Jake Whitaker

Arrived home last night after a successful trip to Aussie. The Australian titles were held just out of Brisbane at Thunderbird Park on the 21st and 22nd August. On the Friday before the event in the practise area I was feeling good about the weekend as it was almost exactly the same as the training area I have been spending a lot of time at. Very slippery river beds and rocks in and out of the rivers. A very different style of riding as I find the best way is just to keep flowing on this sort of terrain instead of lots of stopping and starting. The less hopping you do the better and wheel placements are so critical with absolutely no room for error.

Saturday Morning I felt awesome, ready to ride and to let all the hard work that has been put into my riding over the last year pay itself off. My first lap was average and I was currently sitting in 3rd place, I didnt put it down to nerves as I wasnt feeling an awful amount, instead I felt I just hadnt warmed up and found that rhythm yet. However I definitely rode a lot stronger in the second lap and managed to claim the lead over the weekend to win the first day.

Everything was in place leading into Sunday, Currently leading, Great bike, Awesome team, felt like I hadnt even been on the bike for a full day the day before, my fitness was good. I was able to completely block out the previous day which was necessary as the points were close and any pressure could have led to some mistakes. I rode my own event all day competing only against myself, forgetting about any other rider and what they may be doing differently. I was so in the zone and comfortable that I felt like I was just out training like any other weekend. It was awesome to be able to do that and was the first time ever that I have experienced that feeling. I made one big mistake on Sunday giving me 5 points on my card for timing out on section 9 on my second lap by a split second. I finished the rest of the lap off faultless to section 15. At this point in time I had not seen or heard anything about the scores on the first lap. I knew that I rode my best riding back to the pits and that I was definitely in the running for the title.  To look up at the score board to see my first lap of four points and my overall lead of 22points ahead of second place was a feeling and a moment that I wont ever forget.

Winning the Australian title means a lot to me and something that I am extremely proud of. I have worked really hard for it over these past few years and to finally win it makes all the hard work worth it.

I couldn’t have done it without such a great team behind me, So a massive thanks to Team Kaos Darryl and Estelle Boorer, My Minder Nick Ball as always awesome effort, My Mum and Dad For all the support and for believing in me along with my Girlfriend Georgina. Darren and Annette Stockmen for all their encouragement and help over the two days. Karl Clark un able to finish the weekend after an extremely un lucky problem occured and made any hope of a good result impossible, I feel for ya mate and wish things could have worked out differently for you, However Thanks for the words of encouragement and following me around on my final lap on Sunday.

On the 28th I competed in my first ever Arena trial on the Gold coast, The 2010 Queensland Invitational Arena Moto-Trials Championships. This was a really cool event with some big spectacular sections. My biggest competition was Kyle Middleton one of Aussies best riders. We were neck and neck all day with only ever a couple of points seperating us, swapping over the lead back and forth. I won all the race sections of the event against Kyle but he got me near the end of the day. There was a misunderstanding with the timing of the sections and I timed out after a really good clean ride. Kyle was riding well and I am happy for him to take the win. Well done mate, See you in a few weeks time for the next NSW round.

A big thanks to my sponsors, Team Kaos, Spectro oils, Pro grip,DID chains, NGK, Hutt boyz choppers, Hynes pipes, John and Rebecca Lawton at Kapiti Beta.

Thanks guys, could not do it without you all.

Jake

Hi everyone,

This Sunday just been I have been away over in Sydney for the 3rd NSW state round. Unfortunaly I was un able to proform to the standard I have been riding at previous rounds this season.  It was one of those days that things just didnt flow  and I struggled to feel comfortable  on the bike all day.  I finished 10 points behind 2nd place (Kyle Midelton) over the day.

The sections were set at a good level with a couple of good size steeps with short run ups. I have come away from the weekend a bit disapointed in the result but In away was good to have a wake up call before the Champs at the end of the month in Brisbane. I am now 110% focused on this next big event and will be working hard to achive only one thing in Brisbane.

A big thanks to Darryl and Estelle Boorer at Team Kaos for all there sponsorship and support. My minder Nick for giving his all and for some near impossible catches of the bike. My sponsors back here at home, Spectro oils, Vee Rubber tyers, Pro Grip and Hutt boyz choppers.

cheers guys.

Jake

Hi everyone,

Arrived home last night after a cold wet weekend up at the second to last rounds in Hamilton. On Saturday the weather held off but the ground was still fairly slippery with all the rain earlier in the week which made a couple of sections interesting which was good in a way as most of the sections were on the easy side. Finished the day off with another good lead ahead of second place with a 13 points lost for the day.

