World comes to Woodville

IN CONTROL: Britain's Rob Holyoake will be among the leading riders in the MX2 class battles.

THIS weekend's 54th annual New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville has attracted a record number of international stars.

The high number of internationals making the trip Downunder this year is perhaps an indicator of the stature and popularity of the Honda-sponsored event.

A contingent of 11 overseas riders are entered this time around, coming from Australia, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom.

However, while plenty of international visitors have won the event in the past, it is worth noting that Kiwi riders are world class too, and it is home-grown New Zealand riders who have won the main prize at Woodville for the past 25 years consecutively.

Not since American Willie Surratt won in 1989 has a rider other than a New Zealander been the champion at Woodville.

Mount Maunganui's Cody Cooper won the main title at Woodville last season and then went on to successfully defend his MX1 crown at the four-round New Zealand Motocross Championships that followed soon afterwards. He arrives in the Manawatu region this weekend as favourite to win again.

But the 31-year-old is taking nothing for granted for a couple of good reasons - he is still recovering from serious injury and the depth of talent lining up to oppose him is perhaps the greatest it has ever been.

Cooper will have to overcome the power-packed crop of international riders such as Japanese Yamaha ace Yu Hirata, American Kawasaki rider Eric Senk and Australians Kirk Gibbs (KTM), Luke Styke (KTM), Jacob Wright (Yamaha) and Jayden Conforto (Suzuki).

Cooper also knows his Honda team-mate, Rotorua's John Phillips, is in hot form at the moment, while fellow Kiwi internationals Brad Groombridge of Taupo, Waitakere's Ethan Martens, Mount Maungnaui's Rhys Carter and Queenstown's Scott Columb, to name just a few, have good reason to fancy their chances too.

Five of the international visitors are in the MX2 (250cc) class and - even with New Zealand MX2 champion and last year's Roddy Shirriffs Memorial Trophy (under-21) winner at Woodville, Mangakino's Kayne Lamont, injured and a mere spectator at Woodville this weekend - it will be extremely tough for any of the tourists to dominate.

Australian riders Jay Wilson, Caleb Ward, Tomas Ravenhost and Hunter Lawrence, along with Britain's Rob Holyoake, will no doubt be among the leading riders in the MX2 class battles, but a high number of talented Kiwis stand resolutely in their way.

Kiwi internationals such as Rotorua's Mike Phillips, Hamilton's Josiah Natzke, Atiamuri's Hadleigh Knight, Otorohanga's Hayden Kanters, Hamilton's Jesse Wiki, Te Puke's Logan Blackburn, Taupo's Cam Dillon and Rotorua's Scott Canham, among others, are each capable of winning the MX2 class this weekend.

Carter, Mike Phillips, and Pukekohe's Kurtis Lilly respectively won the MX1, MX2 and senior 125cc titles at the annual King of the Mountain motocross in Taranaki on Sunday.

Columb and Masterton's Camden Butler were respective feature race winners at the King of the Mountain and they too should be feeling self-assured for a good result at Woodville this weekend.