Taupo Motocross Extravaganza: Kawasaki dominates placings

There was a distinctly green tinge to the podium in the key junior category at the big annual Taupo Motocross Extravaganza over the Labour Weekend.

While the No.1 spot eluded the green Kawasaki brigade, it was riders of the fantastic KX250F four-stroke that dominated the rest of the major placings.

Levin's James Anderson took his KTM to win the 14-16 years' 250cc class on Saturday, but he had Kawasaki riders Brandon Tipene, Hayden Kanters and Benedict Hahn for very close company.

If not for a little bit more luck, Auckland's Tipene could have taken the top step of the podium, the battle to decide that honour actually coming down to the last race of the day.

Tipene (Mr Motorcycles KX250F) finished 2-1-2 in his three junior races at the weekend, beaten to the title by Anderson's 1-2-1 results, while Otorohanga's Kanters (MGM Racing Kawasaki KX250F) finished 3-3-3 and Auckland's Hahn (Spectrum Motorcycles Kawasaki KX250F) chimed in with 6-4-4 results.

"It was down to the wire heading into that last race," agreed 16-year-old Tipene, from West Harbour.

"It could have gone either way but I was just too tired in the end. I just couldn't hang on any more," said the year 12 Westlake Boys' High School pupil.

"I've only had this 2013-model KZ250F for a week now and done nothing yet to get it set up properly. This was my first proper race on it. I'm looking forward to the upcoming Auckland Motocross Championships, when I'll be on my home turf and the bike will have the suspension set up for me."

It was a similar story for King Country rider Kanters, the Taupo event his first outing on the 2013-model bike.

"I've only had the bike a week and I just climbed on it and rode it today. I was getting out of shape a couple of times and smashed my fingers into a track-side post. But it was great to see the bike was so easy to ride straight out of the crate.

"I'm looking forward to racing the Waikato Motocross Champs. I feel I have a lot more speed coming. I just need to work more on my fitness and stamina."