She perhaps be something of a late bloomer, but Kylie Dorr is quickly making up for lost time.

Dorr, a 34-year-old mother of two boys, is the leading rider in the women’s grade in the 2024 New Zealand Enduro Championships, well on track to defending the title she remarkably won on her first attempt in this competition last year.

From Edievale, near Tapanui in west Otago, Dorr obviously travelled a long way with her trusted Beta RR200 bike to compete at the third round of five in the enduro nationals at Judgeford, near Porirua, at the weekend, but nothing like the trip to Spain that she’s preparing to make later in the year.

She has been selected to represent New Zealand at the upcoming International Six Days Enduro (ISDE), in Spain this October, the pinnacle of the sport internationally and racing in this has been a long-time dream of hers.

“I have been racing a few years now and, as a teenager, I mostly did cross-country motorcycle racing,” says Dorr.

“But then I moved to the United States and lived there in America for eight years. But, when I returned to New Zealand, I bought a new bike and got back into racing. I had not ridden for about 15 years, but I wanted to trail ride with my kids and have a hobby,” she explains.

“I got talked into doing a local race about 18 months ago and that turned into me then entering a national race. I did the enduro nationals for the first time last year and won the women’s grade. I absolutely loved it.   

“I’ve been working hard on my fitness and now I’m really going big-time, going off to do the ISDE in Spain in a few months’ time. I’ve been practicing doing tyre changes and generally improving my riding.

“I raced the cross-country nationals earlier this season and finished second (in the women’s grade) and now I’m doing the enduro nationals and other hard enduro events too.

“I have high expectations of myself, so it’s just me applying the pressure on myself really, although the kids like it when I bring a trophy home,” she laughs.

Joining Dorr in the women’s section of the New Zealand team to Spain will be Opunake’s Taylar Rampton, with Whangarei’s Rochelle Edwards picked as reserve rider, while the men’s contingent will comprise Taupo’s Brad Groombridge, Oparau’s James Scott, Christchurch’s Hamish Macdonald and Howick’s Liam Draper.

Macdonald is currently racing throughout Europe and Draper is racing in the United States.

Multi-time former national champion Groombridge took his Beta RR300 to win outright the first two rounds of the New Zealand Enduro Championships, held in the South Island in April, although he suffered a massive crash and had to settle for sixth overall at Judgeford at the weekend.

Even with that disaster, Groombridge is still within just four points of regaining his overall lead from the new frontrunner, ISDE team-mate Scott.

Meanwhile, Paeroa father-and-son pair Mark and Ashton Whyte have this season taken their Beta brand bikes to run with the leaders in their respective classes too.

The 19-year-old Ashton Whyte is currently running sixth overall in the expert grade, while his 52-year-old dad Mark is leading the Veterans’ 50-54 years’ class within the intermediate grade.

Round four of the domestic series is scheduled for Martinborough next weekend, June 8-9, with the fifth and final round a one-day competition, set for Bideford, near Masterton on November 2.

2024 NZ Enduro Champs calendar:

Round 1: April 20-21, 1045 Reece’s Road, Omihi, near Christchurch.

Round 2: April 27-28, 981 Whitecliffs Road, Coalgate, Canterbury.

Round 3: June 1-2, Porirua (signposted from SH 58, Haywards Hill Road) Moonshine Valley Road, Wellington.

Round 4: June 8-9, Ruakokoputuna Hall, near Martinborough.

Round 5: November 2, Bideford, near Masterton.

By Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com