Auret and Biggs renew rivalry in Waikato

Hamish Auret and co-driver Paul Barnes, seen here in April, finished second overall in the opening round of the New Zealand 4x4 Trial season in Waikato on Saturday.

It was mud, glorious mud which greeted Whanganui's former Porter Group 4x4 National Trial champion Hamish Auret as he resumed his rivalry with Auckland's Scott Biggs on the opening round of the new season at Whatawhata on Saturday.

Auret finished second to Biggs in their Class D super modified trucks at the private Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge on the farm of multiple-time national champion Dan Cowper in April.

Both are the front runners for this season's overall championship as Cowper is dabbling in rally car driving and only entering the three 4x4 events which make up the Central Districts portion of the six-round national series.

Biggs finished second to Cowper last season while Auret was frustrated to have to withdraw halfway through the campaign due to engine problems in his 7000cc LS7 Corvette.

On Saturday at the Waikato course, Auret was stronger with fewer penalty points on the obstacles in the first half of the event, but Biggs made a comeback over the second half to finish ahead in their class and with both of them 1-2 overall in competition with the Class C (four-cylinder) trucks.

Fellow Wanganui 4WD club member Kevin Hermansen, who drives one of Auret's old vehicles, had a good start to retaining his national title by finishing top of the Class C board and third overall.

Of the other noteworthy locals, Mike Gee-Taylor finished 8th in Class D and 13th overall, while Grant Harrison and navigator daughter Renee would not have been overly happy with 7th in C Class and 19th overall.

The Waikato terrain with its hill climbs, water courses and mud bogs got so tore up that drivers and their trucks were also indistinguishable.

"It was really tough conditions, it just poured the whole day. It was an absolute mud slog," said Auret.

He and Biggs were neck and neck throughout the afternoon and baring any mechanical mishaps during the year, will probably stay that way, he said.

"It's good to get a solid second on the board.

"We're very hungry to get the title back, but Scott Biggs is on fire.

"It's a good rivalry, and to be honest, he's a really nice guy."

Auret's Corvette has been set up with the same package at last season, other than the fact that the roll cage is around 100mm higher - an added safety adjustment for all the trucks after a couple of injuries last season.

"It did mean chopping them up and putting a whole new roll cage on."

The second round of the series is December 10 at Waihi Beach.

Other rounds will be held January 21, February 11-12, March 11 and April 22.