TAKING ON THE KIWIS | Bikesportnz

The Australians may have come second or third best to the All Blacks in the recent Rugby World Cup, but there’s one young Australian who is planning on reclaiming the top spot for his country in another high-octane sport.

Brisbane’s Josh McGrath will embark on an ambitious but not unrealistic campaign to take the New Zealand 600cc supersport crown back with him across the Tasman Sea when the 2012 New Zealand Superbike Championships wrap up in March.

The 15-year-old is not permitted to race 600cc bikes in Australia but there is no such age restriction in New Zealand and so the rising star of the sport was thrilled to enter the Kiwi competition on a Yamaha R6, under the guidance of Hawke’s Bay-based long-time Yamaha team manager Maarty Van Booma.

“We can’t race 600cc bikes in Australia until we’re 16,” said the year 10 pupil at Lockyer District High School. “So this is an opportunity for me to get a head-start on my Aussie mates.

“Maarty will be my mechanic and manager. He knows all the right people here and he’s a great bloke too.”

McGrath is no stranger to racing in New Zealand. He contested the first three rounds of the national superbike championships last season, racing a Yamaha in the 125GP class.

“I could only do those three South Island rounds last season and had to miss the two North Island rounds because I had other commitments and couldn’t stay,” he explained.

But, though his stay was short, McGrath still turned a few heads.

He won rounds two and three in the 125GP class last season. Despite contesting just three of the five rounds, McGrath finished fifth overall in the 2011 championship.

“Now I’m coming back to give it another crack in New Zealand. I’ll race the Tri Series meetings at Hampton Downs (near Meremere) and at Manfeild and then come back for the nationals in January.

“I’ll do the whole national series this time and have been using the last could of rounds of the Victoria Motorcycle Club’s Actrix Winter Series to get used to the bike and the circuits.

“I’m confident I’ll do well at the nationals and I’m aiming for at least a top five finish. The 600cc class is going to be tough … I’ll be up against riders like Denis Charlett, Jaden Hassan and Midge Smart … but the experience will be great and just what I need.”

The five-round national series kicks off at Ruapuna, Christchurch, on January 7-8.

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