The Altherm JCR Yamaha team certainly had a full schedule at the 62nd annual Honda New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville at the weekend.

The Yamaha Junior Team raced on Saturday, followed by the Yamaha Racing Development team on Sunday, plus the bLUcRU customers, two Japanese riders - Souya Nakajima and Junya Tanaka - from Yamaha Japan, who are training in New Zealand, along with the three Altherm JCR Yamaha team riders, meant that the mechanics and Team Manager Josh Coppins were kept busy over the two-day event.

Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis once again dominated the MX1 field.

Coppins said the team’s flagship rider rode “extremely well, winning the first two races. Then the heavens opened up and it was an absolute mud race for moto three, so he took it pretty easy to bring it home third and get the overall, plus the Tim Gibbes Memorial Trophy for the first time".

Purvis, who cleaned up the competition at last month’s Summercross event in Whakatane, was happy with his performance on Sunday.

“I had a good day at Woodville and felt great on the bike. I had some pretty average starts but took the overall. I’m looking forward to the first round of the nationals.”

Altherm JCR Yamaha’s MX2 rider James Scott, of Oparau, recently got married and understandably his focus has been on his big day, Coppins said.

“James was second at Woodville and missed out by one point. He was just a little bit tight in the first two races and didn’t quite ride to his potential. He’s had a lot on recently with getting married a couple of weeks ago, so didn’t quite have the prep that was needed and he was aware of that. Obviously, he had some important things going on and is now looking forward to the next three weeks of solid training time, leading into round one of the Yamaha New Zealand Motocross Nationals.”

Scott described his Woodville event as “consistent.”

“Nothing was outstanding with my riding but nothing was bad. I have a few little things I need to work on and tidy up. I’m sure I’ll be more ready when nationals come around and I am focusing on being 100% for them,” he says.

Altherm JCR Yamaha’s MX1 rider Maximus Purvis charges past his mechanic Tamas Toth on his way to winning the overall at Woodville. Photo:CD Photography.

Tauranga’s Levi Townley rode in his first senior competition on Sunday and continued his amazing run of form that saw him crowned the world 85cc champion last year.

He competently won the senior MX125 class on Sunday, riding a Yamaha YZ125. The result capped off a stellar weekend for the young star, who had also won the junior 12-14 years’ 125cc class title the previous day, finishing ahead of his younger brother Jaggar.

Townley was understandably pleased with his Woodville weekend.

“I had a really good Woodville, racing both days in the junior and senior competition. Saturday was junior and I was racing 12 to 14 years 125s. I won all three of my motos and had a really good day," Townley said.

"On Sunday, it was my first ever senior day, so I was really excited for that. The track was more technical which I like and I holeshot, then won two out of three motos. I’d like to thank the Altherm JCR team, Josh and my mechanic Luke for all the help."

Coppins was pleased to see Townley’s senior result on debut and also congratulated the Japanese riders for their first time racing in New Zealand.

“The development team did well and had some good results. We also had a whole lot of Yamaha customers competing which was great to see," Coppins said.

“Over the next three weeks we have a little bit to work on, leading up to round one of the nationals and the team and the boys are looking forward to it."

The Yamaha New Zealand Motocross Championships begin in Tauranga at TECT Park, on February 15.

WOODVILLE JUNIOR RESULTS:

11-12 years 85cc & 150F

1st Jaggar Townley (YZ85) – 75

2nd Nico Verhoeven – 64

3rd Levi McMaster – 58

4th Levi Rodgers (YZ85) – 52

5th Nixon Coppins (YZ85) – 51

12-14years 125cc

1st Levi Townley (YZ125) – 75

2nd Jaggar Townley (YZ112) – 66

3rd Connor Feather – 58

15-16 years 125cc

1st Hayden Draper – 75

2nd Jack Ellingham (YZ125) – 66

3rd Delton Mason

8-10years 85cc & 150F

1st Cooper Bennett – 75

2nd Colton Whibley (YZ85) – 64

3rd Vinnie Edwards (YZ85) – 58

8-11years 65cc

1st Henry Millar – 75

2nd Cooper Bennett – 66

3rd Colton Whibley (YZ65) – 56

Women’s12-16 years 125/250F

1st Karaitiana Horne – 75

2nd Mikayla Griffiths (YZ250F) – 64

3rd Hannah Perris – 62

Senior Support

1st Sheldon Brown (YZ250F) – 70

2nd Victor Levergne – 69

3rd Kyle Workman – 60

Vets35 years +

1st Darryll King (YZ450F) – 72

2nd Mokey Vining – 69

3rd Joseph Andrell (YZ125) – 56

4th Darren Capill (YZ450F) – 54

WOODVILLE SENIOR RESULTS:

MX1

1st Maximus Purvis (YZ450) – 70

2nd Hamish Harwood – 66

3rd Josiah Natzke – 65

MX2

1st Cobie Bourke – 65

2nd James Scott (YZ250F) – 64

3rd Cody Cooper – 53

4th Souya Nakajima (YZ250F) – 52

12th Junya Tanaka (YZ250F) – 30

10th Flynn Watts (YZ250F) – 34

18th Wills Harvey (YZ250F) – 11

MX125

1st Levi Townley (YZ125) – 72

2nd Phoenix Van Dusschoten –62

3rd Jack Ellingham (YZ125) – 54

MX3

1st Leo Coppins – 69  

2nd Korbin McConchie – 60

3rd Joseph Andrell (YZ450F) – 59  

Senior Women’s

1st Karaitiana Horne – 75

2nd Mikayla Griffiths (YZ250F) – 62

3rd Amie Roberts (YZ250F) – 62

2024/25 ALTHERM JCR YAMAHA CONTRACTED RACING CALENDAR

26th & 27th October 2024 – MX Fest (Taupo)

28th & 29th December 2024 – Summercross (Whakatane)
25th & 26th January 2025 – Woodville GP (Woodville)
15th February 2025 – R1 NZMX Nationals (Tauranga)

22nd February 2025 – R2 NZMX Nationals (Rotorua)

8th March 2025 – R3 NZMX Nationals (Pukekohe)

15th March 2025 – R4 NZMX Nationals (Rotorua)

2024/25 Altherm JCR Yamaha Activations Calendar:

18th to 20th October 2024 – bLUcRU Kids Camp (Rotorua)

22nd to 24th November 2024 – bLUcRU Kids Camp (Waikato)

8th December 2024 – Yamaha Women’s Off-Road Ride Day (Rotorua)

17th to 19th January 2025 – bLUcRU Kids Camp (Hauturu, Waikato)

31st January to 2nd February 2025 – bLUcRU Kids Camp (Waimumu, Southland)

21st to 23rd March 2025  – bLUcRU Kids Camp (Rainbow Mountain, Rotorua)