Pahiatua wheels in US national

It was two Kiwis inside the top six at the latest round of the Grand National Cross-country Championships in the United States.
Taupo's Rory Mead and Pahiatua's Paul Whibley finished fifth and sixth respectively at the sixth round of 13 in the American series at the Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia.
With the mountains clear of snow at this time of the year, the tourist facility is the perfect place to host a cross-country dirt bike event and the two New Zealand stars were keen to get to the action.
But it was defending champion Josh Strang, of Australia, who won the day, extending his lead in the series, with American Nate Kanney finishing just two seconds behind.
Nonetheless, the two New Zealanders were able to score good points.
Mead, a virtual newcomer to the series with just one other round under his belt, now finds himself 17th overall in the championship standings.
Mead is leading the New Zealand Enduro Championships series on his Yamaha YZ450F and is expected home to wrap it up at the final round near Taupo on July 23.
Meanwhile, former champion Whibley (Yamaha YZ450F) remains third in the overall GNCC standings, although now slipping to 34 points behind Strang.
Whibley was frustrated on a day fraught with difficulties on a muddy trail, with the chain coming off his bike's sprocket on several occasions.
At some time during the three-hour race Mead and Whibley had the lead.
Whibley has recorded two outright wins in the series so far, the same number as championship leader Strang and American Charlie Mullins, but a disastrous opening round back in March, when he finished only 15th overall, has seriously hampered his campaign this season.
The riders form up again to race in round eight at Millfield, Ohio, on Sunday.