Bay of Plenty’s Brad Groombridge is back where he belongs, on top of the sport he had so dominated before an unfortunate injury derailed him.

The Kawasaki rider from Taupō dominated and wrapped up the 2025 New Zealand Cross-country Nationals at the final round in the South Island at the weekend in much the same way he did when also winning the premier senior crown for a third consecutive time a seemingly distant seven years ago.

The four-round 2025 series wrapped up near Gore with two thrilling back-to-back rounds three and four. Round three on Thursday and then the final round two days later on Saturday – with the Kawasaki KX450-mounted Groombridge able to add this year’s main title to the senior crowns he had previously collected in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

This year’s series kicked off with rounds one and two on separate farmland properties at Waituna West, near Rewa, in late January and early February. Rotorua’s defending senior champion Callum Dudson and the experienced Groombridge shared top honours in the senior ranks, each of them winning one round and finishing runner-up at the other.

After these opening rounds in the North Island, the riders headed to the South Island phase in Gore last week with everything still to fight for.

It was fierce racing in the senior grade, although by winning both rounds three and four at Gore at the weekend, former New Zealand Cross-country Champion Groombridge had built a telling points advantage over 2024 champion Dudson. Dudson twice had to accept runner-up position, following a tense and thrilling see-saw battle between the two men, while Nelson’s Bailey Basalaj claimed third overall at both rounds three and four.

The final points tally-up gave Groombridge the senior honours overall for 2025, now making it a remarkable fourth time he’s won this premier crown.

“I had been out of the sport a couple of years with injuries” said the 34-year-old Groombridge afterwards. 

“I had a complete shoulder reconstruction and then the COVID-19 pandemic, and various other things too, kept me away from the sport, but I’m obviously back now.

“To be able to come back and then win the title like this is pretty special.

“It rained a bit on Saturday and the course became unbelievably slippery. I had a few moments on the hills. There were definitely some close calls, and I was in a close battle throughout with Callum (Dudson), but I managed to get the job done.”

Te Awamutu rider Nixon Parkes comfortably won the 90-minute junior race on Thursday at Gore, finishing ahead of Masterton’s Harvey Williams and Eketahuna’s Sheldon Brown. The finishing order was changed slightly at round four on Saturday, with Parkes again dominating, but this time Brown finished runner-up, while Mosgiel’s Nick Guthrie nipped in to claim third overall on the day.

After Parkes had also dominated both the earlier rounds in the North Island, his winning run at Gore was easily enough for him to claim the title outright again in 2025.

Meanwhile, the battle for senior women’s honours saw Stratford’s Megan Collins press home her points advantage, winning her first national crown on Saturday. The best of the veteran grade riders this year were Otorohanga’s Trevor De Malmanche (35-44 years), Palmerston North brothers Mark and Jason Amey (45-54 years’ division) and Whanganui’s Danny Willemsen (over 55 years).

Waitoa’s Chad McGovern won the under-85cc class this season and Rotorua’s Grace Fowler topped the junior women’s standings.

2025 New Zealand Cross-country Nationals calendar:

Round one, Friday, January 31, Rewa, Waituna West

Round two, Sunday, February 2, Rewa, Waituna West

Round three, Thursday, March 20, Gore

Round four, Saturday, March 22, Gore.

Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com