Preview: KartSport New Zealand’s National Schools Championship

School-age karters from all over New Zealand will be in Blenheim on Saturday contesting the Supreme Kart Supplies 2017 KartSport New Zealand’s National Schools Championship meeting.

The 15th annual event is being hosted by the KartSport Marlborough club and Marlborough Boys’ College and has attracted 68 entries across five different classes to the club’s track, Cresswell Electrical Kart Raceway off the Wither Rd Extension, in Blenheim.

Each year teams of karters from all over the country compete for individual and schools’ honours.

2016 Secondary Schools title winners Jacob Cranston (left) and Tom Greig (right) (pic- Fast Company/Campbell Jamieson)

This year there are eight schools – Westlake Boys High, St Kentigern College, Palmerston North Boys High, Marlborough Boys College, Southland Boys High, Christ’s College, St Thomas of Canterbury College and Lincoln High School – vying for Secondary Schools’ honours, and three – Whakarongo School, Medbury School and Prebbleton School – chasing victory in the Primary/Intermediate division.

Defending Secondary Schools’ title holder Palmerston Boys High is the school to beat, last year winning the Secondary Schools’ title in Taranaki for a record-extending fifth time in 14 years.

A special feature of the annual Schools’ event are the Bruce McLaren KartSport Awards presented in association with the Bruce McLaren Trust.

Each year two awards are offered and go to the winners of the two most popular eligible classes at the event once they produce and present a project at their school on the career, achievements and values demonstrated by the driver the award honours, New Zealand racing great Bruce McLaren.

Ryan Wood and Kaleb Ngatoa were last years Bruce McLaren KartSport award winners (pic –
Fast Company/Campbell Jamieson)

Last year the awards were won by Kaleb Ngatoa from Marton and Ryan Wood from Wellington.

This year the annual schools’ event is again also hosting the final round of the ROK Cup New Zealand.

ROK Cup New Zealand is a multi-round series for young drivers contesting either Vortex ROK-engined class, Cadet ROK (for 6-11 year-olds) or Vortex Mini ROK (for those 9 to 12).



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Thomas Boniface (pic – Fast Company/Vicky Jack)

The overall series winner of the Vortex Mini ROK class earns entry to the annual ROK Cup International Finals meeting in Italy later this year while the overall series winner in the Cadet ROK class gets a brand new Vortex Mini ROK engine.

Heading into the final round Levin’s Logan Manson has a seven point lead over Hamilton’s Asten Addy in the Vortex Mini ROK class points standings, while reigning South Island and New Zealand champion Louis Sharp from Christchurch leads the way in Cadet ROK with an 11 point buffer on Auckland’s Ashton Phipps with Jaxon Harvey from Mosgiel just one point back in third.

There will be action on track at Cresswell Electrical Kart Raceway from 9.00am on Saturday with racing commencing at 9.50am rain or shine.

 

Kaleb Ngatoa (pic – Fast Company/Vicky Jack)

KARTSPORT NZ NATIONAL SCHOOLS’ CHAMPIONSHIPS

SECONDARY SCHOOL HONOURS BOARD

2003 Rangitoto College, Auckland
2004 St Kentigern College, Auckland
2005 Palmerston North Boys’ High, Palmerston North
2006 Waimea College, Nelson
2007 St Kentigern College, Auckland
2008 St Andrews College, Christchurch
2009 St Andrews College, Christchurch
2010 Palmerston North Boys’ High, Palmerston North
2011 Auckland Grammar School, Auckland
2012 Palmerston North Boys’ High, Palmerston North
2013 Burnside High School, Christchurch
2014 Palmerston North Boys’ High School, Palmerston North
2015 St Thomas of Canterbury College, Christchurch
2016 Palmerston North Boys’ High School, Palmerston North

PRIMARY/INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL HONOURS BOARD

2003 Rangeview Intermediate, Auckland
2004 Waimea Intermediate, Nelson
2005 Marina View School, Auckland
2006 Russley Primary, Christchurch & St Kentigern Intermediate, Auckland
2007 Albany Primary, Auckland
2008 Waikari School and Kaikorai Valley College, Dunedin
2009 Newbury School, Palmerston North
2010 Taradale Intermediate, Napier
2011 Windsor Primary/Chisnell Wood Intermediate, Christchurch
2012 College Street Normal School, Palmerston North
2013 Medbury School, Christchurch
2014 Palmerston North Normal Intermediate/Newbury Primary School, Palmerston North
2015 Balmacewen Intermediate, Dunedin
2016 Palmerston North Normal Intermediate, Palmerston North

Logan Manson (pic – Fast Company/Vicky Jack)

ROK Cup NZ, points after Rnd 3 of 4

Vortex Mini ROK
1. Logan Manson 142 points
2. Asten Addy 135
3. Kaden Probst 133
4=.Zeal Jones & Mason Potter 131
6=. Luke Thompson & Liam Pink 126
8. Dylan Grant 89
9. Bo Hill 82

Cadet ROK



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  1.  Louis Sharp 144 points
  2. Ashton Phipps 133
  3. Jaxon Harvey 132
  4. James Black 130
  5. Ollie Workman 128
  6. Jay Urwin 126
  7. Emerson Vincent 97
  8. Tom Bewley 45
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