Motocross: Whanganui's James Rountree off to Australian Nationals

Australian-bound James Rountree with benefactor Glenn Brown of Balance Chartered Accountants.

Whanganui High School's James Rountree heads for the airport departure gate this week to compete at the Australian Motocross Nationals, being held in the small Tasmania town of Penguin.

Having recently won double titles at the Harvey Round Motors Isuzu Winter Series and the North Island Secondary Schools championships, both which were held on his home track at Landguard Bluff, the 16-year-old will now compete on the north-west coast of Australia's island state.

The Australian nationals will be run over six days, with five races counting for the overall championships of each division.

Rountree will again compete in two classes, riding a YZF250cc and YZ125cc.

His trip was financially assisted by enthusiast Glenn Brown of Balance Chartered Accountants, who was impressed with Rountree's progress of the past three years, riding in two bike divisions at national level.

The accountant firm is also a major sponsor of the Wanganui Junior MX Academy, of which Rountree was part of the first intake.

He was also had backing from the Mitre 10 Mega Future Champions Trust, and is sponsored by Harvey Round Motors, Bike Torque Tamuranui, BNT and Protecta Insurance.