The New Zealand Motocross team finished fourth at the season finale - The Motocross of Nations,
held in Zolder, Belgium, this weekend.
On a sandy man made track at the Formula One venue the New Zealand team of Ben Townley,
Josh Coppins and Shayne King had a good start against 31 nations by qualifying second
on Saturday following heavy overnight rain. Townley was in great form winning his heat
on a track that was not too dissimilar to the Taupo surface he was developed on.
Sunday was semi final day and the Kiwis won their semi heading off Finland and Japan.
Josh Coppins (Motueka) won the race with King (New Plymouth) and Townley not far in
arrears. This made the New Zealanders number one seed for the top 12 final. Notable
omissions form the final were France and Australia.
At the start of the final both Coppins and Townley were at the front of the field at
the chaotic first turn. Townley didn't survive the mayhem and was unable to complete
the race. Coppins finished fifth and King fourteenth - Townley was uninjured.
The mathematics went against the Kiwis by three points. The star studded Belgian team
including Everts and Smets won the crown from the Ricky Carmichael led USA team.
In the end Finland ousted NZ into third by a three-point margin.
In the individual standings Ricky Carmichael (USA) led from the two Belgians- Everts and Smets.
The best of the Kiwis was Coppins who was fifth on the ladder.
Trevor Gill, CEO of Motorcycling New Zealand rates the campaign an outstanding
success."Coppins and Townley hardly featured in the individual world championships
this year after both had terrible accidents at the start of the year. Then we lost
Daryl Hurley to a serious injury and Shayne King had to step up.
"In summary we have competed against the best of the world on a budget of $10,000 (NZ),
to have qualified as top country for the final is a huge result on its own. Underneath
that we have a raft of young elite motocrossers doing well and in demand worldwide.
This achievement is no fluke, we are already well advanced in our plans to be the
first country to take the Des Nations outside of Europe or America."
