McDonald man to beat in motor-cycle trial

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32612, 21 May 1971, Page 22

McDonald man to beat in motor-cycle trial

Leading contenders for the national motor-cycle sporting trial championship to be held later this winter will get their first taste of major competition this season in the two-day South Island title contest, which begins at Purau on Saturday morning.

The former multiple New Zealand champion, E. Norriss (Christchurch), is now becoming familiar with the handling characteristics of his new 175 c.c. Japanese Yamaha and is expected to make a strong bid for the South Island title.

Another recent national champion, R. Rush (Christchurch), is also likely to be a strong contender on his Triumph Cub. He won the New Zealand title in 1969. However, on recent form the man to beat appears to

be yet another Christchurch entrant, P. McDonald, who has scored numerous successes in inter-club competition since he exchanged his Butler for a new 250 c.c. Spanish Bultaco. He was unable to contest the last club event This was won by Norriss. The trial will be a particularly testing affair, even more so than usual. A total of 240 sections will be ridden by all entrants over the two days. Twelve sections have already been marked out on Mr D. Blakeley’s property at Purau and these will each be ridden 10 times on Saturday.

A further 10 sections will be established at Mr S. Ogg’s

i farm at Tai Tapu. These will > each be ridden 12 times on - Sunday. i ENTRY OF 16 McDonald, Norriss and R. i Rush are expected to be the main contestants but the qual lity of the 16-strong field sugi gests that they will have no room for error.