After Listening to the amount of rain coming down through the night it was hard to be enthusiastic about getting out there Sunday morning, We got out there in the end to see that the organizers were setting all new sections along the side of the river as the river had risen so much over night that we couldn’t cross it. Went out for a warm up and it was clear it was going to be an extremely slippery and muddy day. Started the day off great finding plenty of traction in all the mud. Had a unlucky 5 on one of the sections towards the end of my first lap which I wasn’t happy about as it was such a low scoring trial that it makes it tuff to come back from that. After a disappointing first lap of 8 points I improved on my second to only drop 2, Due to the conditions the Organizer decided to drop a lap to only make it a three lap trial, on my final lap I Was riding my best I had done all day and didn’t make any mistakes which was good because the sections defiantly got harder as the day went on.

My next Big event is In Aussie in the first week of August for the 3^rd round of the NSW champs which between now and then I will be training hard for. New bike has Arrived over the weekend so looking forward to ripping it out of the box this afternoon.

A big thanks to my minder Nick for all his efforts over the weekend, John Lawton at Beta for helping out with, what I can only call an awesome bike.

My sponsors, Hutt boyz choppers, Vee Rubber tyers, Spectro oils, Pro grip GP Gel, DID chains, crown Kiwi enterprises,  Kapiti Beta, Kaos trials

Thanks Guys,

Jake

Hi all, 

Home today after another successful trip over in AU for the second round, held at Pacific Park about an hour out of Sydney. Really enjoyed the weekend everything went well, bike and team was awesome as always. 

Started the first lap off a bit nervy but still made very few mistakes despite not feeling to comfortable on the bike, Half way through first lap things fell into place and we were away, putting in a fairly tidy first lap of ten points with a five point advantage over second position. My second lap started of fantastic until half way through I felt a migraine coming on this coursed my vision to go very blurry, which made things extremely difficult for me. I had Two fives and a one which really mucked up my score. 

Going into the third lap I felt much better and I could actually see where I wanted to go, So I new I could come back and improve on my last lap. Section nine and ten were the stoppers for the day but on my third lap I cleaned nine and almost cleaned ten but went for a safety dab on the last rock , I only dropped four points on my final lap which I was really happy with. 

I won the day overall by twenty five points, an improvement from the previous round where I only won by a single point. A Big thanks to  Darryl and Estelle Boorer at Team Kaos  for the bike and all the support, My Minder Nick, John Lawton for the help and encouragement over the weekend 

My sponsors, 

Team Kaos, Spectro oils, pro grip, Acerbies, Vee Rubber tyers, DID racing chains, Hutt boyZ choppers , Kapiti Beta, Crown Kiwi Alpinstars, Nick Ball and Mum and Dad. 

thanks guys. 

Jake

Hi guys,

Just got back from Sydney late last night, another wicked weekend away across the Tasman.

This was the first time for the year I was able to compete along side Aussies top riders sinse there titles last year in August. With the change to the new bike and all the training me and my minder Nick have been doing over the last few months I was feeling confident and ready to have another crack.

The NSW rounds are only one day events so we arrived at the venue on the Sunday morning nice and early as I wasn’t able to get on the bike on the saturday to have a practise as were driving down from Orange. This made a more nervey start than normal but felt much better going into the second lap.

The sections were more on the easy side so it was clear that it was going to be a low scoring event, so we would be needing to fight for every single point. My first and second lap was good whitch put me in the lead but only just, the points were very close all day and on my last lap I got three points on as section that I had been getting through without any trouble on previous laps, this ment that I had to make up for that mistake on one of the harder sections that I was loosing points on in my first two laps. I managed to clean the toughest section of the day which put me back up along side second place. I new the scores were going to be very tight but to get back to the score board to find there was only one point in it was a bit of a shock and for me a big relief. I had won against the best riders in Austrailia but only just! This shows that it is going to be a tuff year and also a good reminder of the hard work needed to be spent before the next round in a couple of weeks time.

A massive thanks to My Minder Nick your the man bro!, Darryl and Estelle Boorer at team Kaos for the bike and all the support, Spectro oils, Vee Rubber tyers, pro grip, Hutt boyz choppers, Hynds pipes and Crown kiwi enterprises.

thanks again everyone for the on going backing and support you guys are awesome.

Jake

Hi everyone,

Had another great weekend up in Hawks Bay, Always enjoy riding up that way as they have some awesome venues to ride at. Saturday I made very few mistakes in fact only two points a bit gutterd about them as one of them was soft as, would have been great to do the day for Zero. So dispite the two points I was still happy to take the win by such a good amount of points.

