The 2017 edition of the Dirt Guide Series kicked off at Ohakuri - about halfway between Tokoroa and Taupo - last month and such was the course that day that riders on all capacities of bike were competitive with one another, the eventual winner of the two-hour senior race actually riding one of the smallest bikes in the field.
It was a Yamaha 1-2-3-4 when former Kiwi international and former national cross-country champion Paul Whibley, of Taikorea, took a 2013-model Yamaha YZ125 to win that day, while runner-up was Muriwai's Luke Mobberley (Yamaha YZ250), with Cambridge's Ashton Grey (Yamaha WR250F), Titirangi's Callan May (Yamaha YZ250F) and Hamilton's Chris Power (Honda CRF450) rounding out the top five.
With the series running over three rounds this year, there are no 'discard' results and all rounds are counted towards the final tally. This means it will be imperative for trophy hopefuls to overcome the likes of Whibley, Mobberley and Grey this weekend if they hope to push on and claim victory at the final round.
Talent runs deep at the sharp end of competition, with Rotorua's Bradley Lauder, Wellington's Jake Whitaker, Te Awamutu's Kevin Archer, Waimauku's Jake Wightman, Te Kauwahata's Jacob Brown, Raglan's Jason Dickey and Cambridge's Ashton Grey, to name just a few, among those worth watching.
In addition to the senior riders, the series also caters for junior riders, intermediates, veterans and women.
Thames rider Natasha Cairns will be firm favourite to win the women's section, although Te Awamutu's Rachael Archer will also be a standout.
Sunday's 90-minute junior race starts at about 9.30am, with the two-hour senior race to start at about midday.
The third and final round of the Dirt Guide Series is due back at Ohakuri again, on July 9.