Motorsport: Top MX talent to burn

Cody Cooper will have his work cut out defending his title. Photo / NZPA

It is mate versus mate, champion versus champion, brand versus brand like never before.

It is a rare scene, but this season's New Zealand Motocross Championships, starting near Timaru on Sunday, will feature the nation's top international riders.

Kiwi internationals Cody Cooper (Suzuki), Josh Coppins (Yamaha) and Ben Townley (Honda) are all racing closer to home this year, meaning all three men are in this part of the world for the annual domestic contest.

Add to that the appearance of Canadian nationals regular Mason Phillips, of Papamoa, and riders such as 2009 national MX1 champion Justin McDonald, of Christchurch, Rotorua's Michael Phillips, Hamilton's Hayden Clark, Taupo's Brad Groombridge, multi-time former junior champ Matt Hunt, of Gisborne, Taupo's evergreen Nick Saunders and fast-improving Whakatane rider Mitchell Rees, and the MX1 class is bulging with some incredible talent.

Mount Maunganui's Cooper will have a tough job defending his MX1 crown, with former world championship Grand Prix star Coppins, of Motueka, and 2004 MX2 world champion and 2007 American supercross champion Townley, of Taupo, all showing they have the pace to win.

The MX2 class, too, is bursting with talent, with 43-year-old Darryll King back to defend his crown and determined to fight off the advances of younger riders such as Luke Burkhart, the MX2 winner at Woodville, and Queenstown's Scotty Columb returning after two years.

Last year's national 125 champion, Ethan Martens, of Waitakere, also steps up to the MX2 class this year to add heat to the furnace, along with riders that include Kiwi internationals Kayne Lamont, of Mangakino, and John Phillips, of Rotorua.

It would be unwise to ignore riders such as Tauranga's Peter Broxholme, Hamilton's Jesse Wiki, Auckland's Shaun Fogarty and Cambridge riders Damien King and Kieran Leigh, all of whom are capable of winning in the MX2 class.

Where the National 125cc and National Under-21 crowns go is anyone's guess, but eyes will be focused on talented young riders such as Rotorua's Cameron Vaughan, Tauranga's Logan Blackburn, Stillwater's Aiden Kiff, Drury's Sean O'Connor, Karaka's Kurtis Lilly, Katikati's Garth Amrein, Whakatane's Peter Smit, Rotorua's Cam Negus, Tauranga's Scott Barr-Smith and Aucklanders Liam Underwood and Chase Smith, Atiamuri pair Hadleigh Knight and Dion Picard and Rangiora's Micah McGoldrick.

The series starts this Sunday in South Canterbury, before heading north for round two at Patetonga, near Morrinsville, on February 26.

It goes to Pukekohe on March 4, and the final round will be in Taupo on March 18.