Columb and Wilson deliver for JCR Yamaha in NZ
New Zealand nationals underway with teammates on top.
Image: Andy McGechan (BikesportNZ.com).
Altherm JCR Yamaha teammates Scott Columb and Jay Wilson have won the opening round of the 2015 New Zealand Motocross Championship at New Plymouth on Sunday.
Coming off a victory at the annual King of the Mountain and third at the Woodville Grand Prix, the in-form 31-year-old Columb won the MX1 overall with 3-1-1 results on board the YZ450F.
At the end of the day, Columb’s 3-1-1 score-card gave him an eight-point overall win over KTM Motocross Racing Team’s Gibbs (2-4-2), with Honda rider John Phillips (6-2-4) taking the third step on the podium.
“Josh [Coppins] told me I’d better shape up or I was out and he’s got every right to say that to me,” said Columb, who won the 2013 MX2 title. “But it has been tough for me because I work as a tour guide and Christmas is a very busy time for me – I didn’t start training on the bike properly until January.
“I was expected to be on the podium every time I raced, but I wasn’t. It’s a pressure situation because, in this sport, if you don’t perform there is always someone else ready to step into the position and replace you.
“My first race today didn’t really go to plan. I was back in about 10th after the start and had to fight my way up to finish third. Winning the next two races was fantastic, of course.”
Victorian Kade Mosig’s New Zealand assault got off to a strong start with the opening moto win, ultimately finishing fifth overall behind defending champion Cody Cooper (The Honda Shop).
The Yamaha contingent celebrated a clean-sweep in Taranaki at the weekend with Australian Jay Wilson (Altherm JCR Yamaha) topping the MX2 class and Taupo’s Cohen Chase (Total BikesportNZ.com Yamaha) winning the 125cc division.
The series now heads to Pleasant Point, near Timaru, for round two in just under two weeks time on 22 February.
2015 New Zealand Motocross Championship
Round one – New Plymouth
MX1 overall results:
1. Scott Columb 70
2. Kirk Gibbs (AUS) 62
3. John Phillips 55
4. Cody Cooper 49
5. Kade Mosig (AUS) 48
6. Ethan Martens 48
7. Brad Groombridge 46
8. Makoto Ogata 32
9. Rhys Carter 31
10. Daryl Hurley 31
MX1 championship standings:
1. Scott Columb 70
2. Kirk Gibbs (AUS) 62
3. John Phillips 55
4. Cody Cooper 49
5. Kade Mosig (AUS) 48
6. Ethan Martens 48
7. Brad Groombridge 46
8. Makoto Ogata 32
9. Rhys Carter 31
10. Daryl Hurley 31
MX2 overall results:
1. Jay Wilson (AUS) 65
2. Micah McGoldrick 61
3. Hamish Harwood 58
4. Hayden Kanters 48
5. Campbell King 45
6. Scotty Canham 43
7. Joel Meikle 39
8. Logan Blackburn 39
9. Sam Greenslade 37
10. Josiah Natzke 31
MX2 championship standings:
1. Jay Wilson (AUS) 65
2. Micah McGoldrick 61
3. Hamish Harwood 58
4. Hayden Kanters 48
5. Campbell King 45
6. Scotty Canham 43
7. Joel Meikle 39
8. Logan Blackburn 39
9. Sam Greenslade 37
10. Josiah Natzke 31
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