Taupō Motorcycle Club gears up for 50th anniversary and MX Fest

Auckland's Cobie Bourke (Honda CRF250) is among the favourites to win at Taupō over Labour weekend. Photo / Andy McGechan

On Labour weekend, it will be celebration time in Taupō like never before when the innovative and pioneering Taupō Motorcycle Club marks its 50th anniversary.

For half a century the club has been among the leading contributors to the betterment of the sport in New Zealand – hosting international stars, world championship events and many other races of national significance.

It will be a double celebration for the club when it also ticks off 40 years of hosting its signature Labour Weekend MX Fest extravaganza.

The popular Huka Honda-sponsored MX Fest event is once again expected to attract all the nation’s major riders and race teams and this year will be jam-packed with extra excitement over the three-day weekend (October 25-27).

The MX Fest will start off at the Digger McEwen Motocross Park on Friday afternoon by incorporating the exciting prologue phase of the parallel-but-separate Husqvarna Hard Adventure Enduro.

As usual, the weekend will go on to feature the mini riders, junior and women racers in action on the track on Saturday, with the popular Alpinestars Dirt Sprints – a knock-out format series of short races – scheduled for later on Saturday afternoon.

The following day is reserved for senior men’s motocross racing and this will be “shake off the cobwebs” time for all of the leading race teams as they build towards the start of the 2025 motocross nationals in the New Year.

“This will be a huge weekend of motorcycling activities,” Taupō Motorcycle Club president Bevan Weal said.

“It’s a real festival of motocross and it stretches for two-and-a-half massive days, so definitely not to be missed.

“It will be great to see it all come together, with fans, supporters, sponsors and racers all coming together to again create some unforgettable memories as they showcase the thrills of top-level motorcycle racing.”

The popularity of MX Fest, on Taupō's steaming pumice and sand Digger McEwen Motocross Park circuit, ensures there won’t be a motel bed to spare in the region over the weekend.

Hotel rooms and camping ground spaces will be at a premium too because this year’s MX Fest will also offer unmatched motorcycling entertainment.

With new 2025-model bikes to be tuned and set up for the New Zealand Motocross Championships series set to kick off in the New Year, muscles to be flexed, fresh team line-ups and allegiances to be shaped and a long weekend in which to do it, the MX Fest heralds the start of what could be another cracking New Zealand motocross season.

World, national and provincial titles count for nothing, international credentials are likely to be challenged and past loyalties go out the window as the new season brings forward fresh challenges.

There will no doubt be some exciting match-ups, with drawcard riders such as West Auckland’s Hamish Harwood, Ōpārau’s James Scott, Pāpāmoa’s Cody Cooper, Taupō pair Brad Groombridge and Wil Yeoman, Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis, Tauranga’s Madoc Dixon, Auckland’s Cobie Bourke, Invercargill’s Jack Treloar, New Plymouth brothers Curtis and Rian King and Bay of Plenty’s just-crowned junior world champion Levi Townley, among those who will be keen to start the new season with a bang at Taupō.