Spectator Bruce Honore was a loving family man who was cheering on his grandson when he was hit and killed by an airborne motorbike. Photo / Supplied
Spectator Bruce Honore was a loving family man who was cheering on his grandson when he was hit and killed by an airborne motorbike. Photo / Supplied
A motocross track corner where a rider came off and his airborne motorbike crashed into spectators, killing one, was not regarded as high risk before the event.
Bruce Honore died from a severe head injury after being hit by the motorbike while watching his grandson race, a coroner has ruled.
Since that fateful day in May 2016 the corner has been extensively modified and has led coroner Gordon Matenga to highlight the need for better track design and spectator safety.
Honore, a 68-year-old Waikato farmer, was at the Cambridge Motorcycle Club in May 2016 to cheer on his 8-year-old grandson when the tragedy unfolded.
Honore was watching the junior riders' track with his wife Merilyn and daughter Tanya from a grass strip that separated it from the main track at the motocross event in Leamington.
An experienced 20-year-old rider, Aaron Jones, on the senior track accelerated at the bottom of a hill to get through a boggy patch before letting the throttle off as he approached a corner at the top, Matenga said.
"The motorcycle hit the outer berm causing Jones to become dislodged from the motorcycle and he landed on the track."
For an unknown reason the accelerator on the 250cc motorbike remained engaged and under high revs it continued on a straight path up the berm, over the fence becoming airborne and striking Honore, his wife and another man, Bruce Parkes.
Matenga found no evidence to suggest a mechanical fault of the motorbike.
During the inquest last year Parkes said he would still be a spectator at Cambridge Motorcycle Club and was satisfied with safety improvements made to the coroner in question.
Clerk of the course Alan Cushion said the club never thought a bike would go over that corner and when one did members took measures to prevent it happening again.
They included a 2.4 metre high deer fence and a safety buffer of plastic barriers to protect both riders and spectators.
In his decision released today Matenga said he was confident the changes would reduce the chances of further death or injury occurring in similar circumstances.
Siblings Steve and Tanya Honore at the coroner's inquest into their father Bruce Honore's death at the Cambridge Motorcycle Club. Photo / Belinda Feek
However he noted there were no specialist track designers in New Zealand.
"Like many sports and special interest groups across New Zealand, motorcycling clubs are run by volunteers who do so for the love of the sport.
"Motorcycling New Zealand [MNZ] accepts it needs to consider, provide leadership on and enforce track design issues and spectator management.
Steps had already been taken by MNZ to address those issues including meeting with Motorsport NZ and other motorsport groups on track safety, revised training on spectator management and safety, and consideration of revised track warning signs.
Matenga however also said some spectator attitudes needed to be adjusted before all of the safety measures are accepted.
"New signage, better trained officials and better designed tracks can only go so far.
"Each person who attends a race meeting be they rider, spectator, parent helper, official or whatever their capacity, must each be responsible to look to their own safety and the safety of others in what is an inherently dangerous sport."
Matenga ruled Honore received a fatal blow to the head on May 22, 2016 and despite immediate medical assistance, died at the scene as a result of the injuries he sustained.
"I once again express my condolences to the Honore whanau."
Meri Honore was also injured in the incident and taken to hospital.
At the time Tanya Honore said her father was a proud family man who died before he could meet his two newest grandchildren, who were due to born shortly after the freak accident.
"He was just always there. He was a quiet but an amazing dad, husband and grandfather. He was fantastic with the grandkids. He was a very gentle person."
Her parents had been married 43 years and had three adult children.
Tanya Honore said her parents did everything together and her mother had been left shocked at losing her husband so suddenly, and with ongoing medical issues.
