Manawatu set to pose obstacles for champs

BALANCING ACT: Mototrials is a non-speed race over a series of obstacles and rounds three and four of the North Island Championships are on this weekend.PHOTO/SUPPLIED

More than 40 motorcyclists from around the North and upper South islands compete in rounds three and four of the North Island Mototrials Championship this weekend.

The two-day off road event is being organised by the Manawatu Orion Motorcycle Club and includes riders from throughout the lower North Island as far north as Wanganui and Waverley.

Mototrials is the non-speed form of motorcycle sport where competitors tackle a circuit comprising three laps of 12 sections made up of marked out natural obstacles that may include rock steps, steep banks, hill climbs and fallen logs.

The aim is to ride through each section without losing penalty points through a foot touching the ground or riding outside the marked boundary.

There may not be the thrills and spills of high speed racing, but there is certainly plenty of action as the best riders tackle rock steps up to 1.5m on their built-for-purpose motorcycles with engines up to 300cc.

There will even be one rider competing on an electric trials bike this weekend.

Riders will be competing in seven classes including Expert, A grade, Intermediate, Clubman, President, Junior and Women.

Host club riders to watch out for will be Kevin Pinfold ( Intermediate) who has been competing more than 40 years and is still able to mix it with the young guys. Also Phil Stephenson from Pahiatua (President), and 12-year-old Hannah Rushworth from Feilding (Clubman/Junior/Women).

Venues for the event are the Davison's farm on No3 Line, Pohangina Valley East on Saturday, starting at 10am and on Sunday at the lime quarry at the Woodville end of the Manawatu Gorge, starting at 9.30am. Both venues will be signposted and entry is free on both days.