GROOMBRIDGE CLOCKS
UP WIN NUMBER FIVE
B
by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
ay of Plenty motorcycling ace Brad
Groombridge has notched up yet another
win at the popular annual Acerbis Four-
Hour cross-country race near Taupo. The
Suzuki man from Taupo was the pre-race
favourite to win this popular stand-alone
event again this year and he didn’t disappoint.
He is now a record five-time outright winner
of the marathon dirt bike race, an incredible
four times now as a solo (ironman) rider.
Although he admits this year’s victory was
probably his hardest-fought, he took the
chequered flag a solid 23 seconds ahead of main
rival Paul Whibley. Third overall was the two-
rider Rotorua combination of Barry Morris and
Cam Negus, finishing 15 minutes further back.
Groombridge had found himself stuck in traffic
soon after the shot-gun blast signalled the start
at 11.30am and he was faced with the mission of
trying to slice through the congestion before the
leaders opened up too much of a gap over him.
He swiftly weaved between riders and trees in
an attempt to put himself into contention for
the win and, although a four-hour race is never
won on the opening lap, he managed to take the
lead at the start of lap two, surprising Whibley
with a quick pass as they exited the pit zone.
“Soon after that a lapper was ahead of me and,
when I yelled at him to move over, he panicked
and collided with me. Paul (Whibley) took
the lead, but I soon caught back up to him,”
the 27-year-old Groombridge explained.
“I had trouble with my goggles fogging up and
so I ditched them. I couldn’t really see that well
through most of the race because I ended up doing
about five of the seven laps without goggles.
“It was tough trying to work out a spot
where I could pass Paul without getting
filled in by the dirt roost from his rear tyre.
I managed to make that happen.
“It’s a tough race to ride solo, but I’ve been
doing a lot of riding lately to build up my fitness.
I will also be racing the motocross nationals in
KIWI RIDER 85