Gibbs satisfied with Woodville Grand Prix form
Australian wins feature race as NZ season commences.
Image: Andy McGechan (BikesportNZ.com).
KTM Motocross Racing Team rider Kirk Gibbs has become the first international rider in 25 years to win New Zealand’s Woodville Grand Prix after he took the day’s standalone main event from defending champion Cody Cooper.
Gibbs, who only returned to bike training two weeks ago, gated fourth but used his KTM 450 SX-F to run down and overtake Cooper on the last lap of the feature race.
“I have felt good when I’ve been riding the bike lately, so I did have some pretty reasonable expectations coming in here this weekend,” Gibbs said. “It’s the first time I haven’t carried an injury through my off-season for the last five years, so I’ve been working on base fitness, and it feels like it’s already starting to pay off.
“I’ve got things to work on after today like my starts to get me into that front group, but I felt like I rode smart today, so I’m happy to go away in one piece and I’m just looking forward to building and getting stronger.”
The day’s three-race MX1 program provided the team with plenty of data in its first official hit out for the year, one which encapsulated new signing Luke Styke’s first race appearance both for the team and in the premier 450cc class.
“It was super tough today,” Styke said. “It was tough on the body and the track was real dry, so it was hard to race behind the lead group. I didn’t have the best week this week with sickness, so at the end of the day I was fatigued. I think in two weeks time it’s going to be a lot better result.
“We had to start somewhere and I was pretty nervous to get that first start out the way after my big crash in Europe, but I’ve got the monkey off my back now and actually I was getting some really good starts today.”
Cooper won the MX1 program, with Gibbs second overall, Scott Columb third, and Styke an impressive fourth with 4-5-5 scores. Of the remaining Australians, Jacob Wright rode his JCR Yamaha to seventh.
Factory-backed MX2 racer Caleb Ward dominated the opening MX2 moto, but poor starts in the second and third motos prevented him from capitalising on his impressive speed, and he finished second on the day aboard his KTM 250 SX-F. The MX2 was won overall by Michael Phillips, with Josiah Natzke third. JCR Yamaha’s Jay Wilson was sixth.
2015 Woodville Grand Prix
Manawatu Orion Motorcycle Club, NZ
MX1 overall results:
1. Cody Cooper 75
2. Kirk Gibbs (AUS) 66
3. Scott Columb 56
4. Luke Styke (AUS) 50
5. John Phillips 49
6. Rhys Carter 44
7. Jacob Wright (AUS) 40
8. Ethan Martens 40
9. Daryl Hurley 35
10. Justin McDonald 34
MX2 overall results:
1. Michael Phillips 67
2. Caleb Ward (AUS) 56
3. Josiah Natzke 54
4. Kayne Lamont 53
5. Hadleigh Knight 45
6. Jay Wilson (AUS) 45
7. Campbell King 42
8. Micah McGoldick 40
9. Scotty Canham 34
10. Hayden Kanters 34
Feature race results:
1. Kirk Gibbs (AUS)
2. Cody Cooper
3. Scott Columb
4. Ethan Martens
5. Daryl Hurley
6. Jacob Wright (AUS)
7. Michael Phillips
8. Luke Styke (AUS)
9. Caleb Ward (AUS)
10. Yu Hirata
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