Sunday was held just out of Havlock North below Te Mata peak, This place has a bit of a meaning to me as it is where I claimed my first NZ title back in 2007. So it was great to get back there and ride. I didn’t have a very good start to the day, mising a marker in section two in the long grass and also another stupit five on section ten. I only lost one other point thoughout the lap. Wasnt happy with that score at all. Sorted those dumb mistakes out on my second lap and only dropped two, then on my third only one point. Was determined to get that lap of zero on my last lap and I managed to do it. Overall I was pleased with my riding and again won by a good amount of points.

A massive thanks to my Minder Nick for talkin me through it all and sayin all the right things, perfect job mate. My sponsors Hutt boyz Choppers, Vee Ruber tyers, Spectro oils, Pro Grip gloves, John Lawton at Beta and team Kaos AU. And of cause by lovely Girl frend Georgina for all ya help and support thoughout the weekend.

thanks Guys

back home training now got a couple of weeks before first round over in AU so shes head down a#s UP.

Hey eveyone,

Got home yesterday from two weeks over in ozz, I was lucky enough to get over a week before the Oceania so I was able to get some good practise in. I Stayed with Darryl and Estelle Boorer ( my major sponsor over in Austrailia this year) These guys are awesome, I couldn’t have asked for anything more while I was over there as i felt like I was back over in Europe riding for a world championship team, it was wicked. Estelle took me down to Pacific Park where the aussie titles were held last year for some practice in the weekend, It was good to get back there as I really enjoy riding at that place.

My minder Nick flew in the following Monday and we all headed down to Glenmagie where the Oceania was. Got to have a practise on the Thursday and Friday and couldn’t get over how simalar the conditions were to back home. Lots of water sections with slippery rocks and loose banks. Saturday morning my first to laps were avrage but still well in the hunt, wasn’t until my 3rd lap I felt really good and made very few mistakes with only a lap of 6 points. This gave me a good clean win and put me in a good position for Sunday.

Sunday was much the same but the sections were not as difficult which made things for me a little harder, as it ment that the other riders could get closer to me with just one little mistake. Second place was close to me on the first to laps but much the same as Saturday I felt better as the day went on and had a awesome lap of only 4 points, Which gave me another 1st place.

The rest of the NZ team did well to, with Warren taking out his grade along with Gabby our Junior girl and Steph our senior girl doing well to. This gave New Zealand the 2010 Oceania title.

What a fantastic weekend and week it has been, a massive thanks to Darryl and Estelle Boorer at team Kaos for all there support and for the full factory bike, felt great to be appart of such a awesome team, My minder Nick top job mate! could have asked for anything more you really do no how to get the most out of me.

Thanks again to everyone who supported me while I was over there and we look forward to getting back over in may for the first Round!

cheers

Jakey

Hey guys,

Over the weekend I had the first two rounds of the North Island Champs And man what a awesome weekend, really enjoyed myself, Taranaki did an awsome job of setting out some grate sections. Day 1 I would have to say was my favourate as there were more big rocks and not as slippery. I was pleased with my riding all day apart from one queer 5 on section two on the first lap, dont really no what happend I just decided it would be a good idea to let go of my bike at the bottom of a rock. Day 2 had lots of slippery stuff in and out of rivers, had a dumb 5 at the begining of the day, mainly because of the wrong gear selection. Had a first lap of 15 then improved with a second lap of 4 then a bad last to laps of 11 and 10. not as consistant throughout the day as i would have liked, But still I won the weekend both days with a comfortable lead which has boosted my confidence for heading over to Aussie later on in the week.

I leave for Aussie on Wednesday and have a good week training over there hopfully with some of there top riders, Then the Ociania champs over Easter weekend. (cant wait)

A big thanks to my sponsors Hutt buyz choppers, Vee Rubber tyers, Spectro oils, DID chains, Pro grip gloves, alpinstar/ Crown kiwi enterprises, John and Rebecca Lawton at Beta, Darryl and Estelle Boorer at Team Kaos.

Thanks a lot guys without all of you this year would not be posible for me.

Thanks,

Jakey

Hey everyone,

For those of you that don’t no I have changed my brand of bike for this up and coming season. I am now on the 2010 Beta 290 which im really enjoying riding. Its taking a bit to get use to but im starting to really feel comfortable on it.

A really big thanks to John and Rebecca Lawton New Zealands Beta importers for helping me out to get on this awesome bike. Also a massive thanks to Team Kaos, for making it possible for me to compete in this years NSW championship and the Aussie titles, im really looking forward to getting over there in the end of March when i’ll be doing my best to get that bike up there on that top step where it belongs.

Thanks guys,

Jakey

Hi Everyone

Just a quick note to let you all know that Jake is currently over in Australia competing in the Australian Title and is looking for a top finish.  He has been training hard over the last few weeks and is really looking forward to competing in the New Zealand Championship in Alexandra at Labour Weekend.  I’m sure that he will fill you all in on how he went in Australia when he gets back.

Thanks