Ben Townley and Josh Coppins have one more item to take care of on their 2004 "To Do List", the Motocross of Nations. Both riders are on there way back to their shared Belgian flat having completed the sixteen round 2004 Individual World Championship in Sun City, South Africa.
This weekend they join forces with Daryl Hurley to form a very strong New Zealand unit. Sage heads in the local motocross world cannot remember a better build up for a New Zealand MX of Nations team, this, in stark contrast to last years team that initially had the same personnel. At the same stage of last years build up, Coppins and Townley were rehabilitating from career threatening injuries and Hurley was facing a possible foot amputation.
By comparison, this year has been "motocross nirvana." Ben Townley wrapped up the Riders World MX2 with a round to go but in case anyone was in doubt, he won both races in the last round. Flatmate, Josh Coppins, secured third place in the MX 1 World Championship with a one and three result in the final round. Meanwhile, Daryl Hurley was consolidating himself at the top of the SsangYong NZ Motocross Championships by wining two races in the 125 class.
The Motocross of Nations is the oldest official world motocross event and this year, which marks the centenary of the world body, it goes back to its birthplace (57 years ago) in Lierop, Holland on October 2 and 3.
Thirty nations have entered the 58th Motocross of Nations including last year‰Ûªs winners Belgium (Ramon, Everts and Strijbos), Finland, South Africa, France, Australia and the Dutch. The trophy has never been won by a team outside of Europe or America. The teams with the best records are Great Britain (16 wins), USA (15) and Belgium (13). New Zealand has twice grabbed third and in 2003 we were an unlucky fourth.
Each team enters one rider in each of the three classes, each rider will have two races in their class. The best five results will count for the final result.
The event is televised worldwide. The live audience in Europe is estimated at 97,000,000 homes.
Main Photo: Daryl Hurley
Credit: DCMFOTO
New Zealand Team
MX1 Josh Coppins (Honda)
MX2 Ben Townley (KTM)
MX3 Daryl Hurley (Suzuki)
Manager Mike McLeod
Reserve Cody Cooper(Honda)
