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State of Origin III, 9pm tonightTeen Kiwi Enduro champion set for off-road motorcycling’s biggest stage
Erin Speedy • July 8th, 2026 4:54 pm
Blake Affleck | Photo: Derek Morrison/MNZ
18-year-old Blake Affleck is the country’s 2026 Enduro Champion and has been selected as this week’s Rural Sportsperson of the Week for Sport Nation's The Rural Roundup.
Racing a Honda 250RX, he took out the overall title after a tough battle.
Having finished fourth after losing a foot peg in an early race, Affleck won the final three rounds and claimed the overall Championship.
Having finished fourth after losing a foot peg in an early race, Affleck won the final three rounds and claimed the overall Championship.
“It’s a pretty big one for me, only being young too," Affleck said.
"This is my second year, I had a bit of tough luck last year, so fair bit to work through this year too, but I managed to get it done, so I was stoked.”
In October, he will be part of the team pulling on the black jersey to represent the New Zealand team at what’s known as the Olympics of off-road motorcycling, the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Portugal.
Blake Affleck competing in the MX3 Cup at the 2026 New Zealand Motocross Championships | Photo: MNZ/Derek Morrison
This year is the 100th anniversary of the ISDE, bringing together the world’s best enduro riders for six demanding days of racing, testing speed, endurance, consistency and mechanical skill, racing for around eight hours a day, sometimes travelling up to 280kms in a day.
Last year, Affleck was also part of the New Zealand team and finished six days in Italy battered, bruised and broken.
A crash on day three dislocated his thumb, fractured his elbow, collarbone and shoulder blade, but he kept riding.
A hard landing the next day dislocated his shoulder and he also bit part of his tongue off, and still kept going.
“I'd done so much training and so many people had helped me and put money into it, I wasn't giving up. It was going to let the team down too, because once one rider pulls out, the whole team's buggered, so I was like, nah.”
Blake Affleck at the 2026 New Zealand Motocross Championships | Photo: Derek Morrison/MNZ
Right now, he’s recovering from a dislocated ankle and tendon injuries after playing rugby for Owaka – just 100 days out from competing in the ISDE 2026.
“I just got to go, I love it. I keep hurting myself playing rugby, so motorbikes is what it's be going back to and I've just always ridden. I've got awesome farm land to train and ride on, and all my mates flat out race bikes, so that's all I know and do really - it's just bikes.”
From a sheep and beef farm at the bottom of the South Island in the Catlins, Affleck competed for the first time at 12 years old and was hooked.
Listen to the full interview below:
