Hamish Harwood takes on Australia and wins
Proud father Shane Harwood with one of Hamish’s winning tops. Photo: Neil Wilson.
Golden Bay motocross star Hamish Harwood is now an Australian champion.
At last week’s junior championships in Murray Bridge, South Australia, Hamish won the 150cc class in his age group and also finished runner-up in the 250cc class. His Australian success means he is now the number one-ranked rider in his age group in New Zealand in the 250cc class and number two in the 125cc, while in Australia he is number one in the 150cc and number two in the 250cc. This is spectacular success in a single season.
Hamish finished the four-day practice and qualifying series at Murray Bridge in 3rd and 4th places in his two classes. His performances in the races that counted saw him totally dominate the 150cc class and finish a comfortable second in the 250cc by five points.
More than 780 riders competed for 16 titles in the Australian Junior Championships, and Hamish’s proud father and main supporter, Shane, said that there were several factors he believed contributed to Hamish’s success.
“We went to Aussie last year and Hamish learnt a lot from that experience. This time we went back as part of the CRM team, and Hamish had a lot of support around him. His girlfriend Kaydie Clark and her parents Brent and Del were part of that. As well as that he had Jade Thompson, his specialist trainer/mentor there too. Jade makes a big difference to Hamish’s performance. He’s helped him prepare and train for the specific demands of motocross.”
Hamish had competed in a KTM sponsored event in New Zealand and won the right to be supplied brand new KTM bikes for his Australian campaign.
Hamish also committed to a lot of hard work to prepare for the championships this year. He worked out at the gym and spent many hours on a road cycle, building up his fitness, says Shane.
“He really wants to do well. He’s talented but he knows that’s not enough on its own. Hamish was the only junior rider to put himself into two premier classes in junior motocross. This meant he had 18 rides in three days - the equivalent to 18 games of squash or 18 games of sevens rugby. It was a very intense sporting weekend. He rode really consistently through all the events. The track got really rough later in the champs and a lot of riders didn’t cope very well. Hamish’s lap times didn’t change much at all. As the track got rougher, he seemed to ride it faster and better.”
Hamish is taking a break in Australia after the champs, but he is managing to fit in a couple of motocross meets where he will ride a borrowed bike - just for fun, says his dad.
The career of Golden Bay’s newest international champion seems set to take off. He has named as his goals for the coming year to win all club travel events, to be in the top three in the New Zealand senior nationals and to be able to find a way to compete in the Australian under-19 championships next year.
“There are a lot of people to thank who are part of the whole package that got Hamish to Aussie and able to race so successfully, especially Brent and Del from Pohara Beach Top Ten Holiday Park and Fred Jenkins at Golden Bay Mechanical and many more. Hamish will be thanking them all when he gets home in about ten days. Our family is really grateful to everyone who has helped.”
The Bay’s individuals and businesses who have chosen to sponsor Hamish as he seeks further success are obviously backing a winner.
Neil Wilson
