Brilliant sunshine greeted the riders today (January 25) at the New Zealand Motorcycle Grand Prixs at Ruapuna Park in Christchurch. The Grand Prix event was also round three of the Castrol Power 1 New Zealand Superbike Championships. The day produced some exceptional racing, not the least being the smallest class, the 125cc Grand Prix machines. 16-year-old Avalon Biddle from Orewa became the second only female to win a motorcycle Grand Prix in New Zealand, when she took her Honda RS125 to the win in the 125cc Grand Prix. “I really don’t know what to say, it feels great,” she commented when asked how she felt after the race. The Superbike Grand Prix turned into an epic battle between the two Australians Gareth Jones (Yamaha) and Robbie Bugden (Suzuki) and Hamilton father of seven, Andrew Stroud (Suzuki). The trio were never more than metres apart until two laps from home when Bugden crashed in the hairpin, leaving the other two to battle it out for the win. Jones crossed the finish line just a half a bike length in front. New Plymouth’s Hayden Fitzgerald brought his Honda home in third. Jones completed the double, on his brace of Yamahas, by winning the 600 Sports Production after another great battle, this time with Christchurch’s James Smith (Suzuki), with Smith’s teammate Dennis Charlett third. The Grand Prixs for the minor classes where won by new Plymouth’s Terry Fitzgerald (Suzuki) in the Formula Three class, Christchurch’s Patrick Jones (Suzuki) in the Pro-Twins and Auckland’s Lawrance Bros in the sidecars. Provisional Results Round Three Castrol Power1 Superbike Championships Ruapuna Raceway, Christchurch. 24/25 January 2009. NZ Superbikes: Race One: 1, Robbie Bugden (Australia) Suzuki; 2, Andrew Stroud (Hamilton) Suzuki; 3, Gareth Jones (Australia) Yamaha; 4, Ray Clee (Auckland)Suzuki; 5, Hayden Fitzgerald (New Plymouth) Honda. Race Two Superbike Grand Prix; 1, Jones; 2, Stroud; 3, Fitzgerald; 4, Craig Shirriffs; 5, Bugden. 600 Sports Production: Race One: 1, Gareth Jones (Australia) Yamaha; 2, James Smith (Christchurch) Suzuki; 3, Dennis Charlett (Christchurch) Suzuki; 4, Sam Smith (Pukekohe) Yamaha; 5, Jay Lawrence (Wellington) Yamaha. Race Two: 600 Sports Production Grand Prix. 1, Gareth Jones; 2, James Smith; 3, Charlett; 4, Sam Smith; 5, Nick Cole (Hamilton) Kawasaki. Formula Three: Race One: 1, Glen Williams (Palmerston North) Suzuki; 2, Terry Fitzgerald (New Plymouth) Suzuki; 3, Eric de Boer (Westport) Kawasaki. Race Two: 1, Williams; 2, Fitzgerald; 3, de Boer. Race Three: Formula Three Grand Prix. 1, Fitzgerald; 2, Williams; 3, deBoer. Pro-Twins: Race One: 1, Sam Love (Tauranga) Suzuki; 2, Patrick Jones (Christchurch) Suzuki; 3, Geoff Booth (Dannevirke) Suzuki. Race Two: 1, Patrick Jones; 2, Booth; 3, James Hoogenboezem (West Melton) Suzuki. Race Three: Pro-Twins Grand Prix. 1, Patrick Jones; 2, Love; 3, Booth. 125cc Grand Prix: Race One: 1, Kenneth Jones (Hamilton) Yamaha; 2, Tim McArthur (Dunedin) Honda; 3, Jaden Hassan (Auckland) Yamaha. Race Two: 1, Cameron Jones (Christchurch) Honda; 2, Avalon Biddle (Orewa) Honda; 3, James McKay (Hamilton) Honda. Race Three: 125cc Grand Prix. 1, Biddle; 2, Hoogenboezem; 3, Hassen Sidecars: Race One: 1, Steve Bron/Dennis Simonsen (Wanganui) LCR Suzuki; 2, Chris & Ritchie Lawrance (Auckland) Anderson Yamaha; 3, Stacey Sellar/ Louise Blythe (Australia) LCR Suzuki. Race Two: 1, Lawrance Bros; 2, Peter Goodwin/Jonathan Shaw (Bay of Islands) LCR Yamaha; 3, Dave Annan/Warwick Demmocks (West Melton) SteveWells1450. Race Three: Sidecar Grand Prix. 1, Lawrance Bros; 2, Sellar/Blythe; 3, Goodwin/Shaw.