All set for thrilling Oceania battle
23-10-2007
Australia has named a crack team to take on the star-studded New Zealanders in the International Oceania MX Championship at McAdam Park, Barrabool (Vic) on October 27-28.
The showpiece trans-Tasman event, back at McAdam Park after a two-year absence, promises to be yet another battle royale, with multiple national motocross and supercross champion Craig Anderson to captain the Australians against the might of New Zealand, which has world No. 3 Josh Coppins and the prodigiously talented Katherine Prumm on its roster.
In addition to the marquee names from Australia and New Zealand, American veteran Ryan “Ryno” Hughes will add even more lustre to the event.
Although he’ll only be fighting for individual, rather than team honours, the 34-year-old Californian will undoubtedly be one of the crowd favourites.
Hughes was a member of American’s 2000 Motocross of Nations (MXON)-winning team, alongside the incomparable Ricky Carmichael and Travis Pastrana.
"The Aussies and Kiwis might like to beat Americans, well we Americans like to beat everybody,” said Hughes. “I'm coming down there to win.”
Both Oceania teams will be made up of 14 riders, comprising four apiece in the Pro Open and Pro Lites categories, and three each in Juniors and Women.
Two races will be held per class, with the 28 ‘championship’ riders to be joined by international rider Hughes who is ready to “mix it up” amongst the throng of competitors from Australia and New Zealand.
This year’s Oceania format will also include the Pro Shootout and Pro Feature races. The latter will see the top 20 Pro Lites and top 20 Pro Open riders compete in an all in, best of the best race, which promises to be the highlight of the weekend.
The Pro Shootout will see the four fastest Pro Open and Pro Lites riders from each country go head to head.
Meanwhile, Anderson will be joined in Pro Open by former Australian champions Jay Marmont and Troy Carroll, while gritty Victorian Lee Ellis, a former MXON competitor, completes the roster.
New Zealand’s Pro Open outfit is even more potent, largely due to the presence of the Yamaha-backed Coppins, who was on track for his first world title in 2007 before brake failure caused him to crash and break his shoulder in the Czech Republic.
Although the Belgian-based Coppins eventually made a comeback late in the season, he was in obvious discomfort, eventually gifting the top two spots to Belgians Steve Ramon and Kevin Strijbos.
Coppins, a 10-year world motocross veteran, is a massive fan of McAdam Park, and surged through the Pro Open program in 2005.
“I love racing in Australia, as it’s kind of like a home race for me,” said Coppins, who has recently been in Italy testing his 2008 machinery. “I was unbeaten in all three of the motos (in 2005), and I love the layout -- it always produces good racing.”
If Coppins gets near his crushing early season form in Europe, where he won a staggering nine GPs before the shoulder injury, it will go a long way towards a victory for New Zealand.
“I don’t get a lot of time to ride with all the guys from New Zealand, so it’s a good chance for me to do so, and I’d really like to help them win this championship,” continued Coppins. “For sure, the Aussies are all good riders, but they haven’t beaten me before and I plan to try and keep this intact.”
“Josh knows how important it is we save this track, and we really value his support,” said Peter Ovens from the Sporting Motorcycle Club of Geelong, which is promoting the Oceania title as part of its ongoing battle to buy the 300-acre McAdam Park. “We will certainly spoil him during his visit to Barrabool, as we will with other star riders who want to support this great event and great venue.”
Daryl Hurley, Nick Saunders and Jesse Donelly are New Zealand’s other Pro Open riders. Hurley was the 2005 Australian champion, and is desperate to not only outlast the Aussies, but to step up to the plate against his illustrious countryman, Coppins.
Meanwhile, Australia’s other big strength lies with its four-man Pro Lites posse: Jake Moss, Danny Anderson, Lewis Stewart and Cameron Taylor.
Moss is the lynchpin after romping through this year’s Aussie championship, and will be making a short return home before he heads back to America to complete his preparations for the 2008 supercross and motocross season.
Stewart and Taylor also competed in the 2005 Oceania title, which may prove to be invaluable experience as the technically challenging layout always provides a stern test for debutantes.
Australia’s juniors are also ready to put the acid on their compatriots, with Tye Simmonds and Luke Arbon both winners at the recent Australian championship, while Ross Beaton was also showing his strengths.
The Aussies juniors will have to keep it together, as New Zealand is odd-on to take the major points in the Women’s class, courtesy of the redoubtable Prumm, a two-time world champion.
Barring a meltdown of epic proportions, the amiable Prumm will simply overwhelm her opposition, and she fine-tuned her repertoire by dominating a big event in New Zealand on October 21.
Australia’s three women’s riders are Kristy Gillespie, Ashlea Bates and Adelia Barton
Thanks to strong performances in the Pro Lites and Junior ranks, Australia defeated a shell shocked New Zealand by 34 points (596 to 562) to retain the Oceania title at Taupo in 2006.
A year earlier at McAdam Park, the Aussies simply had too much depth for New Zealand, with team captain Brett Metcalfe winning both of his Pro Lites races, and receiving superb support from Stewart and Taylor. Anderson was also amongst it in Pro Open.
The spectacular open-flowing Barrabool track is just 15 minutes from Geelong, and is known in motocross circles for its challenging twists and turns. The track itself is situated on land owned by motorcycle-loving Clive McAdam, who passed away a few years ago. The SMCC is hoping to buy the property with several fundraising activities planned; the OMXC is the club’s big-ticket item.
The full Oceania teams are as follows:
Honda Pro Open
6 - Josh Coppins - Yamaha - NZ
4 - Daryl Hurley – Suzuki - NZ
909 - Nick Saunders – Kawasaki - NZ
J - Jesse Donnelly – Yamaha - NZ
100 - Craig Anderson – Honda - AUS
82 - Jay Marmont – KTM - AUS
905 - Troy Carroll - Suzuki - AUS
17 - Lee Ellis – Honda - AUS
Honda Pro Lites
105 – Michael Phillips – Yamaha - NZ
1 – Damien King – Yamaha - NZ
99 – Luke Burkhart – Suzuki - NZ
701 – Brad Groombridge - Kawasaki - NZ
1 – Jake Moss – Yamaha - AUS
4 – Danny Anderson – KTM - AUS
16 – Lewis Stewart – Honda - AUS
2 – Cameron Taylor – Honda - AUS
Yamaha Junior’s
D – Hamish Dobbyn – Yamaha - NZ
555 – Cameron Dillon – Honda - NZ
M – Henry Madams – KTM - NZ
42 – Tye Simmonds – KTM - AUS
54 – Luke Arbon – Honda - AUS
43 – Ross Beaton – Yamaha - AUS
Yamaha Women’s
47 - Katherine Prumm - Kawasaki - NZ
881 - Letitia Alabaster - Yamaha - NZ
115 - Julie Managh - Honda - NZ
3 - Kristy Gillespie - KTM - AUS
56 - Ashlea Bates - Kawasaki - AUS
341 - Adelia Barton – Suzuki- AUS
Event Details
Date: Saturday and Sunday October 27 and 28, 2007.
Time: Gates open daily at 8:30 am
Location: Barrabool track. Follow the signs from Geelong
Ticket Details
Tickets for the IOMXC are on sale at the gate.
Sunday: Two Day: |
Saturday: Child =
10 and under, 5 and under free. |
The full rider list for the International Oceania Motocross Championships
can be viewed here.
