- The 2026 Star Insure NZ Superbike Championship reaches its season finale at Taupō International Motorsport Park, where six national titles will be decided.
- Promoter Mike Marsden is focused on restoring the mana of the championship and prestige of historic trophies including the NZ Grand Prix and NZ Tourist Trophy.
- A new Aaron Slight Championship Trophy, modelled on the Kiwi World Superbike legend, will be awarded to the Superbike champion.
The 2026 Star Insure New Zealand Superbike Championship heads to its Taupō finale this weekend with six titles and the iconic NZ Tourist Trophy on the line — as promoter Mike Marsden continues his mission to restore the mana of New Zealand’s most historic racing trophies.
The 2026 Star Insure New Zealand Superbike Championship heads to its season finale this weekend at Taupō International Motorsport Park, where six national titles and the prestigious New Zealand Tourist Trophy (NZTT) will be decided.
But beyond the on-track drama, the series’ revival under promoter Mike Marsden has been about something bigger — restoring the mana and prestige of New Zealand’s most historic motorcycle racing titles.
When Marsden took over the championship, he made it clear that rebuilding the reputation of the national series — and its iconic trophies — would be central to its future.
That vision has already begun to take shape this season.
Both the New Zealand Grand Prix and the newly introduced Aaron Slight Trophy were contested in front of record crowds at Ruapuna in January and again at Hampton Downs last weekend, highlighting the renewed momentum behind the championship.
Behind the scenes, a number of structural changes have helped lift the standard of competition. Increased promotion of the series and the introduction of a control Bridgestone tyre have tightened the racing and helped level the playing field across the field.
The result has been some of the most competitive racing seen in the championship for years.
Honouring the Legends
Marsden says restoring the prestige of national titles sits at the heart of rebuilding the championship.
“In my view, the prestige of winning a national title has to come before everything else,” he says.
“Riders must see winning a title as a major achievement and aspire to winning one, a title that is respected globally and can be a stepping stone onto the international scene.”
As part of that commitment, the championship has unveiled a new centrepiece trophy — the Aaron Slight Championship Trophy.
Created with the support of the legendary Kiwi World Superbike star, the striking handcrafted 3D trophy is modelled in the likeness of Slight and will be awarded to the winner of the premier Superbike class at Sunday’s end-of-season prizegiving.
The trophy represents another step in strengthening the identity and heritage of the series while inspiring the next generation of riders.
“That’s part of what NZSBK is about — building a future for young riders while paying respect to those who came before,” Marsden says.
“Contesting meaningful prestigious titles and trophies is critical to restoring the health of the series.”
A Unique Kiwi Tradition
New Zealand’s domestic championship holds a rare place in international motorcycle racing.
Unlike many countries, New Zealand still awards historic titles such as the NZ Grand Prix and NZ Tourist Trophy outside of world championship events — something Marsden believes is a privilege that must be protected.
“New Zealand is almost unique in still being able to award titles like the NZ GP and NZ TT outside of world championship events,” he says.
“We need to protect that privilege and make sure the riders who win those titles are truly worthy of them.”
All eyes now turn to Taupō International Motorsport Park, where the 2026 championship will reach its climax and the country’s top riders will battle for national glory — and the honour of adding their names to New Zealand motorcycling’s most storied trophies.
For more details and to buy tickets for Motomania on March 14/15 for the final round of NZSBK, head to: https://www.nzsuperbikeseries.co.nz/motomania
