha Banshee) will go all out to get a two-stroke into a podium place.

In the women’s class, Taylah Mitchell (KTM SX250) will be on the red line to resist the challenge of her sister, Kenzie Mitchell (Honda CRF150).

Taylah will also have to beat the usual suspects — Alana Andrews (Suzuki LTR450), Gabrielle Phillips-Irvine (Suzuki RM250) and Fritha Rau (Husky 150).

Phil Scott (Suzuki RM125) took out the classic/vintage motocross class last season but will need to hold five aces tomorrow as some serious British steel will on the sand — Jacob Scott (Triumph Bonneville flat-tracker), Chris Wright (Triumph Trophy T140), Paul Arnott (Triumph T140 750) and Greg Pawson (Ariel 500 single), to name a few.

Murdoch Rau (Husky 125) holds the Junior A class title. Fritha Rau (Husky 125), Branford Barwick (Honda CR125) and Simeon Mitchell (KTM85) will look to push Murdoch off the top spot.

In the Junior B class, Jack Reef (Kawasaki KX85) was last season’s champ. He will be joined by Nathan Nyhoff and Tate Wilson, both on Honda CRF150s, and Hamish Higham (Yamaha YZ85).

Trails-class racer Claire Ellmers (Apex MXR100) wants to make it two in a row but will need to fight off Jacob Adcock (Yamaha TTR90) and twins Gemma and Jade Ellmers, both on Polaris Outlaw 90s.

Bella Scott Haenga (Kawasaki KX65) is the titleholder in the mini 65 class but a few riders want to take it off her. Vincent MacGregor and Lachlan Phillips-Crane, both on KTM65s, are just a few of the many who want it.

Lachlan Phillips-Crane (KTM50) holds the mini 50 water-cooled class title and Jaxon Pardoe (KTM50) really wants it.

Louie Sanders (Honda CRF50) is the titleholder for the mini 50 air-cooled class. Jack Bellingham (Yamaha PW50) and Jake Grisdale (Honda CRF50) will show no mercy in their bid for that title.

Sign-in starts at 12.15pm, with racing from 1.15pm at Makorori Beach. New riders accepted. Prize-giving will be straight after the racing.