The 2025 Craigs Investment Partners KartSport New Zealand National Sprint Championship concluded over Easter with the biggest event in 15 years, featuring over 200 competitors. 

With the incredible entries it was always going to be a tough challenge for each class, with competitors from all over the country looking to take home a new number. Nine classes were on offer, with a few senior classes also featuring Masters and Legends battling for their own titles within a class. 

Standout performances from the event included Marco Manson, going back to back in Rotax Junior plus doing the double in Vortex ROK DVS Junior class. Multi-time New Zealand Champion Ryan Urban won the Rotax Heavy class and become the first person to win both a title and the Masters title in one. Urban narrowly beat Josh Bethune who missed out on a three-peat and a double class win, having won the Rotax DD2 class.

Ashton Phipps stormed to a big win in Vortex ROK DVS Senior, plus scored a second podium in Rotax Light. Lucas McGill was the class act all weekend to win the Rotax Light, putting together a perfectly balanced weekend. Jay Urwin also made a threepeat winning the KZ2 class, having charged through the field after a first corner incident.  

Proving the future of the sport is in great hands and stealing the show were the Cadet ROK class, with a tight battle that ended in Joey Zhou adding a New Zealand Championship to his growing list of achievements. Another standout performance in Vortex Mini ROK saw a very deserving Nixon Cripps win the New Zealand Championship in one of the over subscribed fields. 

The National Sprint Championship is set to be hosted by KartSport Rotorua in 2026.

Cadet ROK

1st: Joey Zhou

2nd: Freddy Waller

3rd: Max Gosling

Vortex Mini ROK

1st: Nixon Cripps

2nd: Tyler Killip

3rd: Nico Thomasen

125cc Rotax Max Junior

1st: Marco Manson

2nd: Cy Finnemore

3rd: Carson Daly

Vortex ROK DVS Junior

1st: Marco Manson

2nd: Miles Baker

3rd: Lachlan Tombleson

Vortex ROK DVS Senior

1st: Ashton Phipps

2nd: Seth Frost

3rd: Jack Strand

125cc Rotax Max Light

1st: Lucas McGill

2nd: Ryan Crombie

3rd: Ashton Phipps

125cc Rotax Max Heavy

1st: Ryan Urban (also 1st Master)

2nd: Josh Bethune

3rd: Darren Walker

1st Legend: Ian Carter

Rotax DD2

1st: Josh Bethune

2nd: Olivia Lorenzen

3rd: Cameron Hill

1st Master: James Russell

1st Legend: Ken Sines

KZ2

1st: Jay Urwin

2nd: Raymond Mallin

3rd: Joshua Parkinson

Article added: Tuesday 29 April 2025