Motocross rider off to Aussie
Hamish Harwood: I’ll be trying my hardest to win.” Photo: Neil Wilson.
Golden Bay’s young motocross ace, Hamish Harwood, is on his way to test his talents against the best riders in Australia.
Already ranked number two in the 12 to 14-year age-group in New Zealand, Hamish is off to the Australian national junior championships at the Lakes venue in New South Wales. The event runs from 25 September until 2 October and Hamish says he’s “pretty excited” about the trip.
“We kind of got talked into it. At first I thought it would be too dear but my parents sent my CV around a few businesses and I’ve picked up some sponsorship. It’s a real help.”
Belinda Harwood explained how difficult it is to get sponsorship for individual sports people and pays tribute to the locals who are prepared to back her son’s talent so that he can “take the next step” and compete internationally.
In Australia, Hamish will be riding a brand-new 150cc KTM bike, slightly more powerful than the 125cc he rides at home. Hamish will get a brief practice run on the bike before competing in the qualifying race for the championships. The plastics, the muffler and the suspension will be the only things of his own that Hamish will have on the Australian-based KTM he will ride.
“The KTM stockist closest to the Lakes venue has been absolutely supportive,” says Shane Harwood, Hamish’s dad. “Hamish can’t race that kind of bike back here so we’ll sell it back to the supplier when Hamish is finished. If he does really well there might be someone who’d like to buy the bike.”
Hamish says that he would not have been able to go to the Australian championships without the support of his sponsors and that he will try to repay their faith in him.
“I’ll be trying my hardest to win.”
Neil Wilson
