Motocross: Big guns loaded for champs

Rotorua's John Phillips (Honda CRF450), likely to be among the leading riders in the open class

New Zealand's supercross elite, including Rotorua's John Phillips, will again converge in the deep south for the annual supercross championships this Thursday evening.

The Southland Motorcycle Club will hold the Brent Scammell Honda New Zealand Super Cross Championships at the popular Cooper-Vetsouth Supercross Track at Ryan Rd, Winton - the event on the second day of the massively-popular Burt Munro Challenge week.

Last year's Senior Open class champion, Mt Maunganui's Cody Cooper (The Honda Shop Racing Team) will have to sit out the event as he continues his rehabilitation from recent injury, but the man who was runner-up in 2013, Australian Sam Duncansen, will be there again and determined to win, riding for the event sponsor, Brent Scammell Honda.

Duncansen should expect a tough time on Thursday evening as multi-time former New Zealand supercross champion Scott Columb (Altherm JCR Yamaha), of Queenstown, lines up to race the open class this time around, with Rotorua's John Phillips (The Honda Shop Racing Team).

Columb and Phillips will be doing their best to ensure a New Zealand title does not head back across the Tasman.

Also returning to defend his Senior Lites (250cc MX2) title is another Australian rider, Altherm JCR Yamaha Team's Jay Wilson.

A double class winner in 2012, another Australian Honda rider, Sam Martin from Victoria, will also be returning and will be a double class act.

Oamaru's Joel Meikle (Honda), Brighton's Campbell King (Suzuki) and Ashburton's Matt Sutherland (Kawasaki) will be among the leading riders contending in the Senior Lites class.

Meanwhile, Patea's Ryan Gwynn (KTM) and Dunedin's Grason Veitch (KTM) should be headline acts in the junior ranks.

There are several top New Zealand riders still to be confirmed for the event, but, regardless of who does make the journey south, a hot night of racing is promised.