The Whyteline Beta Motorcycles-sponsored series’ race was staged at a muddy Maddix Park, near Tauranga, on Saturday and Taupo’s Yeoman (18) was quick off the mark in the two-hour battle.
“I got off to a good start sitting in behind Callum Dudson for the first part of the first lap. We went back and forth for a couple of laps and I was just making a few mistakes in the deep bogs and slippery track,” he says.
The track changed throughout the race, which kept Yeoman on his guard but he eventually made it past Dudson.
“I came into a fuel stop with a decent lead and tried to keep it smooth and stay out of trouble for the rest of the race,” he says.
He was one of the very few riders who managed to clock up six laps on the tough demanding track and despite riding an increasingly mud-heavy Yamaha YZ450FX, Yeoman won the taxing race by just over four minutes from Dudson.
“I was happy to get the win and now it's on to the last one down in Tinui. I’m looking forward to it,” he says.
With a third place at the first round, topped up by Saturday’s win, Yeoman has sprung to the top of the standings and the title fight will go down to the wire at the final round in the Wairarapa on December 10.
Eketahuna’s Brown claimed third place in the Senior grade, giving the PWR Yamaha team its second podium.
Brown’s younger brother Sheldon brought his Yamaha YZ250FX home in the runner up position in the 90-minute Junior race. In terms of overall series junior standings, he shares the lead with Nixon Parkes going into the third and final round.
PWR Yamaha's female rider Charlotte Russ had a tough outing, after collecting a win at the series’ opener earlier this month.
“I had an average day at the second round of NZ cross country champs. I got off to a good start but unfortunately made a lot of mistakes in the mud and deep ruts, which cost me some positions, and I didn't get the result I was wanting. However, I'm really looking forward to the last round to do better and finish stronger,” she says.
PWR Yamaha Academy rider Colton Whibley repeated his winning ways from the first round, taking out his second consecutive win in the Mini category.
His dad and PWR Team Manager Paul Whibley was pleased with how the second round panned out for his riders.
“The races went well for the team. I thought it was a great track with plenty of challenges for the riders. It was a true national level track.”
The GNCC series intersected with the cross country nationals’ first and second rounds and wrapped up on Saturday.
“Wil and Luke battled right to the end and had one point separating them going into this final GNCC race, with Wil eventually coming out on top. Sheldon, Charlotte and Colton all took home a GNCC Championship as well.”
Whibley says he is really proud of the team as a whole.
“They’ve achieved some awesome results and are really representing Yamaha and our sponsors well. There’s one more round to go in the national cross country championship in two weeks time and I’m looking forward to an exciting finish to the 2023 season” Whibley wraps up.