- Cemetery Circuit hosted the final round of the Suzuki International Series on Boxing Day
- Mitch Rees continued his dominance of the Robert Holden Memorial
- Harriet Grace made history as the first woman to win a solo class at Whanganui
Old records were toppled and new ones created at the spectacular Cemetery Circuit motorcycle races, as the public streets of Whanganui once again played host to one of New Zealand’s most iconic motorsport events on Boxing Day.
Now in its 74th running, the Cemetery Circuit remains the spiritual home of Kiwi street racing — a tight, fast and unforgiving 1.9km layout carved through residential streets, lined with concrete walls, lamp posts and cemetery headstones that leave no margin for error.
First raced in 1951, the event has grown into a Boxing Day institution, drawing tens of thousands of spectators each year and earning a reputation as one of the toughest street circuits in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Whanganui meeting also marked the third and final round of the 2025 Suzuki International Series, the pre-Christmas championship that traditionally attracts elite riders from New Zealand and overseas. This season saw 16 international competitors arrive from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States — yet once again, it was the locals who rose to the occasion when it mattered most.
Weather Adds to the Challenge
As is often the case at Whanganui, conditions added another layer of drama. Light rain fell early in the afternoon, forcing riders into critical tyre decisions on a circuit already notorious for its high speeds and narrow confines. On a track where superbikes exceed 200km/h between walls, barriers and air-fences, tyre choice can make or break a Boxing Day campaign — and 2025 was no exception.
The Suzuki International Series had kicked off at Taupō International Motorsport Park in early December before heading to Manfeild a week later, setting the stage for a grand finale that rarely disappoints. The Boxing Day showdown once again delivered, delighting the large crowd who turned out for Whanganui’s annual festival of speed.
Rees Family Legacy Continues
Whakatāne’s Mitch Rees once again stamped his authority on the event, completing the coveted double by winning the Formula One/Superbike title overall for the series and claiming the prestigious Robert Holden Memorial (RHM) feature race on Boxing Day.
Rees qualified his Honda CBR1000RR-R superbike fastest, won both Formula One races around the Cemetery Circuit, and then capped off the day by taking victory in the RHM — the meeting’s most prized trophy.
The result marked five consecutive Suzuki International Series Formula One titles for the newly-turned 33-year-old, along with a fourth straight RHM victory. Rees has now won the series in 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, with the only interruption coming during the COVID-cancelled 2021 season.
The Robert Holden Memorial continues to be synonymous with the Rees family name. Mitch previously won the race in 2022, 2023 and 2024, while his late brother Damon claimed victory in 2020. Their father, Tony Rees, won the iconic race an astonishing seven times between 1990 and 2016.
There was potential for another family showdown this year, with 58-year-old Tony Rees showing strong form early in the series before a crash at Manfeild ruled him out of Whanganui with a broken ankle. In his absence, Porirua’s Rhys Lindsay and Taupiri youngster Jesse Stroud completed the RHM podium.
The Stroud name also carries deep Whanganui history — Jesse’s father Andrew Stroud was the inaugural Suzuki International Series Formula One champion in 2008 and went on to win the RHM at Cemetery Circuit in both 2006 and 2009.
Titles Decided Across the Classes
In Formula Two (Supersport 600), Auckland’s Cameron Leslie delivered a consistent campaign to secure the overall title ahead of Ashton Hughes and Jesse Stroud. Silverdale’s Tyler King was in a class of his own, dominating both Formula Three and Supersport 300 across the series.
One of the most talked-about performances of the entire meeting, however, belonged to Canterbury rider Harriet Grace.
The 24-year-old parts and accessories manager from Christchurch had already celebrated her first career podium with a Supersport 300 second place at Manfeild. At Whanganui, she went one better — winning outright on Boxing Day and becoming the first woman ever to win a solo motorcycle class at the Cemetery Circuit. On a circuit long regarded as a proving ground for New Zealand’s toughest racers, Grace’s victory marked one of the most significant milestones in the event’s modern history.
Local Heroes Shine in the Sidecars
As always, the sidecar racing provided some of the closest and most popular battles of the day, with Whanganui riders heavily represented at the front.
Tokomaru’s Barry Smith, partnered by Whanganui’s Louise Blythe, claimed victory in the F1 sidecars, while the F2 category delivered a hometown podium sweep. Tracey Bryan and Jo Franzen led home sibling duo James and Michael Dowman, followed by father-and-daughter pairing Peter and Lucy Dowman.
Whanganui’s Richie Dibben was untouchable in the supermoto class, qualifying fastest at every round and winning every race of the series aboard his lightly-modified Suzuki RM-Z450 — the only rider to remain unbeaten among more than 200 competitors in 2025.
For the record, the all-female Bryan and Franzen pairing were also undefeated throughout the season in the F2 sidecar class.
A Boxing Day Tradition That Endures
More than seven decades on, the Cemetery Circuit continues to hold a unique place in New Zealand motorsport — a Boxing Day ritual where history, heritage and high-risk racing collide. The 2025 edition once again proved why a win in Whanganui means more than almost anywhere else on the calendar.
