Young Kiwis chase European success

ON THE CHASE: Taupo's Cohen Chase (Yamaha) is set to hunt down glory at the Junior Motocross World Championships in Belgium. PHOTO/ANDY McGECHAN, BIKESPORTNZ.COM 240614MOTO

Perhaps the New Zealand national anthem can again ring out at a motocross track in Europe before the end of this year.

New Zealand motocross riders have a solid reputation on the world stage, thanks mainly to the respective motocross world championship careers of riders such as Taranaki's King brothers, Darryll and Shayne, Motueka's Josh Coppins and Taupo's Ben Townley, each of whom have each stepped on to the podium at the ultimate level of the sport in the past decade or so.

However, with the retirement of these Kiwi legends, the appearance of New Zealand riders in Europe has been infrequent during the past couple of seasons.

But that may be about to change, with a handful of the younger generation of Kiwis stepping up, starting with this year's edition of the annual Junior Motocross World Championships, in Bastogne, Belgium, on August 10.

Recently-crowned national junior 250cc champion Cohen Chase, of Taupo, will be competing in Belgium and, with backing from Yamaha in New Zealand, the teenager is confident he can challenge for a world title.

The BikesportNZ.com-backed rider said it was "going to be huge".

"I am very excited. I really can't wait," said the 16-year-old at Taupo's Tauhara College. "I have had some wonderful support from Yamaha and my other sponsors too and nobody is putting any pressure on me.

"I don't know anything yet about the other riders I may be facing but I have done a bit of homework on the track.

"I've had a look at it on YouTube and it seems quite similar to the motocross track at Timaru and I liked that when I rode there in February."

Chase typically races the Yamaha YZ250F four-stroke bike in his domestic campaigns at home, but he will be racing a Yamaha YZ125 two-stroke in Belgium.

"That's just the format for that event. I've been riding a lot on the YZ125 lately and I love it, so I'm feeling quite confident."

Chase's mother, Angela, agreed it would be a great stepping stone.

"Cohen has been given an amazing opportunity to race among the world's best," she said. "It will be a fantastic way to soak up the atmosphere and to experience first-hand in the Mecca of the motocross world overseas.

"We would also like to thank our sponsors ... FOX, Total Oil and Goldentyres who have product ready and waiting for us in the UK and we thank the public too, who have hugely contributed towards making this happen with the purchase of raffles tickets and by making donations."

Chase is no stranger to tough international competition, having raced with great success in New Caledonia and Australia in recent years. He finished fourth overall in the junior 250cc nationals across the Tasman earlier this season, missing out on a podium spot by just one point.

"Regardless of what happens in Belgium in August, I want to end up racing professionally in Europe."

Chase will not be alone in waving the silver fern flag at this event - he joins fellow Kiwi Josiah Natzke, the young Hamilton rider who last month spoke of his intention to tackle the world championships, the pair now forming a strong two-pronged Kiwi assault.

Meanwhile, one of the final events at home for the Kiwi heroes will be to tackle the Battle of the Clubs motocross in Taupo today.