There was no mistaking the Italian visitors class. With Italy's Davide Gozzini winning both the Tri Series Supermotard class and the Kiwi Rider cup at the Cemetery circuit races the local field were treated to some world class lessons.
After round one at Manfeild Gozzini(TM), along with fellow Italian Ivan Lazzerini (Honda) trailed Aprilia mounted Kiwi's Scott Moir and Toby Summers by a single point. The Italian pair had found the open spaces of Manfeild a tough place to compete against the powerful Aprilia's.
At the Cemetery circuit the pair turned the tables, breaking away from the field in a class of their own, Gozzini taking the series lead and KiwiRider Cup with slender wins over his countryman.
For the final round, Taupo's Scott Moir produced stunning rides on his home track. In the first, wet race Moir rode the conditions brilliantly to hold off Gozzini to the line, with Lazzerini and Summers a long way back from the battle at the front of the field.
In the dry race two, Moir again looked strong, blasting past the Italian pair on the front straight. Sadly Moir fell while entering turn four soon after, later commenting "I knew third place in the series would have been secure if I finished in the top three But that goes out the window when you're in contention for a win". The Italian show continued without Moir, Lazzerini taking the last race win, Gozzini the title.