Te Puke's Tyler Steiner (Honda CRF450), one to watch out for in the premier MX1 grade when the gates drop at Woodville 2023. Photo / Andy McGechan www.BikesportNZ.com
Te Puke's Tyler Steiner (Honda CRF450), one to watch out for in the premier MX1 grade when the gates drop at Woodville 2023. Photo / Andy McGechan www.BikesportNZ.com
The biggest dirt bike race in the southern hemisphere - the Honda New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix - is returning to Woodville early next year.
The 61st running of the iconic event will be held January 28-29, 2023, and was expected to draw a large crowd given the corresponding event last year was cancelled due to Covid-19.
Manawatu-Orion Motorcycle Club president Brad Ritchie said he was excited to see the event return.
"It is always a very special occasion for everyone. It always starts the year off," he said.
"With the absolute heartbreak of not being able to run this event in January this year, but it seems to have picked back up to a new high level. The club's committee is determined to do it bigger and better than before and we have had wonderful support from the land owner and they're really exciting to work with.
"The puzzle is coming together nicely and everyone is really buzzing.
"All our main sponsors are back and we can't thank them enough either.
"This event sets the year up nicely because it all flows into the senior national motocross championships series in February and March. We'll have Sky Sport Next giving coverage to the event, so anyone that can't make it will still be able to view the racing. It will be screened live worldwide."
Hamish Harwood (CML KTM450F) in action at the 2021 New Zealand Motocross Championships at Woodville. Photo / Andy McGechan www.BikesportNZ.com
The outright winner of Woodville in 2021, Taupo's Wyatt Chase, has now retired from racing, with his Woodville win no doubt a career highlight.
Picking a favourite this time around is anyone's guess.
Any overseas riders who show up for Woodville 2023 will be up against an impressive array of Kiwi internationals, experienced campaigners like multi-time former New Zealand motocross champion multiple Woodville winner Cody Cooper from Papamoa.
Also competing would be Auckland's current national MX1 champion Hamish Harwood, Te Puke's Tyler Steiner, Mangakino's former national motocross champion Maximus Purvis, Rangiora's Micah McGoldrick, Helensville's International Six Days' Enduro (ISDE) gold medallist Josh Jack and Hamilton's former national champion and former Woodville winner Kayne Lamont, to name a few, in the glamour MX1 class.
"A few of our ISDE riders have already confirmed they'll be coming to do the river race, so that will be a bonus too," Ritchie said.
"They raced with great success in France earlier this year and they're back home now and will come and show us what they're made of."
The Woodville race is one of the biggest events on the Kiwi calendar and an ideal build-up for Kiwi internationals seeking to resurrect their careers overseas now that Covid-19 restrictions had eased.
Since the standalone event was first staged over half a century ago, in 1961, the Woodville Motocross has grown to become the jewel in New Zealand's motocross crown and hundreds of riders will battle over the weekend, including minis, juniors, seniors, women and veterans.
Previous winners include New Plymouth's 1996 500cc motocross world champion Shayne King, Taupo's 2004 MX2 world champion Ben Townley, Australian champions Craig Dack, Kirk Gibbs and Dean Ferris, Britain's Greg Hanson, American Willie Surratt and Sweden's Gunnar Lindstrom, to name a few.
All ages and levels of ability are catered for by the Woodville GP event, with the novelty river race on Sunday also a major crowd-pleaser and perhaps appealing more to the enduro and cross-country racing brigade.
Racing over the two days attracts thousands of spectators to the Tararua region, filling motel rooms and camping grounds to the point of overflowing, the New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville is a must-see spectacle for any motorsports enthusiast.
