The newest and youngest Altherm JCR Yamaha motocross team recruit Waitoki's Cole Davies made a stunning debut at the Waikato Motocross Championships, winning the MX125 class, aged only 14-years-old.

Although his team manager Josh Coppins was unable to attend the twice-postponed event hosted by the North King Country Motorcycle Club on Saturday due to prior commitments, he was most impressed with Davies' results.

"Although this is Cole's first race meeting for the team, he has been riding for us for about eight months," says Coppins.

"This is his first actual event because he's been locked down in Auckland for ages. It's a pretty impressive achievement to be that young and win the senior 125 class.

"He was on the newly-developed 2022 YZ125 model and this great result suggests that Cole has a very exciting future ahead with us. We're looking forward to the next step."

Altherm JCR Yamaha's MX1 and MX2 riders Mangakino's Maximus Purvis (YZ450) and Brodie Connolly (YZ250F), of Tauranga, both finished up in third place in their respective classes.

Coppins says it was a sign of these challenging times, where the national motocross championship and all major motocross events have been cancelled due to New Zealand's Covid-19 Protection Framework red traffic light restrictions.

"It was a strange day as the younger riders have been training hard and preparing regardless but the older riders have been working their day jobs, or they've been in an unknown state, wondering what's going to happen with the future of racing with Covid.

"We saw that in Maximus, who came in very underprepared. Although he led the first race for a long time, he was frustrated with his fitness. But as the saying goes, you reap what you sow and he hasn't done the work because he didn't know what he was working towards.

"We accept that and although third overall was not where he wanted to be, it was part of the current nature of the beast at the moment."

Connolly was similarly disappointed with his number three finishing position, as he was aiming for a win but he now has goals to work towards, Coppins says.

"Brodie is doing really well for us and he's a great addition to the team. He still has a few areas of his riding he needs to improve on to take it to the next level.

"He's been working hard with Ben Townley on them and he knows what they are. Once he implements these changes, Brodie will make a really solid step forward."

Brodie Connolly #88, Altherm JCR Yamaha's MX2 rider finished third at the Waikato Motocross Championships. Photo: Steve Smith.

Some other notable Yamaha results were Darren Capill (ProMoto), who won the Vets 45+ years class and in the Junior Support 125/250 category Phoenix Van Dusschoten (Sargent Motorcycles) was the winner, with Tyler Cooksley (Mr Motorcycles) finishing in the runner-up spot. Motoland's Halle Cox was second in the Women's class.

RESULTS

MX1

1^st Hamish Harwood – 150

2^nd Cody Cooper – 135

3^rd Maximus Purvis (YZ450) – 128

MX2

1^st Josiah Natzke – 150

2^nd Hamish Harwood – 132

3^rd Brodie Connolly (YZ250F) – 130

MX125

1^st Cole Davies (YZ125) – 146

2^nd Jared Hannon – 135

3^rd Rian King – 126