It will surprise nobody if Aucklanders Chris Birch and Karl Power dominate at round four of the New Zealand Motorcycle Enduro Championships in the Manawatu this weekend.
Nothing could separate these two main contenders for overall honours at the previous round, at Waimiha, in the King Country, in June, and it‰Ûªs again likely that the same two Kiwi internationals will be fighting at the front in the Santoft Forest, near Palmerston North, on Sunday.
Both Birch and Power have been competing overseas since the last round of the Yamaha-sponsored national series and only serves to lift the tempo as they‰Ûªre both determined to kick on and further enhance their status at home.
Birch finished on the podium at his first attempt at the famous Red Bull Romaniacs enduro, which wrapped up in Romania in June.
The KTM rider finished runner-up to the eventual outright winner, Frenchman Cyril Despres, on the fifth and final day and that gave the Kiwi a podium spot.
The win in Romania only made Birch hungry for more glory and his rivals in the Manawatu this weekend can expect no favours from Birch.
‰ÛÏI need another good, solid result in Santoft, if I‰Ûªm to stay ahead of Karl (Power),‰Û
