Yamaha’s Motorsport man in New Zealand and former international motocross champion, Josh Coppins, is hosting some Japanese visitors over the coming weeks.
Due to his close relationship with YMC, Coppins had Souya Nakajima stay with him in 2024 as he prepared for the Japanese MX2 championship. In a nail-biting season, Souya clinched the title in the final round, and Josh now has a plethora of riders headed to New Zealand for pre-season training.
Jay Wilson is currently there, getting ready for his year ahead. While not racing in the NZ MX Championships, he is assisting Coppins with Souya and will also be working with Junya Tanaka over the next month as they prepare for the Japanese Motocross Championships.
Both riders lined up for the opening round of the NZ championship last weekend. While not at the front of the pack, both riders would have gained a lot from racing on the always technical and challenging New Zealand tracks. In the past, these riders may have gone to Europe or the US, but now Australia and New Zealand are recognised as better options for riders to gain experience and knowledge.
This is another example of the BLU CRU movement in full effect, and there will be further examples of this in the future with Australian riders being involved in racing activities in the coming months.
