Puke MX’s dramatic Club DayGood turnout as only 3 weeks to Round 3 of the Nationals that the Club is hosting.
120 Seniors & Juniors and 52 on the Mini track.
A few ‘big’ names from out of town such as Brad Groombridge, Nick Saunders, Cam Dillon, Darryll King, Kieran Scheele, Kieran Leigh, Logan Blackburn, Cameron Vaughan and Scott Canham.
There was also CMR Red Bull KTM’s import from Queenland, Brock Winstone, who has replaced the injured Kayne Lamont.
Plenty of regulars to keep them honest such as Jamie Ainsworth and Campbell Bailey and in the Senior 125, Kurtis Lilly and Sean O’Connor fought it out.
Overcast conditions were holding the evaporation off as watering somewhat of a problem – no rain for ages. The pond is filled from the bore and it takes 12 hours to fill and only 4 to pump out.
More changes to the track
is giving more corner options and passing opportunities.
The South/West corner has been cleared
out.
As you climb up towards the section behind the start-gates there is a nice big berm as it sweeps up to the right.
Jump #1 was back due to popular demand from the riders.
Sign-on was moved back to 8-9am so that practice could get underway earlier before too much evaporation but it was 9:30 before briefing got underway and the usual dramas of getting Flaggies.
Practice was 3 laps only and hard to track 120 riders when many were not carrying transponders. Sun was now out – then in again. The live-timing display at the Clubhouse had plenty of viewers.
National Class was going to
be 18 minutes plus 1 lap. It was a
split start with MX1 going off first then a decent gap to MX2 (26 of them) plus
National 125 riders.
Cam Dillon holeshots the MX2 Moto.
Steven Cunha on that fateful lap.
All was going well until 125 rider Steven Cunha clipped the top of #1 which front flipped him. He landed upside down, with the bike pile-driving him. He slid to the bottom. TJ Lindsay (Courtney’s mum) was Flaggie in the tower and had the siren on and yellow flag waving. It was suggested afterwards that he hesitated when a faster rider came up beside him.
Medics were quickly onto him led by Dr Rosie, who was having trouble stabilizing him. His mother rushed to his side but she collapsed before she had even sighted him. All racing had came to a stop and the Westpac Rescue helicopter was on it’s way. TJ then went across attend to Steven’s mother.
It’s a sickening feeling and suffice to say we all feared for his life – and still do. It’s not something that Harrisville has experienced since the death of Barry Senn back on 25 March 2006.
The Helicopter came in and did not land in the lower clearing. The Pilot did a wide circle then came in on the track just south of the Mini track. Came in quite spectacular with kids running from all directions. The Club were ready for them and kept them at a distance.
They had a camera crew aboard and were filming for the show Westpac Helicopter Rescue. Good thing? bad thing? who cares? just get Steven to Hospital. It was on the ground for quite some before heading off for Auckland Hospital – not Middelmore.
MNZ President, Jim Tuckerman arrived, having been
called by the day’s Steward, Scott Wilkins. Jim had been on his way to Paeroa where there had also been
a serious accident.
90 minutes later the helicopter departed and racing resumed.
The Police Serious Crash Unit arrived in two cars then a Police Photographer and then another car with a Counsellor/ Victim Support women.
The bulldozer had been up atop #1 rounding it off but
the jump was abandoned for the day. A diversion was put in and racing resumed.
 Aussie Brock Winstone was looking very comfortable on Harrisville.
Brad Groombridge and Nick Saunders were wheel to wheel.
DK was running hard as well in both MX2 and Vets.
Vet Nigel Gainsford was a Suzuki 250 2-stroke.
Will Paterson won his first ever Support Class holeshot.
Junior 125 riders Aaron Wiltshier and Cohen Chase were having a great tussle at the front of 21 riders.
Junior 125 after the holeshot.
Blake was certainly back on the pace despite saying he "riding at the back of the field” – he would have taken out the Moto3 holeshot around the outside if he’d kept on the throttle.
Good field of Vets and great to see Brendon Austin back after a lengthy lay-off after shoulder surgery.
Only Women rider was Courtney Lindsay who ran with the Vets - and the only one styling it on the step-up.
In Vet's Moto3 #2 Tony Cooksley was leading. Front wheel washed out in the turn before the step-up and he was back to 4th but was 1st at the flag – not bad for 57 this year.
Good day but a sad day. I suggest that Steven would’nt have survived the day, without Dr Rosie and her Medics.
Well handled by the Club Committee and others, especially Steward of the day Scott Wilkins.
Steven Cunha updates today:
Last we heard last night was from Steven Cunha's brother Craig who said: "Doctor just spoken to us, he's got bleeding on the brain, not getting any worse, lungs leaking into chest cavity, lacerated liver is slowly stopping to bleed, and they going to reduce his sedation to wake him up in a few hours, things are looking better."
Then this morning Steven’s close friend Derek Crane: "He's stable but they kept him under for the night, broken wrist too from what I hear."
Then brother Craig put this up on PukeMX Facebook page. "Thankyou so much to the Medics and all those great people who helped yesterday, Steven is stable but still in a coma, he is fighting and responding good, can't thank everyone enough."
Monday 3:15pm and CES Team rider Carl Anderson posted: "Pretty tuff seeing my boy Steven Cunha hooked up to all the machines in ICU today. He is still critical but stable. Keep fighting boy. Wishing you a speedy recovery."
Monday 6pm and he’s going in for a MRI. A CT scan this afternoon but it was not clear enough. He did not come out until 9pm.
Our thoughts are certainly with Steven – if prayers are your thing, please say one for him.
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This is the corner before #10, two of three options being used.
Lots of options when departing the top of the step-up.
