Rival gets jump on Dibben

Wanganui racer Richie Dibben was immediately back in the garage preparing for a hat-trick in the Suzuki Series Supermoto class on his CRF450 Honda after arriving from England on Friday. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

Wanganui flyer Richie Dibben returned home earlier this year to prepare to defend his Suzuki Series Supermoto title for the third time, but may not have it all his own way.

The 25-year-old already has the 2012 and 2013 trophies in his cabinet after winning the three meeting series on his CRF450 Honda and initially looked to have the upcoming championship at his mercy with several of his closest rivals opting for other classes this year.

However, since arriving back from his annual off-season trip to England on Friday, Dibben has already heard fellow Wanganui racer Aden Brown is off to a flying start on the former Jayden Carrick Suzuki RNZ450.

Brown finished fifth in his Supermoto debut after last season's Suzuki Series on a Yamaha RNZ450, a machine most experts agree is no match for his latest bike.

Suzuki Series promoter Allan "Flea" Willacy said Brown was impressing by easily winning the Victoria competition rounds at Manfield in the lead-up to round one of the Suzuki Series at Hampton Downs on December 7. Round two is set for Manfield a week later on December 14, while the traditional Cemetery Circuit in Wanganui on Boxing Dayhosts the final round.

Dibben has spent the last two New Zealand off-seasons working as a mechanic for his former British-based sponsors Silicone Engineering.

Last year Dibben returned from an eight-month stint in Britain to defend his 2012 title bringing with him Englishman Malachi Mitchell-Thomas who competed in the same class on a TM450, an Italian-designed machine. Dibben had worked as a mechanic for Silicone Engineering-sponsored Mitchell-Thomas overseas and the pair raced under the same sponsorship in New Zealand.

Dibben came into the final round on the Cemetery Circuit seven points ahead of his teammate last season with Auckland ace Toby Summers hot on their heels. The final round developed into a three-way tussle eventually won by Dibben with Mitchell-Thomas holding second narrowly from Summers.

"I've spent the last 10 months in England and Ireland working as mechanic again for Malachi, including a stint at the Isle of Mann," Dibben said yesterday.

"I had a few races in the warm-up rounds for the British Supermoto series for fun really, but other than that I haven't been riding. My bike is currently in pieces, but I'm back a bit earlier this year and that gives me plenty of time to get the set up right.

"I wasn't that happy with the way it was handling last season and while I haven't brought any trick gear out there are things I can do to make improvements."

Dibben said budget cuts in England meant Malachi won't be coming this year and his own Silicone sponsorship won't continue, but he is not phased by the prospect of going it alone.

"Malachi won't be coming and I hear Toby and even Glenn Haden [Wanganui] are likely to concentrate on the 600 series, so there's a couple of serious contenders I won't have to worry about. But I do hear Aden is going really well and he will definitely pose a real threat."