Cody Cooper wins another national title

Mount Maunganui's Cody Cooper has taken out another New Zealand Supercross Championship title. PHOTO/FILE

It was an exciting, edge-of-the-seats finish to this season's New Zealand Supercross Championships at the second and final round in Southland on Saturday.

Honda Racing Team CRF450F rider Cody Cooper from Mount Maunganui was again in sensational form and, although he didn't manage another clean sweep of wins in the premier SX1 (450cc) class as he had at a damp Tokoroa six days earlier, the 34-year-old's 1-1-2 scorecard at Winton meant he still emerged as the top man at the event and wrapped up the title by 12 points from Mangakino's Kayne Lamont (Altherm JCR Yamaha YZ450F).

Eventual third overall in the SX1 class this season was Ngatea's Ben Broad (Whyteline Kawasaki KX450F).

Motueka's former Grand Prix motocross racer Josh Coppins (Altherm JCR Yamaha YZ250F) finished the job he had started a week earlier in the SX2 (250cc) class, finishing 1-2-1 in his three outings at Winton and taking the title by a comfortable 29 points from Tauranga-based former Rangiora rider Micah McGoldrick (Honda Racing Team CRF250).

Third overall in the SX2 class this year was Kotemaori cross-country ace Reece Lister (Bike Worx KTM).

Te Awamutu's Daniel White (Kawasaki) had led the Junior 125/250cc class battle at Tokoroa, but he was a no-show at Winton and this left the way clear for Dunedin's Grason Veitch (KTM) to nip in and take the crown.

Veitch impressed with his 2-1-1 results at Winton, eventually taking the title by 14 points from Christchurch's Marshall Phillips (Yamaha). Third overall in the Junior 125/250cc class this year was fast-improving Ashburton rider Mitchell Stocker (KTM).

Ashburton's Ben Wall (Husqvarna) came from behind to win the Junior Lites (85cc) class. His 1-3-1 results at Winton meant he won the day by nine points from Palmerston North's Rhys Jillings (KTM) and he eventually secured the title by 12 points from Jillings.

Invercargill's Jack Symon (KTM) had led the Junior Lites class by a solitary point after Tokoroa and he again rode solidly at Winton, but a non-finish in the final race of the championship saw him forced to accept third overall for the series.

2017 New Zealand Supercross Championships:

SX1: 1. Cody Cooper (Mount Maunganui) 117 points; 2. Kayne Lamont (Mangakino) 105; 3. Ben Broad (Ngatea) 86.
SX2 (250cc): 1. Josh Coppins (Motueka) 117 points; 2. Micah McGoldrick (Tauranga) 88; 3. Reece Lister (Kotemaori) 84.