Motorsport: Nield back winning after five months away

Kaikohe's Mitchell Nield enjoyed a solid return to the competitive dirt bike scene. Photo / Andy McGechan

Kaikohe's Mitchell Nield has made up for a notable absence from top-flight dirt bike racing over the past five months, bringing in the New Year with a win in the recent Crazy Cross endurocross and the Root 100 extreme enduro races.

Taking his Yamaha YZ250X to victory, winning both legs of the Crazy Cross endurocross, the 27-year-old didn't stop there and continued on his rampant form to win the Root 100 extreme enduro as well.

Missing enduro and cross-country action, Nield put dirt bike racing on the back-burner with the arrival of his first child, Dustin.

"It's been five months now since I became a dad and it has really changed my life. But I was looking forward to getting back on the Yamaha at the weekend and seeing how I'd go," Nield said. The two standalone events, originally set for Saturday and Sunday, were the perfect way for Nield to mark his comeback.

"The course was flooded at the weekend, the track under water, and it was still pretty wet even a day later. They had a water crossing and a dirt hole and, even with the pump going, it was causing a lot of carnage," he said.

"The organisers shortened the Root 100 race from three hours down to two, but it still took most of us nearly three hours to complete. I did three laps, but I don't think every rider managed that.

"My fitness was surprisingly good, not quite where I'd like it to be, but obviously enough to get the job done."

The next big event for Nield will be the first round of the Extreme Enduro Series at Waimiha in two weeks' time, before he switches bikes to ride a Yamaha WR250F in the New Zealand Enduro Championships series.

"The arrival of Dustin has caused us a few sleepless nights, but he's been pretty good and is a happy little fellow most of the time. We just adapt our live and carry on."