New Zealand motocross ace Josh Coppins has climbed to third equal in the premier world 250 championship, despite a nightmare ride through mud in Belgium.
Coppins, aged 24, shares the position with German Pit Beirer, who pipped him for third last year.
The fourth of 15 rounds in the 2001 championship, at
Genk in eastern Belgium, was blighted by a huge pile-up at the start which left just a few bikes running at the head of the field.
Coppins injured a leg in the melee and his Suzuki was buried beneath mud and other machinery.
By the time the mess was sorted out, he was 22nd and the leaders had already passed for their first lap.
"From there it was just a matter of fighting my way up the field," said a disappointed Coppins, who climbed to 10th place at the end of his team's home grand prix. "It was a few points to my tally, but it should have been so many more. I was second quickest in warm-up.
"Most of the riders here just want to get on to the next race and forget all about this."
As the slippery mud left by torrential rain turned the event into a lottery, the two riders leading the championship emerged unscathed.
Coppins' Suzuki Corona team-mate Mickael Pichon, who had won all three previous races, had to bow to young Irish gun Gordon Crockard, on a Honda, who led from start to finish. Pichon still holds a commanding advantage overall.
Reigning two-time world champion Fred Bolley scored no points for the third grand prix in succession, and his Honda is virtually out of the title chase.
The next event is in Germany in a fortnight.
Meanwhile, young New Zealand motocross export Ben Townley has broken into the top 20 in the world.
The Taupo 16-year-old scored six points in the Belgian 125 Grand Prix and is now ranked 20th in the championship standings.
Riding for the German-based Phase Team, the grand prix rookie snared a sensational 10th place.
"I'm a bit miffed, actually," Townley said after his best result. "I got a good start and was up to third, but I had four little crashes during the race. The conditions were really hard and lots of other guys were going down, too."
Championship points for 250: Pichon 95, Crockard 67, Coppins and Beirer 43, Claudio Federici (Italy) Yamaha and Yves Demaria (France) Yamaha 38. Manufacturers: Suzuki 95, Honda 74, Yamaha 69.
- NZPA
New Zealand motocross ace Josh Coppins has climbed to third equal in the premier world 250 championship, despite a nightmare ride through mud in Belgium.
Coppins, aged 24, shares the position with German Pit Beirer, who pipped him for third last year.
The fourth of 15 rounds in the 2001 championship, at
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