Whakatane Summercross sees scorching motocross action

Mangakino's Maximus Purvis (Altherm JCR Yamaha), who raced to seven wins from 11 starts at the Whakatane Summercross. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

The 2018 senior motocross nationals are just around the corner and Mangakino's Maximus Purvis can't wait to sink his teeth into the opposition.

The Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team star had another good workout at this weekend's popular post-Christmas Whakatane Summercross at Matata, racing three separate classes over two days of scorching high-level motocross action.

The annual event was regarded as another training exercise and bike testing session for the Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team rider and it was certainly intense preparation for the 17-year-old Purvis, who won two classes and finished runner-up in another.

On Friday he raced his Yamaha YZ125 to victory in the junior 125cc class and then took his Yamaha YZ250F to back that up with an outright win in the junior 250cc class as well.

He was back on the start line yesterday, racing his 250cc Yamaha in the senior MX2 class and, once again, he was in sensational form, although this time he was forced to settle for the overall runner-up position, finishing just behind Taupo's Wyatt Chase.

By contesting more races than any other rider at the event, Purvis showed he was fully recovered from the frightening crash he suffered at the MX Fest event in Taupo in October.

All that remains is for Purvis to "eliminate small mistakes" from his repertoire before the most important race action of the summer, the four-round 2018 senior New Zealand Motocross Championships, which kick off in Taranaki in February.

Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team boss Josh Coppins said he was satisfied with most aspects of Purvis' performances at Summercross, but, as always the former Grand Prix hero is a hard task-master and he also said there was still "room for improvement".

"Max showed good speed, but he is still making too many mistakes," Coppins said.

In all, Purvis won seven races from 11 starts over the two days at Whakatane.

His ninth placing in one on the senior MX2 races on Saturday was the only real blight on his performance and it cost him dearly in the points.

"He tucked the front end of the bike under in one race and stalled the bike while leading in another. These are the mistakes we need to eliminate," Coppins said.

"These sorts of things are the difference between winning and finishing second.

"Overall I'm pretty happy with the improvements he's shown in the past few weeks. His speed is very good and that's the main thing."

Purvis rode a Yamaha YZ250F at the MX Fest in Taupo at Labour Weekend and the Auckland Motocross Championships at Tuakau in November was his first ride on a 125cc bike since (he won the national junior 15-16 years' 125cc title in) April.

He had a thorough workout on both bikes at Whakatane.

It is still undecided whether class Purvis will race the 125cc or MX2 class at the nationals, or even if he might tackle them both.

Leading results from the 2017 Summercross at Whakatane:

Seniors on Saturday:

MX1 class: 1. Cody Cooper (Mount Maunganui, Honda) 266 points; 2. Rhys Carter (Mount Maunganui, Kawasaki) 246; 3. John Phillips (Rotorua, Honda) 214.

MX2 class: 1. Wyatt Chase (Taupo, KTM) 265; 2. Maximus Purvis (Mangakino, Yamaha) 247; 3. Micah McGoldrick (Tauranga, Honda) 223.

Youth MX class: 1. Ryan Gwynn (Kakaramea, Husqvarna) 146; 2. Thomas Watts (Wairoa, Husqvarna) 141; 3. Daniel White (Te Awamutu, Kawasaki) 135.

Veterans (over 45 years): 1. Darryll King (Hamilton, Husqvarna) 165; 2. Mitch Rowe (New Plymouth, KTM) 150; 3. Glenn Clarke (Taupo, Honda) 135.

Veterans (25-44 years): 1. Peter Broxholme (Tauranga, Honda) 165; 2. Damien King (Cambridge, Kawasaki) 150; 3. Larry Blair (Inglewood, KTM) 138.

Women: 1. Letitia Alabaster (Rotorua, KTM) 165; 2. Rachael Archer (Te Awamutu, Husqvarna) 150; 3. Melissa Patterson (Rotorua, KTM) 138.

Juniors on Friday:

Junior 12-17 years 250cc class: 1. Maximus Purvis (Mangakino, Yamaha) 165 points; 2. Josh Tredinnick (Tauranga, Kawasaki) 150; 3. Daniel White (Te Awamutu, Kawasaki) 138.

Junior 15-17 years 125cc class: 1. Maximus Purvis (Mangakino, Yamaha) 160; 2. James Scott (Oparau, KTM) 155; 3. Thomas Watts (Wairoa, Husqvarna) 138.

Junior 12-15 years 125cc class: 1. Brodie Connolly (Tauranga, KTM) 165; 2. Jack Dunlop (Pukekawa, Yamaha) 150; 3. Kian DeLacy (Great Barrier Island, KTM) 132.

Junior 13-16 years 85cc class: 1. Cobie Bourke (Rangiora, KTM) 160; 2. Ben Wall (Ashburton, Husqvarna) 134; 3. Madoc Dixon (Tauranga, KTM) 130.

Junior 11-12 years 85cc class: 1. Rhys Jillings (Rongotea, KTM) 160; 2. Tyler Brown (Pukekawa, KTM) 146; 3. 3. Tyler Wiremu (Darfield, KTM) 139.

Junior 8-10 years 85cc class: 1. Kobe Thoms (Leeston, KTM) 148; 2. Jake Coleman (Hamilton, Husqvarna) 146; 3. Fletcher Saunders (Rotorua, KTM) 132.

Junior 65cc class: 1. Kobe Thoms (Leeston, KTM) 146; 2. Declan Connors (Taupo, KTM) 137; 3. Aydan Hall (Whakatane, KTM) 135.