Pahiatua motorcycle ace Adam Reeves is ready to take on the world.
With the New Zealand Cross-country title safely tucked away, the Yamaha rider is now branching out to tackle one of the world's premier motorcycle competitions, the Grand National Cross-Country Championships (GNCC) in the United States.
And it's a competition where the 27-year-old should feel right at home.
Fellow Pahiatua rider Paul Whibley is currently leading the 2009 GNCC series and it was prompting from this man - who is also Reeves' close friend and sometimes training partner - that encouraged Reeves to seriously consider the American scene, although it will be only rounds 10, 11 and 12 of the 13-round series that he "dips his toes in" this season.
"I'm really excited about it. I've just got to stay fit and healthy between now and when I leave at the beginning of September," he said.
Reeves has enjoyed a glorious season at home, not only winning his first national title when the New Zealand Cross-Country Championships wrapped up near Ashhurst just over a fortnight ago, but he also made it back-to-back wins in the popular Yamaha Top Trail Rider Central Enduro series when he won round four near Martinborough just last weekend.
"I wanted to try and do some Aussie races but it didn't happen. Paul Whibley and I are good friends and, when he was briefly back home from the US earlier this year, he witnessed my frustration about that Aussie adventure falling through.
"He said to me, 'Why don't you come to the US for a trip?' and, at first I thought, 'No way, the cost is too much'. But, after much discussion, and a lot of help with Paul and Katherine Whibley helping me out to keep the costs down, a plan came about. I've raised a small amount of money and borrowed the rest, but basically the bank owns this trip.
"I'll be going for 5 weeks, living and training with Paul and competing in three GNCC races, plus an OMA [Off-road Motorcycle and ATV Championship] race and, yes, I'll be on my favourite Yamaha, a YZF450.
"I don't have any delusions of grandeur in relation to this trip.
"I'm not expecting to kick arse, but what I am expecting is to gain some valuable experience, meet some great people, have a lot of fun and hopefully open the door to going back in the future."
