Whibley’s Back with a Vengeance

Whibley’s Back with a Vengeance

OCTOBER 16, 2013: Pahiatua’s Paul Whibley is back.

The 34-year-old former Manawatu forestry worker, affectionately dubbed “The Axeman” on the motorcycling scene, won two major cross-country titles in the US last season, clinching the Grand National Cross-country Championships (GNCC) and the Off-Road Motorcycle and ATV (OMA) crown as well, although his plans to defend both titles hit rocky ground soon after the start of his 2013 campaign.

With serious injury preventing him from performing at his best and ultimately encouraging him to also seek remedial surgery for a sports hernia late in the season, he knew he’d have to kiss goodbye to both titles this year.

But now he is out of the recovery ward and beginning to again threaten for wins in the high-profile GNCC series.

More than 1400 riders lined up at St Clairsville, Ohio, on Sunday for the 12th and penultimate round of the 2013 GNCC series and Whibley was the first to make his presence felt, snatching the holeshot at the start of the XC1 Pro class race.

Yamaha ace Whibley, who had skipped the previous two rounds while he underwent treatment for his injury, was determined to reignite his season and battled at the front with championship leaders Charlie Mullins and Kailub Russell, the two American riders finding a way past the Kiwi at about the two-lap mark.

But Whibley didn’t back off, kept the points leaders in sight during the final laps of the three-hour race and eventually settling for third place, just seven seconds behind Russell.

Mullins took the overall win, putting an end to Russell’s five-race win streak and tightening up the championship to just two points with one round to go.

Not hampered by injuries for the first time in many months, Whibley said “it was easier to ride because my injuries have healed up”.

“I was pretty excited to be back after three months away and some surgery, so to be back mixing it up with Charlie and Kailub right away, I felt pretty good,” Whibley said.

Australian Josh Strang was able to hold off the rest of the pack to earn a fourth place finish for the day, followed closely by American pair Jordan Ashburn in fifth and Whibley’s Yamaha team-mate Chris Bach in sixth.

Another New Zealander, Rory Mead, of Wellington, finished in seventh place.

Whibley is supported by Monster Energy, Sargent Yamaha in Masterton, MotoSR suspension, BikesportNZ.com, Graphic MX Creation and Yamaha Motor New Zealand.

Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

ENDS

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