Altherm JCR Yamaha’s Purvis dominates Woodville GP and NZMX Championship’s first round
Altherm JCR Yamaha Media Statement
02.02.21
FEATURE PHOTO; MAXIUMUS PURVIS #44
Caption: National MX2 defending champion Maximus Purvis did his Altherm JCR Yamaha team proud on Sunday, with a trio of wins at the Woodville GP/NZMX round one
For the first time ever the International Woodville NZ Motocross Grand Prix combined with the NZ Motocross Championships’ (NZMX) opening round and Altherm JCR Yamaha’s Maximus Purvis made sure his name would be remembered at this historic event.
The team’s MX2 rider and defending champion was unassailable on his YZ250F, dominating all three motos on Sunday.
The first two outings on the hard-packed track counted towards the NZMX and the points from the third moto were then added to provide an overall result for the 60th anniversary of the Woodville GP.
Mangakino’s Purvis topped both competitions and laid down the gauntlet to his rivals for what they can expect over the next three NZMX rounds.
“I was the first qualifier but in the first race I got a really bad start and had to work my way through to the lead. I just stayed smooth and maintained the gap to win. The second moto I had a much better start and I got to the lead as fast as I could and kept the gap for the win again,” Purvis says.
The third outing panned out in a similarly successful fashion, leaving him stoked with three from three victories.
Altherm JCR Yamaha Team Manager Josh Coppins says the weekend’s “standout performance was from Max.”
“We are very happy with where he is at and he rode extremely well to take three wins.”
PHOTO : KAYNE LAMONT #4
Caption : Altherm JCR Yamaha MX1 rider Kayne Lamont is only seven points off the NZMX lead on his YZ450
Hamilton-based Kayne Lamont was consistent in the top-level MX1 class, with a trio of thirds.
“This weekend at Woodville went well for me. The track was quite rough and brutal, so I was happy to come away safe with some solid points banked,” he says.
Lamont will focus on bettering his starts over the three weeks between NZMX rounds, as he had to progress through from fifth or sixth, up to third, in each moto.
“I’m pleased with how my riding is going but have a couple of things to work on to improve for the next round in Rotorua,” he says.
Coppins agrees: “Kayne’s points earned him fourth in the Woodville GP and fourth in the NZMX, where he is only seven points off the lead. We think if we brush up on the starts, we can really try to claw some points back and go for the championship lead.”
PHOTO: MADOC DIXON #318
Caption: The youngest rider in the Altherm JCR Yamaha team Madoc Dixon had a successful return to 125cc racing in Woodville after a wrist injury.
Coming back from 14 weeks off the bike after fracturing his wrist, Altherm JCR Yamaha’s youngest rider Madoc Dixon (16) wobbled on the first race, with a crash relegating him to eighth in Saturday’s 15-16 years Junior 125cc class. He came back with a vengeance in the second race winning it by 13secs and leading his rivals home again in the third outing by 8secs.
On Sunday, Dixon boosted his seat time with another three races in the MX 125cc class and rode his YZ125 to 4-3-3.
Coppins says: “Madoc has been building back slowly from injury and we were happy with where he is at. He’s young and has got a lot to learn but he’s showing a lot of promise for a young fella.”
After his enforced break of just over three months off riding, Dixon was “hanging out for a race.”
He doesn’t have long to wait for his next competitive outing, with the Yamaha-sponsored New Zealand Junior Motocross Nationals taking place this Waitangi weekend in his hometown of Tauranga. Dixon won this event’s 15-16 years' 125cc class in 2019 and after Covid caused the cancelation of the 2020 edition, he is keen to repeat the result.
“This year I’m going to try to defend it,” he says.
It wasn’t only the Altherm JCR Yamaha riders having a successful weekend in Woodville, with bLUcRU representatives featuring highly across the classes.
Taupo’s Wyatt Chase (YZ450) won Woodville’s glory event - the MX1 Grand Prix - and sits in second in the NZMX standings. Cam Negus was the Grand Prix Veterans’ class winner, with his fellow bLU cRU rider Paul Whibley finishing runner-up in this category and also going on to win the iconic river race.
Yamaha representatives Roma Edwards and Amie Roberts were first and third
respectively in the Grand Prix Women’s class.
Coppins says the Woodville track got “dusty and hard as the racing progressed and became very technical for the last motos.”
“There was close racing but not a lot of passing. Whoever holeshot typically won in MX1, although there was a bit more passing in the smaller bike categories.”
“All in all it was a very solid day for the Altherm JCR Yamaha team and our bLU cRU riders.”
“The Altherm JCR Yamaha crew will be attending the three-day 2021 Junior Motocross Nationals this weekend at Tauranga’s TECT All Terrain Park to support Madoc and our Yamaha customers.
Then we will bring our three riders back together for the NZMX’s round two in Rotorua on Sunday, February 21,” Coppins concludes.
PHOTOS CREDIT CLMINTIEPIX
Overall Points
MX1
1st Wyatt Chase (YZ450) – 66
2nd Hamish Harwood – 65
3rd Cody Cooper – 62
4th Kayne Lamont (YZ450) – 60
5th Tommy Watts (YZ450) – 44
MX2
1st Maximus Purvis (YZ250F) – 75
2nd James Scott – 66
3rd Josiah Natzke – 56
MX125
1st Brodie Connolly – 72
2nd Hayden Smith – 67
3rd Madoc Dixon (YZ125) – 58
NZMX Championship Round One Results – Woodville Grand Prix:
Woodville Grand Prix
MX1
1st Hamish Harwood – 47
2nd Wyatt Chase (YZ450) – 41
3rd Cody Cooper – 40
4th Kayne Lamont (YZ450) – 40
MX2
1st Maximus Purvis (YZ250F) – 50
2nd James Scott – 44
3rd Josiah Natzke – 40
MX125
1st Brodie Connolly – 47
2nd Hayden Smith – 45
3rd Cobie Bourke – 40
4th Madoc Dixon (YZ125) – 38
2020/21 ALTHERM JCR YAMAHA RACE SCHEDULE:
24th & 25th October 2020 – Taupo MX Fest (first contracted race for 2020/21)
27th & 28th December 2020 – SummerCross, Whakatane
30th & 31st January 2021 – Woodville Grand Prix, Palmerston North
2021 New Zealand Motocross Championship
Round One – tied into Woodville Grand Prix – 31st January 2021
Round Two – Rotorua – 21st February 2021
Round Three – Pukekohe – 20th March 2021
Round Four – Taupo – 28th March 2021
ALTHERM JCR YAMAHA WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS:
Altherm Window Systems, JCR, Yamaha Motor New Zealand, Yamalube, GYTR, bLU cRU, YMF, YMI, Akrapovic, Holland Collision Centre, Ward Demolition, Star Moving, Contract Consultants, Fox, Workshop Graphics, Pirelli, DID, Renthal, Motomuck, Vertex, Twin Air, Motoseat & SKF.