SHANE HURNDELL
Watching Hawke's Bay motocross rider Kieran Scheele blat around a training track on a mate's Bay View farm this week was a bit like watching a baby eagle's first flight.
Yes, Scheele was soaring but a little tentatively. And like baby eagles which await their first flight, it's fair to say the past eight weeks have been rather anxious for Scheele.
The 17-year-old Napier Boys' High School student broke his left collarbone during the last race of the final round of the national series in New Plymouth back in December.
``It was the smallest of crashes but one which has done the most damage to me,' recalled Elsthorpe's Scheele who has been racing since he was seven.
``I've been pretty keen to get back on the bike for awhile now but I did exactly what the specialist told me ... I didn't want to damage the long-term prospects,' said Scheele.
That's a wise decision from Scheele who will celebrate his return after receiving a doctor's clearance by competing at the Valley Champs near Matamata this weekend.
He's one of 30 riders hoping to make the New Zealand under-19 250cc class team of 10 for the world junior championships, which start in Taupo on August 16.
``It's the first time the championships have been staged out of Europe ... they're going to be huge and I'm pretty focused on getting there,' said Scheele.
``The worlds will test whether or not I can make a career out of motocross and, if I can't, I'll chase a builder's apprenticeship,' said Scheele who is regarded as one of the most consistent performers on the national age group scene.
After this weekend's event, he will tackle the Auckland championships at Pukekohe on February 14-15 and several others before the team is announced at the end of next month.
The promising Hawke's Bay age group rugby representative will give rugby a miss this winter so the injury risk is reduced and he's even prepared to sacrifice school time so he can train.
``I'll be doing at least 90 minutes every night,' said Scheele who was third at last year's national championships in the 125cc class and second in the 13-16 years 85cc class at the 2007 nationals.
A campaign was launched this week aimed at securing sponsorship for Scheele's world champs quest. Fivestar Suzuki were quick to get involved and, as a result, Scheele will ride a Suzuki RMZ 250 instead of a KTM 125.
Gone are the days when Scheele had to rely on his father, Elsthorpe farmer John Scheele, to do his repairs.
It wasn't uncommon in the past to see Scheele turn up at events with tyres around the wrong way or to have mufflers fall off because his bikes had been repaired in Burt Munro-type style.
Fivestar Suzuki's Willie Rathbone told SportToday he had been keen to offer Scheele a sponsorship deal for a while.
``Of all the young riders in Hawke's Bay, we feel he has the most potential to reach the top ... he's got that killer instinct,' said Rathbone.
As a result of his deal, Scheele has two Suzuki RMZ 250cc bikes - one for racing on and one for training on. A Fivestar Suzuki mechanic will also accompany Scheele when he travels around the country.
``He's on a level playing field now ... the rest is up to him. But we're confident the news will be good when the New Zealand team is announced next month,' said Rathbone.
So is SportToday ... particularly now Scheele doesn't have to be part of a ``Burt Munro-type' approach to major events.
MOTOCROSS: Scheele full of steel for bid
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