Motocross racing on Caroline Bay may be here to stay.

Can you imagine racing like this in the US? Just think how much fun this would be! Sounds like the boys down under had a  absolute blast. Moto is so much fun worldwide!

  

 John Bisset /FairfaxNZ. South Canterbury Motorcycle club beach racing on Caroline Bay,

Motocross racing on Caroline Bay may be here to stay.

Hundreds of spectactors watched as at least 150 riders from the South Canterbury Motorcycle Club ripped their way around a purpose-built course on the beach for the first time in 13 years on Saturday.

Organiser Andrew Richardt said he had been overwhelmed with the positive feedback he had received during the "bloody awesome" day.

"The public response to it has just been incredible. Even people who don't know or like motocross were coming up to me and saying how great it was to see the beach being used.

"It drives you to have another one, to try to make it an annual thing again."

The club days used to be held on an almost annual basis from 1996 to 2002 but were only reinvigorated this year after some new blood at the club had a go at getting them back.

Richardt wanted to hold it in January because the drought had dried up the motocross track in the region.

He was given permission by Environment Canterbury and the Timaru District Council to hold the event in April, once the bay's little blue penguins were out at sea.

He said he would talk with the council again to see if it was possible to carry on using the beach.

"I haven't heard one complaint but we'll just check with them at the end of the week and see how they are feeling about it."

The racing itself was a mighty struggle, Richardt said.

Across nine classes, from mini bikes to senior motocross riders and clubmans, there were plenty of spills on the loose sand.

There were no major injuries, with the kids in particular enjoying themselves, he said.

As the tide came in some of the course the club had laid out earlier in the day with the help of a digger was swallowed by the incoming tide, making for interesting conditions for the riders and forcing the final round racing to be shortened by a few laps.

 - The Timaru Herald