2025 Series Winners
Formula One: Mitch Rees (Whakatane)
Formula two/Supersport 600: Cameron Leslie (Auckland)
Formula three: Tyler King (Silverdale)
Supersport 300: Tyler King (Silverdale)
Formula sport, senior, over-600cc: Richard Markham-Barrett (Paraparaumu)
Formula sport, junior, up to 600cc: Jeff Croot (Whanganui)
Pre 89 post classics, senior, over-600cc: Paul Pavletich (Auckland)
Pre 89, post classics junior, under-600cc: Scott Findlay (Auckland) & Martin Gray (Hawera) first equal
Pre 95, post classics senior, over-600cc: Keiran Mair (Upper Hutt)
Pre 95, post classics junior, under-600cc: Eddie Kattenberg (Te Awanga)
F1 sidecars: Barry Smith (Tokomaru) / Louise Blythe (Whanganui)
F2 sidecars: Tracey Bryan & Jo Franzen (Whanganui)
Supermoto: Richie Dibben (Whanganui)
Pre 72 classic solos, Cemetery Circuit only: Jadin Galway (Masterton)
Pre 82 classic sidecars, Cemetery Circuit only: Mark Smith & Graham Wilkinson (Carterton)
Robert Holden Memorial top five: 1. Mitch Rees, 2. Rhys Lindsay, 3. Jesse Stroud, 4. Tahana Parker, 5. Sasha Drain.
The Suzuki International Series is supported by: Suzuki New Zealand, Mondiale VGL, Auto Super Shoppe Tawa, Givi, I-Tools, Bridgestone tyres, Metzeler tyres, Sharp As Linehaul Ltd Whanganui, TSS Motorcycles, Ipone, Inferno Design & Digital, Kiwibike Motorcycle Insurance Specialists, Shark, Barred Up Scaffolding, The Dentists.
Credit: Cemetery Circuit / Pics: ASP
Historic Moment: Harriet Grace Makes Cemetery Circuit History
History was rewritten on Boxing Day at Whanganui’s legendary street race, as Harriet Grace became the first woman ever to win a solo motorcycle class at the iconic Cemetery Circuit.
Competing in the fiercely contested Supersport 300 class, Grace didn’t just claim a milestone victory — she conquered one of the most intimidating circuits in world road racing, where millimetres separate triumph from disaster.
A Circuit That Demands Respect
Raced through the public streets of Whanganui since 1951, Cemetery Circuit is unlike any permanent racetrack in New Zealand. Concrete walls, lamp posts and curbing define the 1.9km layout, and riders routinely reach superbike-level speeds with no room for error.
To win here is to earn instant respect.
To make history here is something else entirely.
From First Podium to First Win
Grace arrived in Whanganui carrying momentum after claiming the first podium of her racing career at Manfeild just two weeks earlier. That second place hinted at what was coming — but few could have predicted what would unfold on Boxing Day.
Lap by lap, Grace held her nerve, made the right tyre calls and executed clean, decisive racecraft on a circuit where mistakes are brutally punished. When she crossed the line, she didn’t just win her class — she entered the history books.
A Win Bigger Than the Result
Grace’s victory marks the first time in the 74-year history of Cemetery Circuit that a woman has won a solo motorcycle class outright. On a circuit long viewed as a proving ground for New Zealand’s toughest racers, the significance was immediate.
Her win stands as a defining moment not only for her own career, but for women in New Zealand road racing.
“I came here wanting to ride my best, but I never imagined I’d be the first woman to win a race here,” Grace said.
“I hope this shows other girls that they can line up, push hard, and make their own history too.
If I can win on the Cemetery Circuit, we can win anywhere.”
Changing What’s Possible
Cemetery Circuit has always been about bravery, commitment and precision. Harriet Grace proved on Boxing Day that those qualities know no gender — only talent, preparation and belief.
Her name now sits permanently alongside the legends of Whanganui street racing, and her victory sends a clear message to the next generation watching from behind the barriers:
You belong here.
Cemetery Circuit FAQ
What is the Cemetery Circuit?
The Cemetery Circuit is a 1.9km street circuit in Whanganui, raced annually on Boxing Day and regarded as one of New Zealand’s most iconic and challenging motorcycle road races. The name comes from the fact that the circuit navigates around the Whanganui cemetery which is positioned within the race track.
Why is Cemetery Circuit raced on Boxing Day?
Boxing Day racing has been a Whanganui tradition since the early 1950s, becoming a major summer motorsport event and festival for riders and spectators.
What is the Suzuki International Series?
The Suzuki International Series is a pre-Christmas motorcycle road racing championship held across multiple North Island circuits, traditionally finishing at Cemetery Circuit. With many international riders using the Southern Hemisphere race series to keep their race craft fresh during the Northern Hemisphere off season, the series has recently seen the likes of Guy Martin, Davey Todd and Peter Hickman competing with the local Kiwi talent.
What is the Robert Holden Memorial Race?
The Robert Holden Memorial is the premier feature race at Cemetery Circuit, open to top Formula One/Superbike riders and considered one of NZ’s most prestigious street race wins. Robert Holden was a successful Kiwi motorcycle racer who had many victories and won various national titles, including the New Zealand Formula One championship twice, once in 1983-84 and again in 1986-87, while also embarking on international campaigns starting with Australia and Canada. At the Cemetery Circuit, Robert managed a staggering 47 wins, 22 second places and 22 thirds throughout his career. Unfortunately, Robert was killed after crashing at Glen Helen during practice week at the Isle of Man TT on 31 May 1996. His ashes were scattered at his much loved Cemetery Circuit.
Why is Cemetery Circuit considered dangerous?
The circuit runs through public streets lined with concrete walls, poles and curbing, offering no run-off and demanding absolute precision at high speed.
Harriet Grace FAQ
Who is Harriet Grace?
Harriet Grace is a New Zealand road racer competing in Supersport 300, steadily progressing through club, regional and national competition.
What did Harriet Grace achieve at Whanganui?
She became the first woman to win a solo motorcycle class at the Cemetery Circuit in its 74-year history.
Why is this win significant?
Cemetery Circuit is regarded as one of the most challenging street races in the Southern Hemisphere, making Grace’s victory a major milestone for women in motorsport.
