New Zealand’s newest world champion is just 14 years old.

Yamaha racer Levi Townley, son of established racer Ben Townley, is the first Kiwi rider to win a world junior motocross title.

Victory didn’t come easily. He had to conquer the unfamiliar deep sand of the Dutch Kamperweg Heerde circuit and a throng of fast European and American rivals. Townley was the furthest-travelled rider at the event and a wrist injury almost put him out of the event.

Ben, Levi and his brother Jaggar, 12, who also decided to come over to compete in the 85cc class to get some top-level experience, arrived in Europe three weeks ago but the build-up did not go to plan.

“I didn’t think I was going to be racing. About a week ago I thought I broke my wrist, but it turned out to be bad bruising down to the bone.”

Just when time on the bike was critical, he was off the bike for a whole week.

In the first race, Austrian Moritz Ernecker took the holeshot and held the early lead from Townley and French rider Sleny Goyer.

On lap five, Ernecker lost the frontrunner position, giving Levi a lead he would not relinquish.

“I got a really good start in the first race and came around second and ended up leading by halfway and won that moto. So that set the day up and the weekend really well to win,” Townley said.

Levi says the wrist didn’t trouble him during the race.

“I think the adrenalin just took over.”

Deep sand on the first day had scoured out for the second day.

Estonian Lucas Leok took the lead into turn one and was not challenged.

Behind him, Casey Karstrom of Denmark put his Yamaha into second initially, before local rider Dex van den Broek completed a charge from outside the top five to claim second in the race.

It was Levi Townley who fought through to be third.

“I didn’t get the best start in the second moto, but then I rode pretty good and came from outside the top 10 to third and that was enough to win the world championship. That was pretty cool when I crossed the line!” Townley said.