Kiwi karters Niki Urwin, Daniel Connor and Aarron Cunningham are back competing on the other side of the Tasman Sea this weekend at the opening round of the 2012/13 Rotax Pro Tour in Canberra.

The trio were part of an eight-strong New Zealand team which crossed the Tasman at the end of August to contest the Rotax Max Nationals meeting.

This weekend Connor, from Helensville north-west of Auckland, will be part of a 37-strong field in Rotax Max Light, Cunningham from Auckland  a 26-strong field in Rotax Max Heavy and Urwin, from Tauranga, part of a 22-strong DD2 Masters field at the meeting at the Canberra Kart Club’s Fairbairn Park track.

Based on form at the recent Australian Rotax Max Nationals meeting Niki Urwin has the best chance of a podium result this weekend, having qualified second then won the second heat and finished third in the Pre-Final at the Nationals meeting.

He and Australian driver Scott Connole had a coming together in the Final which left both circulating at the back of the pack for the remainder of the race, but the hard-driving paraplegic who races a kart equipped with hand-controls, certainly proved he had the pace required to run at the front.

Daniel Conner also showed good form at that meeting in the premier Rotax Max Light class while Aarron Cunningham was quick but ultimately unlucky in Rotax Max Heavy.