Auckland karter Mathew Kinsman led the trophy haul at the Cresswell Electrical 2014 KartSport New Zealand National Sprint Championships meeting in Blenheim over the Easter weekend, with wins in the 125cc Rotax Max Light and 100cc Yamaha Light classes and a third in KZ2.

With defending class title holder, 20-year-old younger brother Daniel, 22-year-old Mathew was one of the favourites to win the 125cc Rotax Max title. And when Daniel and the pair’s long-time rival, Daniel Connor from Helensville, were involved in a multi-kart accident at the first corner in the Final, his job in the 125cc Rotax Max Final was made much easier.

Having not competed in 100cc Yamaha Light since the Sprint Nationals last Easter, however, the elder Kinsman sibling had his work cut out in that class, starting the Final from the second row (P3) of the grid and only taking the lead on the last lap from fastest qualifier, and the driver who had won both heats and the Pre-Final, Andy Schofield from Cambridge.

Schofield and former New Zealand Cadet and Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha champion Maddie Wise from the Hawke’s Bay were the early leaders with Wise impressing through the middle of the race and Schofield coming on towards the end.

Kinsman was never far from the front, however, while defending title holder James Penrose stormed through from the rear of the grid after a tangle in the Pre-Final looked set to ruin any chance he had of defending his 2013 class title.

Schofield led into the final lap but when the flag came out it was Kinsman who greeted it first from Penrose, Wise, former class champion Alex Geary from New Plymouth with Schofield fifth.

“I’m over the moon, ” said Kinsman as he was surrounded by well-wishers after the all-action Yamaha Light Final, arguably one of the best and definitely hardest fought races on the two-day event programme.

“The Rotax title was the one I really wanted but I entered the other classes because we had the equipment and I could. I never thought I would end up with two podium finishes, let alone three.”

Kinsman was one of eight New Zealand Sprint title winners at the big two-day event, which attracted karters from Invercargill to Auckland to the country’s sunshine capital.

In the days leading up to the event the Blenheim region was hit by heavy rain and blustery winds but racing was held in cool, dry conditions on Saturday and a mix of cool and dry and cool and wet conditions on Sunday.

Two drivers – Matthew Hamilton from Christchurch in KZ2 and Gold Coast- based Kiwi Simon Hunter in 100cc Yamaha Heavy – successfully defended their 2013 New Zealand Sprint titles at the Blenheim meeting while three others – James Penrose, who finished second to Mathew Kinsman in 100cc Yamaha Light, Marcus Armstrong who finished third in Junior 100cc Yamaha behind Caleb Cross and Jacob Cranston, and Zach Zaloum, who ended up a close second to Ryan Urban in 125cc Rotax Max Heavy, came agonisingly close.

Some consolation came for Armstrong in the new Rotax Junior class on Sunday, the 13-year-old Christchurch ace qualifying quickest and winning the heats, Pre-Final and Final, the latter from Rotorua driver Ethan Anderson and Christchurch pair Jai Buckley and Caleb Cross.

Other class wins over the two days went to Thomas Boniface (Cadet Raket) from New Plymouth, Ryan Urban from Auckland (125cc Rotax Max Light) and Liam Lawson, also from Auckland, in Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha.

Best of the local drivers was young William Exton who finished 10th in the Cadet Raket class Final.

Fellow KartSport Marlborough club members found the going harder with Sam Bugler 17th in Cadet Raket, Gary Cooze 12th – albeit after a promising early showing – in 100cc Yamaha Heavy, Daniel Bugler 15th in 125cc Rotax Max Light, Taylor Forbes 13th in 125cc Rotax Max Heavy and Leighton Stanton 19th in Rotax Junior.