Taupo's Brad Groombridge (Suzuki RM-Z250), national enduro champion at his first serious attempt. Photo / Andy McGechan, Bikesportnz.com
Taupo's Brad Groombridge (Suzuki RM-Z250), national enduro champion at his first serious attempt. Photo / Andy McGechan, Bikesportnz.com
It has been an outstanding year for Taupo's Brad Groombridge and there's still six months to go.
The 25-year-old locksmith produced a remarkable come-from-behind result to secure the 2016 New Zealand Enduro Championship title overall and the under-300cc four-stroke class title as well in what was his first serious attemptto take the crown, adding those titles to the national cross-country crown he won in May.
The riders faced a gruelling double-header enduro weekend - the fourth and fifth rounds of the series, at Waimiha on Saturday and Tokoroa on Sunday - to wrap up the competition, with three riders all within four points of one another at the top of the standings.
Round two winner Groombridge (Suzuki RM-Z250) started the weekend second overall in the series standings, sandwiched just two points behind Christchurch's Hamish Macdonald (Sherco SE-R 300i), who had won the series opener in March, and two points ahead of the round three winner, Howick's Liam Draper (Husqvarna FE250).
But the balance of power swung dramatically in Groombridge's favour at round four on Saturday when he won the day, while both his main rivals "blew it" - Macdonald suffering a blown engine, which resulted in a DNF for the young rising star, and Draper suffering a blown fuse, which left him finishing the day in an undeserved eighth position.
Groombridge was now suddenly on top of the standings, a solid 14 points ahead of new No2 man Draper, with Titirangi's Callan May (Yamaha YZ250X) elevated to third, eight points further back, and Macdonald forced down to fourth overall, just one point behind May, and the title was Groombridge's to lose.
A finish of fifth or better at Tokoroa on Sunday would be enough for Groombridge to win his first national enduro title and that's what he did, ending the day third overall, behind a fired-up Draper and Glen Eden's 2015 overall champion Chris Birch (KTM 250 XC-F).
"I knew where I had to finish and did enough to get the job done," said Groombridge.
Meanwhile, May finished the day fourth overall at Tokoroa and this was enough for him to snatch third overall for the enduro championship, ending 15 points behind Draper.
Macdonald battled all day on a borrowed bike at Tokoroa. He managed to finish fifth overall, but that wasn't quite enough to earn a place on the championship podium. It was a disappointing end to a season that had shown so much promise for the 17-year-old.
It was perhaps some consolation for Macdonald that he managed to still win the over-200cc two-stroke class.
"It took me a while to get used to the borrowed bike [on Sunday]," said Macdonald. "I crashed it too, so I guess it just wasn't my weekend. I'm still only 17, so I've still got a long way to go and I'll be back new year."
