It's been a difficult title defence for Marton Suzuki rider Cam Smith this season.
Plagued by a string off injuries and problems with dehydration, the 32-year-old Smith has nonetheless refused to back off or give up.
And the Rangikitei sheep and beef farmer who so convincingly won the national cross-country motorcycle title last season had another big fight on his hands at the weekend.
It was an absolute thriller at the third round of four in this year's Suzuki New Zealand Cross-country Championships, just south of Nelson on Saturday, as the Marton man and old foe Adrian Smith (no relation) battled back and forth in some of the hottest racing seen in New Zealand this season.
Taranaki's Adrian Smith eventually won the day but he certainly came under the blowtorch from his namesake over the first two-thirds of the three-hour race.
"I'm definitely on the pace," said Cam Smith. "Everything was going great for the first couple of hours at Nelson and Adrian and I had built up a great lead over the other riders.
"But then I ran out of water in my camel-bak (hydration back-pack) and I suddenly got very tired and dropped back. I'm disappointed at finishing eighth and frustrated too. The bike is great, so I have no problems there."
Closing in fast on Adrian Smith near the end, however, were two other riders who are in contention for the overall title this season -- round one winner Adam Reeves (Yamaha) and round two winner Mark Penny (Suzuki RM-Z450).
Pahiatua's Reeves and Te Awamutu's Penny eventually finished second and third respectively.
There's virtually nothing to separate the top four or five riders at the top of the standings and whomever wins at the final round near Ashhurst in just over a week will most likely take the title.
Riders must count only three of the four rounds and that therefore also puts Cam Smith in position to strike for the podium.
"I guess I had a perfect season last year -- winning both the national enduro title and the national cross-country crown -- I suppose you just can't win them all," said Cam Smith afterwards.
"I'm pinning my hopes on getting a good result at Ashhurst. I need a win there to get myself onto the podium and that also depends a little on where the other guys finish. But I'm not giving up."
In the battle of the women, Invercargill's Kylie Dorr (Suzuki RM250) still leads the series, but she finished runner-up to Raetihi's Letitia Alabaster (Yamaha YZF250) on Saturday and it will also be a close run for the title between these two at Ashhurst.
In junior racing at Nelson, Napier's Lance O'Dea (Suzuki RM-Z250) won ahead of Raetihi's Charles Alabaster (Yamaha YZF250) and, as with the senior riders and the women, it will go down to the wire at Ashhurst on June 6.
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