KEY POINTS:
Damien King lived up to his name at the weekend, proving himself the master of the mud as he won Taranaki's annual King of the Mountain motocross.
The 32-year-old Cambridge Yamaha rider returned to the place of his birth to take the main prize on Sunday, dominating on the track he grew up on and learned his craft so many years before.
It was a battle of attrition and the former Taranaki man outlasted each of the other Kiwi internationals who had made the trip, including his two elder brothers, Darryll and Shayne, and the national champion and defending King of the Mountain champion, Hawera's Daryl Hurley.
In fact, Hurley's day ended before it had begun when he surveyed the flooded track and decided not to risk himself or his Suzuki with a tough nine-round Australian Motocross Championship campaign just around the corner.
Hurley packed up and drove home to pack his bags for the opening round of the Australian nationals, which kick off in Tasmania next weekend.
Former world No 2 Darryll King (Hamilton, Yamaha) was the next to go. He tweaked his knee in practice and also opted not to risk racing in the treacherous conditions. Shayne King (Honda) was similarly unimpressed by the conditions and also cut short his day.
"I don't have to prove anything and I'm supposed to be retired anyway," Shayne King explained. "It's pretty dangerous out there - why risk it?"
But, as the others dropped by the wayside, Damien King was still battling, probably the cleanest of the unrecognisable riders on the track, as he quickly took the lead and ran away from his pursuers in each of his four outings.
He finished the day unbeaten in the Lites class (on a Yamaha YZ250F) and the open class (on a YZF450).
"The other top guys had their reasons to quit today but I was here to race," he declared afterwards.
"I grew up on this track and riding in Taranaki mud too. It helped me a lot when I hit Europe to do the GPs. I always go well in mud."
Runner-up to King in both classes was a young man exactly half his age, Auckland-based former Gisborne rider Matt Hunt. Riding a four-stroke Suzuki RM-Z250, the 16-year-old Hunt finished 2-3 in the two Lites class races and then, on his Suzuki RM250 two-stroke, finished 2-2 in the open class.
"It was my first ride on the RM250 in the open class and it was a great experience for me," said Hunt. "I learned a lot from chasing Damien. He was smooth and I was floundering. I think the secret is to keep your feet on the pegs and keep the gas on. You've got to keep momentum in deep mud."
It was a nice way for King to sign off in New Zealand before heading off to join Hurley in tackling the Australians in their national motocross series.
"I feel I'm racing as good, if not better, than at any time in my career and I'm aiming to take the title in Australia this year. I don't want to settle for second," said the Kiwi 125cc No 1.
