South Otago boys Dwain Shuttleworth and Liam Taal riding identical KX125 machines, capped off an excellent season of racing, winning the South Island Cross Country Series near Ashburton on Saturday June 14.
Competing in the junior 12-16yr old 125cc 2 stroke class the boys entered Saturday's final with just two points separating them at the top of the table for 1st and 2nd. After a gruelling 1 and ½ hour race on a 12km loop track across rocks, hills, rivers and the inevitable bogs, Liam edged out Dwain to take the South Island Series win for 2008, just 1 point ahead of his team-mate.
It was also the NZ National Cross Country finals and the best riders from throughout NZ were there competing for national placing in what was an exciting day's racing with a prize giving ceremony held later that evening at Ashburton. Liam gained a creditable 3rd place and Dwain 4th in the Nz National Junior 125cc class, in this their 1st attempt for national honours.
Riding for ‘Team Green Milton' the boys were thrilled to be part of the 'green tide' of major and minor trophy placing given out at the prize giving. These two lads looked very professional in their race team colours, and their efforts in turning out immaculately prepared machines day in day out, have over the past year, earned them praise from onlookers and fellow competitors alike.
The boys are now looking forward to next years cross country series which will see them move up into the senior grade's (17yrs up) but before that they will compete in the South Island Secondary School MX Champs to be held in August at Tapanui, and the ‘Southern Series' MX rounds later in the year.
Congratulations boys and good luck for Tapanui.
