After victory in four of the six races, he holds a handy lead over Australian Honda star Geran Stapleton going into this Saturday's final round in Taupo.
Columb (28) had a few aches and pains after racing on Sunday but was rejoicing at being back on the motorbike and bagging top results.
"To come back and be winning is where I want to be."
It has been a long, slow, painful recovery since he broke the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee skateboarding on December 2, 2010.
Columb was preparing for the 2011 supercross season and decided to test the damage at the January opening round last year.
"My leg was popping in and out dislocating."
A repair operation was performed and he had been hoping to be back on the bike within six months but that stretched out to a frustrating year - "it was just the way it decided to heal."
Columb admitted it had been a lengthy time between top-level racing, as before his accident, he had taken 10 months off after losing his racing contract in Europe.
He is still working on his fitness and hoping to re-establish the form he was in at the end of 2009.
After the supercross nationals he will ride in the International Motocross Woodville 2012 New Zealand Grand Prix before competing in the New Zealand Motocross Championships over February and March.
He hoped strong results would lead to racing opportunities in Australia or Europe.
