Altherm JCR Yamaha’s Purvis wraps up MX2 with dominant title defence
Altherm JCR Yamaha Media Statement 28.03.21
TITLE CAPTION: His podium grin says it all - Altherm JCR Yamaha's Maximus Purivs was stoked to defend his MX2 title this season
Altherm JCR Yamaha’s Maximus Purvis ended his MX2 reign in commanding style - winning the 2021 New Zealand Motocross Championships’ (NZMX’s) final round today and defending his 2020 title.
The Mangakino star-in-the-making signed off on his MX2 years at Taupo’s Digger McEwen Motocross Park with four from four round victories - with runner-up results constituting his lowest placings across the season’s 12 races.
Purvis will now park his YZ250F and step up to Yamaha’s YZ450 in New Zealand next season. There will be downtime for the young gun however, as he leaves for Australia tomorrow to contest the Australian Motocross Championship’s MX1 class, riding for Yamaha Australia.
Purvis was pleased to notch up his fifth national title with Altherm JCR Yamaha.
“It was a good day to finish it off going 1-1-2. I felt great all day and was super stoked to win the championship again.”
“I worked hard and got the results I wanted,” he says.
Altherm JCR Yamaha Team Manager Josh Coppins congratulated Purvis over the phone from Motueka where he was awaiting the imminent arrival of his baby, with wife Amy, this weekend.
“Max is a true professional and at only 20-years-old, he is already cementing himself as a top New Zealand rider. He’s won two junior titles and three senior titles over his five years with us. During that time he has become a pillar of our team network and we are thankful for his efforts. We are very happy with his performance.”
“We are really excited to move him up to MX1 next year. Although he’s got some great outright speed, we know it won’t be an easy transition. We don’t expect him to go in and dominate that class next season but we do expect him to challenge for wins.”
“As a team we need to ensure he has the best-prepared bike and that he has a supportive environment around him to get the results. We know for sure he’ll be a contender and we know the competition knows that as well,” Coppins says.
He acknowledged that it was always going to be difficult in 2021 to top Altherm JCR Yamaha’s double 2020 championship victories in MX1 with Kirk Gibbs and Purvis in MX2.
CAPTION: Altherm JCR Yamaha's MX1 rider Kayne Lamont had a tough season but was happy to end it on a high with third place for the final round.
“Our MX1 hopes rested with Kayne Lamont this year and he wanted to challenge for the championship but fell short of that. He’s pretty disappointed with fourth but he picked up a couple of injuries throughout the series and they knocked him around a bit.”
“Although he didn’t get the results he wanted, Kayne has been a great asset to the team and a great ambassador for our younger riders. We appreciate his contributions to the team and we feel his pain,” Coppins says.
Hamilton-based Lamont rode away with the positive of finishing on the round podium in third today, courtesy of his 2-3-4 results.
“I ended up fourth again for the season which was a bummer but at least it’s no worse than last year,” he says.
Reflecting on his season, Lamont acknowledged the DNF he had at the second NZMX round in Rotorua made it an uphill battle to get into the top three overall.
“I carried a few injuries through rounds three and four but was happy to finish on a high note with some good riding today. I want to say a huge thanks to the team and to Josh for the support and the opportunity to ride for Altherm JCR Yamaha. I couldn’t have done it without them!”
CAPTION: Madoc Dixon had a successful debut season in the MX125 class, claiming third overall on his YZ125.
Earlier this season Altherm JCR Yamaha drafted in young Tauranga rider Madoc Dixon, who defended his national junior 125cc title in February. He raced with the seniors this NZMX season in the MX125 class and finished an impressive third overall in his debut year.
Coppins says the 16-year-old should have won the day in Taupo and should’ve finished second overall.
“He had a crash in race two while leading. That resulted in him going from second to third in the championship by one point. There’s no need to be disappointed about that. He’s a young kid and he’s got a lot to learn. We’ve got a big plan for what we want to achieve with Madoc.”
“Overall he’s been a good asset for the team and it’s great for us to get back into the 125 class and we will be pushing for the title next season,” Coppins says.
Dixon confirmed that mistakes hampered his performance today but he was happy with his second for the round and third overall.
“Huge thanks to Josh and Ben [Townley] and the team for their support and guidance,” he says.
Coppins plans to meet with Lamont and Dixon in the North Island in a couple of weeks.
“I already have a clear picture in my mind of what we want to do next year. We will put together a plan for the future,” he says.
Townley earned a special mention for stepping in as Team Manager for Taupo, as did the Crew Chief Nabe, who looked after the mechanics.
“I really appreciate their effort to make it all happen for the team while I couldn’t be there. Ben enjoyed it and it was good for the riders to get a different perspective. They are fortunate to have someone of Ben’s calibre to draft in for their final round,” Coppins says.
He was also pleased with how the YZ65 Cup provided a clear pathway for future champions. “This class provides kids with the chance to compete alongside riders they look up to and gives them a starting point to progress upwards from, in the years to come,” he says. Coppins and his wife Amy would like to thank all the riders, mechanics, sponsors, supporters, fans and followers who have helped make this 2021 motocross season possible. They are very grateful for everything that everyone involved with the Altherm JCR Yamaha team has contributed and are thrilled to wrap up the 2021 series with Purvis’s MX2 title and Dixon’s MX125 podium.
The Coppins’ attention now turns to the bLU cRU Kids Camps, which will be run over April and May. 23rd – 25th April 2021 – Southland Fieldays Venue, Gore 7th – 9th May 2021 – MX Venus, Christchurch 21st to 23rd May 2021 – Makarau, North Harbour
*register via https://www.yamaha-motor.co.nz/discover/news-andevents/news/racing/2020/august/yamaha-blucru-kids-camps
PHOTOS CREDIT CLMINTIEPIX
NZMX Round Four Results – Taupo:
MX1 1st Cody Cooper – 75 2nd Hamish Harwood – 62 3rd Kayne Lamont (YZ450) – 60 4th Wyatt Chase (YZ450) – 56 5th Hadleigh Knight (YZ450) – 49
MX2 1st Maximus Purvis (YZ250F) – 72 2nd James Scott – 69 3rd Josiah Natzke – 58 4th Hayden Smith – 53 5th Brodie Connolly – 50
MX125 1st Hayden Smith – 66 2nd Madoc Dixon (YZ125) – 66 3rd Cobie Bourke – 59 4th Brodie Connolly – 58 5th Dylan Westgate – 54
Overall NZMX Championship Points Standings:
MX1 1st Hamish Harwood – 254 2nd Cody Cooper – 244 3rd Wyatt Chase (YZ450) – 215 4th Kayne Lamont (YZ450) – 196
MX2 1st Maximus Purvis (YZ250F) – 266 2nd James Scott – 223 3rd Hayden Smith – 204
MX125 1st Hayden Smith – 245 2nd Cobie Bourke – 231 3rd Madoc Dixon (YZ125) – 230
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.