Racing was taken to the extreme limit at this year's New Zealand Enduro Championships as the sixth and final round wrapped up the series near Bulls on Sunday.
After 170 kilometres of brutal riding on Sunday, It came down to the final 30-kilometre section of the Santoft Forest to determine the outright winner of the closely-fought championship, one that had endured some of the most extreme weather and explored some of the most difficult terrain that New Zealand could produce.
There was virtually nothing to separate the top four riders in the overall points standings in this Yamaha-sponsored series after five brutal rounds of racing but it was action in the sandy Santoft Forest for round six on Sunday that decided everything.
Auckland's Chris Birch (KTM EXC300) won the day at Santoft but had to settle for second overall in the series and it was Marton's Cam Smith (Suzuki RM-Z450) who rode sensibly to finish third overall and wrap up expert grade overall. Smith also won the E3 class title.
"I knew I only needed to finish third or better today because I had a 10-point lead in the championship at the start of the event," said the 31-year-old Smith.
"But there was a bit of pressure on me because it's easy to make a mistake and, if I lost any time on that last section, that would have been enough to ruin it.
"I have won class titles before but this is the first time I've won outright," said the Rangitikei sheep and beef farmer, who had also won the national cross-country title earlier this season.
Pahiatua's Adam Reeves (Yamaha YZ250) finished runner-up on Sunday, good for third overall in the expert grade and also for him to win the E2 class title for 2008.
Although the top spot eluded the series sponsors, Yamaha riders filled out three of the top five positions in the expert grade with Whitby's Rory Mead (Yamaha WR250F) finishing fourth overall and Awakino's Adrian Smith (Yamaha YZF450) fifth.
Riders were able to discard their one worst result from the six rounds, but with defending overall champion Birch suffering two flat tyres at round four of the series near Pahiatua in April and missing round five in a very muddy Gwavas Forest in May because of overseas racing commitments, it was an almost impossible task for the Kiwi international to steal off with the win again this season.
"The flat tyres at Pahiatua were bad luck and partly my own silly fault," lamented Birch. "I'd missed out getting my moose (foam rubber insert) tyres back from Australia in time for that event.
"But I have no regrets. Today's racing was awesome. The special tests today were just what enduros need to have ... challenging but still fast and safe, with some tight sections. It had something for everyone."
Organised by warrant officer Mike Ross and the New Zealand Army Linton Multi Sports Club, the event was run with military precision, including the provision of a hot meal for the riders and helpers afterwards.
