December 23rd 2025: Dusty road

For the past 10 days, I've been roaming the North Island for a film project with some of New Zealand's best motocross riders. I've met some really cool characters along the way and reconnected with many from my early days racing dirt bikes. 

One character is Cody Cooper, who grew up in Opotiki. He was just starting out in his career back in the early 2000s when he came to stay with me at Dee Why on his way into the race teams of Australia. He was this super nice kid with a really mellow demeanour – hardly what you'd imagine a pro motocrosser to be. But he was fast and became one of the top riders in Aussie and represented New Zealand at the Motocross des Nations on several occasions. 

He also raced in the US, which dominated motocross at that time. In 2008, at Unadilla, he came the closest any rider came to ending James "Bubba" Stewart's perfect AMA motocross season. Bubba was untouchable that season, but Coops came close to rattling his cage. 

A few months back, Cody and his wife Kiri welcomed baby Iris into their world. He's 42 now and still races MX2 – he keeps the young guns honest. He dedicates his week to coaching the next generation as they come through the ranks. You'd be hard-pressed to get a better role model. 

To see both ends of his journey makes me feel so stoked for him. The pathway of a motocross rider is so challenging, but to see him thriving in the twilight of his own successful race career is pretty special and something to celebrate. 

See you at the beach ... Derek

PS Merry Christmas to you all. Thank you for all your messages throughout the year, supporting my mahi by buying my photography and for sharing my weekly dose of stoke with friends and family. It has been a challenging year, but it has also been an exciting one, and I can't help but think we have a great 2026 on its way. Arohanui.