DECEMBER 9, 2025: A massive gathering of motorcycle road-racing’s elite riders assembled in the Bay of Plenty at the weekend to mark the start to the 2025 edition of the popular three-round Suzuki International Series.
Of course, this was the perfect recipe for an intense two days of spectacular motorcycle road-racing and, under a hot and cloudless sky, a bumper crowd of spectators were wowed by the world-class entertainment on show at the Taupo International Motorsport Park, on the outskirts of the town.
With international riders again adding to the prestige of the series – skilled riders from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Australia adding to the talent pool – it meant the Kiwi hopefuls really had to step up to be counted and, in so many cases, that’s exactly what they did.
Defending Suzuki International Series champion in the premier 1000cc formula one class, Whakatane’s Mitch Rees, was always going to be among the favourites and he lived up to that billing when he fended off spirited challenges from his own multi-time former New Zealand championship-winning father, Tony Rees, Upper Hutt’s Rogan Chandler, Porirua’s Rhys Lindsay and Auckland’s Dave Sharp.
The 32-year-old Mitch Rees qualified fastest (worth an extra competition point) and then finished the weekend unbeaten in the three F1 races that followed, enough to eclipse his 58-year-old dad Tony Rees and Chandler, who claimed a creditable third overall for the weekend with three third placings.
Auckland’s Cameron Leslie won the formula two/supersport 600 class at the weekend, finishing 1-2-2 in his three races over the two days, with Bulls rider Ashton Hughes and current New Zealand 600cc supersport champion Jake Lewis, of Christchurch, completing the podium.
Leslie is the current New Zealand 300cc supersport class champion, a title he secured back in March, and he has obviously now come to grips already with the leap up to the 600cc class.
The F1 and F2 categories were just two of 13 being contested at the weekend, with fans often not knowing which way to turn as intense battles erupted at every turn throughout all the various bike classes.
There is no time to rest and relax because, after the weekend’s opening round at Taupo, the racing now heads to the Manawatu, for round two at Manfeild, on the outskirts of Feilding, this weekend coming up (December 13-14).
Started in 2008, this year’s 17th annual Suzuki International Series – it skipped a year in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic – climaxes as usual with the world-renowned Cemetery Circuit public street race event in Whanganui on Boxing Day (December 26).
CLASS LEADERS:
Class leaders after the first round of three in the 2025 Suzuki International Series in Taupo at the weekend are: Whakatane’s Mitch Rees (formula one); Auckland’s Cameron Leslie (formula two/supersport 600); Silverdale’s Tyler King (formula three); Silverdale’s Tyler King (supersport 300); Wellington’s Malcolm Bielski (formula sport, senior, over-600cc); Whanganui’s Jeff Croot (formula sport, junior, up to 600cc); Auckland’s Paul Pavletich (Pre 89 post classics, senior, over-600cc); Auckland’s Scott Findlay (Pre 89, post classics junior, under-600cc); Te Awanga’s Eddie Kattenberg (Pre 95, post classics junior, under-600cc); Upper Hutt’s Kieran Mair (Pre 95, post classics senior, over-600cc); Auckland’s Adam Unsworth & Bryce Rose (F1 sidecars); Whanganui’s Tracey Bryan & Jo Franzen (F2 sidecars); Whanganui’s Richie Dibben (supermoto).
The Suzuki International Series is supported by Suzuki New Zealand, Mondiale VGL, Auto Super Shoppe Tawa, Givi, I-Tools, Bridgestone tyres, Metzeler tyres, Sharp As Linehaul Ltd Whanganui, TSS Motorcycles, Ipone, Inferno Design & Digital, Kiwibike Motorcycle Insurance Specialists, Shark, Barred Up Scaffolding, The Dentists.
DATES FOR 2025 SUZUKI INTERNATIONAL SERIES
- Round 1, Taupo, Dec 6-7;
- Round 2, Manfeild, Feilding, Dec 13-14;
- Round 3, Whanganui’s Cemetery Circuit, Dec 26.