Purvis and Draper wrap up MX1 and MX2 championship titles

Mangakino-based MX1 rider Maximus Purvis continued his dominant form, defending his 2025 championship victory again this season, and winning by 49 points over Huntly’s Josiah Natzke (Honda). Invercargill’s Jack Symon had a consistent season to give him third overall for the championship.

While Australian MX1 champion Kyle Webster, who came over to contest the final two New Zealand rounds, finished runner up for the day after Rotorua’s three motos.

Purvis says he was happy to have “finished the season off with winning the championship and winning the round. I felt pretty good on the bike all day and was pretty happy with my riding apart from dropping the bike in the first race,”

Defending his MX1 Championship was a “good feeling and I’m happy as to get the job done again for Josh and the team,” he says.

Purvis heads off to Australia this week where he will do some off-road, cross-country racing with AJ Roberts in the ShopYamaha Off Road team.

In the MX2 category, the title came down to the Yamaha team’s two riders, 16-year-old Hayden Draper (Karaka) and Oparau’s James Scott, with the youngster eventually edging out Scott.

Australian visitor Caleb Ward didn’t claim a podium spot for the fourth round at the Rotorua MX Track, with Madoc Dixon taking third, but he racked up enough points to finish third for the MX2 Championship.

The 125cc Championship’s standings remained the same as the previous round with GasGas rider Phoenix Van Dusschoten, of Levin, staying out in front to claim the championship title by 26 points over Waipukurau Yamaha rider Carson Carroll. The round and championship podium was wrapped up by Tauranga’s Arama TeWhetu.

The Women’s Championship had a special guest, with four-time Women’s World Motocross Champion Courtney Duncan turning up to claim victory in Rotorua. Defending champion Karaitina Horne had to settle for second on Saturday but her win at last weekend’s opening round in Tauranga, allowed her to claim her second consecutive championship.

Hamilton Yamaha rider Amie Roberts was runner-up in the championship and Hannah Perris, of Whangarei, wrapped up the final spot.

Motorcycling New Zealand Operations Manager Vicky Hicks says: “The final round delivered incredible racing from start to finish. Congratulations to our Championship winners – a tremendous achievement.”

“It was great to see the international riders in action against New Zealand’s best and it was especially exciting to watch all the FIM Oceania Women’s Motocross team riders line up together in the women’s class. It was a special moment as we now look ahead to seeing them compete on the Oceania stage.”

“I’d like to say thank you to every rider, team, volunteer, host club and sponsor. Without their commitment and support, a championship of this calibre simply wouldn’t be possible.”

CAPTION: Altherm JCR Yamaha’s star rider Maximus Purvis defended his MX1 title at the final round of the Yamaha Motor New Zealand Motocross Championship.  PHOTO CREDIT: DEREK MORRISON

NZMX CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS - ROUND FOUR:

MX1

1^st Maximus Purvis – 72

2^nd Kyle Webster – 69

3^rd Josiah Natzke – 58

MX2

1^st James Scott – 72

2^nd Hayden Draper – 69

3^rd Madoc Dixon – 49  

MX125

1^st Phoenix van Dusschoten – 72

2^nd Carson Carroll – 69

3^rd Arama Te Whetu – 60

MX3 Cup

1^st Josh De Reus – 75

2^nd Ryan Mason – 60

3^rd Jackson Ward – 58

MXW

1^st Courtney Duncan – 75

2^nd Karaitiana Horne – 66

2^nd Amie Roberts – 58

Yamaha MX85 Cup

1^st Henry Hillar – 50

2^nd Kobe Carroll – 42

3^rd Nicholas Oakshott – 40

NZMX CHAMPIONSHIP OVERALL RESULTS (R1, R2, R3 & R4):

MX1

1^st Maximus Purvis  – 297

2^nd Josiah Natzke – 248

3^rd Jack Symon – 216

MX2

1^st Hayden Draper – 253

2^nd James Scott  – 245

3^rd Caleb Ward – 229

MX125

1^st Phoenix van Dusschoten – 291

2^nd Carson Carroll – 265

3^rd Arama Te Whetu – 221

WMX

1^st Karaitiana Horne – 151

2^nd Amie Roberts  – 117

3^rd Hannah Perris – 105

*Words by Catherine Pattison