Motorsport
Paul Whibley is struggling to find his best form in major cross-country motorcycling events in the United States.
The Pahiatua 34-year-old won both the Grand National Cross-Country Championships (GNCC) and the Off-Road Motorcycle and ATV (OMA) titles last year but his 2013 campaign has got off to a rocky start.
Last weekend Whibley contested round three of the GNCC series at Steel Creek at Morganton, North Carolina, placing 29th overall and 11th in the XCI class with a hand injury obviously having an adverse effect on his performance.
Reflecting on his latest effort, Whibley said he always knew it was going to be a tough ask with his injury likely to make it hard for him to hold on when riding the rugged downhill sections of the Steel Creek track.