Palmerston North Boys High School claimed a record-extending sixth Secondary Schools’ title at the Supreme Kart Supplies KartSport New Zealand National Schools’ Championships in Blenheim on Saturday.
Students from the school first claimed the premier Secondary title in 2005, then again in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and now 2017. It is a record unmatched by any other school with only two others over the 15 years the annual event has been running having won the title more than once, Auckland’s St Kentigern College (2004 & 2007) and Christchurch’s St Andrew’s College (2008 & 2009).
This year the title was successfully defended by students Jacob Cranston, the winner of the 125cc Rotax Max Light class, Jackson Rooney who claimed runner-up spots in both the Rotax Max Junior and Junior 100cc Yamaha classes, and Riley Jack who finished 12th in Rotax Max Junior.
There is a new name, meanwhile, on the Primary/Intermediate Schools trophy, that award going this year to Havelock North’s Te Mata School/Havelock North Intermediate. The Bewley brothers, Tom and Harry won the title for their school with second spot in Cadet ROK (Tom) and 14th in Vortex Mini ROK (Harry).
The 15th annual KartSport New Zealand National Schools’ Championships event was hosted this year by the KartSport Marlborough club and Marlborough Boys’ College and held in cool, but dry conditions at the club’s track, Cresswell Electrical Kart Raceway off the Wither Rd Extension, in Blenheim.
This year there were 68 entries representing eight secondary schools and four primary/intermediate ones.
Individual class titles went to Jacob Cranston (Palmerston North, 125cc Rotax Max Light), Sam Wright (Auckland Rotax Max Junior), William Exton (Picton, Junior 100cc Yamaha), Emerson Vincent (Pukekohe, Vortex Mini ROK), and Louis Sharp (Christchurch, Cadet ROK).
This year the Bruce McLaren KartSport awards went to Jacob Cranston from Palmerston North Boys High School and Sam Wright from St Kentigern College in Auckland.
The 2017 Schools’ event also hosted 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).
The first and second placed competitors in the Vortex Mini ROK class earn 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.
Levin’s Logan Manson successfully defended his series lead to claim the class win and with it trip to Italy for the Finals meeting in October where he will be joined by series’ runner-up Asten Addy from Hamilton.
Reigning South Island and New Zealand champion Louis Sharp from Christchurch made it a title trifecta in the Cadet ROK class, winning every race he started to add the NZ Schools title to his Island and National pair, and take the series prize of a brand new Vortex ROK engine.
RESULTS
Secondary Schools
- Palmerston North Boys High School, Palmerston North (Jacob Cranston, Jackson Rooney, Riley Jack)
- St Kentigern College, Auckland (Joshua Parkinson, Sam Wright, Sebastian Manson)
- Lincoln High School, Christchurch (Jacob Mitchell, Jacob McLaren, Adam Godwin)
Primary/Intermediate
- Te Mata School/Havelock North Intermediate, Havelock North (Tom Bewley, Harry Bewley)
- Whakarongo School, Palmerston North (Kiahn Burt, Blake Dowell)
- Medbury School, Christchurch (Jacob Douglas, Blake Knowles)
RESULTS
125cc Rotax Max Light
- Jacob Cranston (PN); 2. Kaleb Ngatoa (Mar); 3. Billy Mori (HB); 4. Jack Noble-Adams (ChCh); 5. Jack McLaren (ChCh); 6. Kyle Hollingworth (Wstpt).
Rotax Max Junior
- Sam Wright (Akld); 2. Jackson Rooney (PN); 3. Joshua Parkinson (Akld); 4. Ryan Wood (Wgtn); 5. Jacob Mitchell (ChCh); 6. Ashton Grant (Akld).
Junior 100cc Yamaha
- William Exton (Pict); 2. Jackson Rooney (PN); 3. Ryan Wood (Wgtn); 4. Ryan Crombie (Akld); 5. Joshua Parkinson (Akld); 6. Sam Wright (Akld).
Vortex Mini ROK
- Emerson Vincent (Puk); 2. Dylan Grant (Akld); 3. Liam Sceats (Akld); 4. Jacob Douglas (ChCh); 5. Asten Addy (Ham); 6. Logan Manson (Lev)
Cadet
- Louis Sharp (ChCh); 2. Tom Bewley (HB); 3. Judd Christianson (PN); 4. Jay Urwin (Tga); 5. Jaxon Harvey (Mosg); 6. Ashton Phipps (Akld)
ROK Cup NZ
Final points after Rnd 4 of 4
Vortex Mini ROK
- Logan Manson 187 points
- Asten Addy 182
- Kaden Probst & Mason Potter 174
- Zeal Jones 171
- Liam Pink 170
- Dylan Grant 139
- Luke Thompson 126
- Bo Hill 124
Cadet ROK
- Louis Sharp 194 points
- Jaxon Harvey 176
- Ashton Phipps 175
- = James Black & Jay Urwin 172
- Ollie Workman 169
- Emerson Vincent 97
- Tom Bewley 92
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
- 2017 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
- 2017 Te Mata School/Havelock North Intermediate, Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay