Top pair clean up in sidecar

Wanganui thrillseeker Astrid Hartnell has joined an illustrious group after winning the national sidecar championships this year.

The 32-year-old parts and service manager for Whitelock Suzuki in Wanganui claimed the New Zealand title after consistent performances throughout the 2012/2013 season as swinger for Masterton-based rider Stephen "Spike" Taylor. The pair won the title on a GSXR 1000-powered LCR Suzuki.

While they are not the first male/female combination to win the coveted title, their achievement is nonetheless noteworthy in what is very much a male dominated sport. Male/female combinations to have won the national title in the past include Tauranga-based rider Kevin Wendt and his passenger Anne Kippen, a sister of three-time No1 Andy Kippen from Wellington, and Timaru's Doug Chivas and Margaret Halliday.

After a few spins around South Island circuits several years ago on fellow Wanganui racer and former NZ No1 Steve Bron's machine, Hartnell and Taylor discovered they worked well together and hatched a plan to compete in the national series.

"We decided to bypass the NZ Suzuki Tri Series that included the Cemetery road circuit in Wanganui on Boxing Day and concentrate on the national series that started two weeks later. We wanted to save the chair," Hartnell said yesterday.

The pair kicked off in style, winning the first round at the Ruapuna circuit in Christchurch before "bike issues" relegated them to second in round two at Levels in Timaru. A third on their debut at the Hampton Downs up north gave the pair a solid shot at the title as long as they finished the final round in Taupo.

"It was a bit wet in one of the races at Hampton Downs which made it a bit exciting," Hartnell said. "We just needed a reasonable performance in the final round in Taupo so we just made sure we finished to secure the title. We ended up third overall in Taupo which gave us the title by about 30 or so points."

Hartnell grew up around motorcycle racers with her father Robert Hartnell a handy sidecar passenger and uncle Dick Leppard from Wellington a former national titleholder.

"I've raced for about five or six years on and off. I sort of grew up with it really."

Taylor has a good record at top level and won the title in 2002.

"Next year we will try and defend our title and we might even compete in the Tri Series, but that will depend on sponsorship. It's an expensive sport, especially the tyres and we are always on the look out for sponsors," Hartnell said.

Hartnell and Taylor managed to win the 2012/2013 title with sponsorship from Hartnell's employers, Whitelock Suzuki, Taylor's own company, Mobility Wairarapa, Wanganui-based companies Jimyz Signs and Graphix and Colour Code Auto Painters and Aero Support from Feilding.

"My partner Gavin Oxtoby has also been a great help throughout the series," Hartnell said.