Josh Coppins enters his third season with the Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team in 2009 and has been a Grand Prix winner in his two previous campaigns with the YZ450FM. In both 2007 and 2008 he was jostling for the MX1-GP title up until the final rounds and not only remains one of the fastest and most popular riders within the FIM series but also one of the most professional and hard-working.

2007 was a memorable first year for Josh and Yamaha but was ultimately struck by misfortune. He led the Rider’s standings for all but one of the fifteen Grand Prix in the 2007 MX1 World Championship. The New Zealander looked set to give the Yamaha Motocross Team a successful title defence but a stroke of poor luck led to a shoulder injury and ended his hopes. As the winner of the most Grand Prix (five), most motos (nine) and leader of the highest number of laps (almost double that of his next nearest rival) in ’07, it was an admirable set of achievements ruined by an unjust finale.

Coppins has been an ever-present competitor on the Grand Prix stage since moving over from his native New Zealand in the mid-1990s and entering the 250cc World Championship as a privateer in 1996. He credits this vast distance from his home, family and friends as being one of the main motivating forces behind his constant application and determination to succeed.

Thanks to solid speed and early promise, backed up by a consistency that would become one of his main strengths, Josh reached the status of a factory-supported competitor in 2000 where he entered the top five of the final classification for the first time. He switched brands at the end of 2001 and his career really started to hit the heights. Living in Belgium and adopting a new training regime, Coppins started to become a regular on the 250cc podium and pushed former team-mate Mickael Pichon hard for the title; ultimately finishing second.

Moving onto a 450 four-stroke for the MX-GP class (a forerunner to MX1) in 2003 Coppins had elevated himself into the position of a championship contender. Sadly due to a serious pre-season injury to his back and ankle while practicing supercross he missed the first few Grand Prix. The resilient Kiwi recovered however to race again that same campaign eventually placing 12th. The inauguration of the MX1-GP category in 2004 saw the 29 year old still bearing the physical afflictions of the previous year’s crash but Coppins was once more a protagonist and celebrated an overdue and emotional first Grand Prix victory on the Isle of Wight in England on the way to 3rd position overall.

The following term in ’05 witnessed further progression as he was Stefan Everts’ closest pursuer for the MX1 crown and beat the legendary Belgian on two occasions (Sweden and South Africa) from sixteen rounds. The momentum gathered that season should have run into 2006 but five months of hard work over the winter was lost when a fall during practice led to a dislocated shoulder one week before the opening Grand Prix. Coppins missed the first seven races of the calendar but scored an impressive 3rd place on his return at the British Grand Prix and then missed the podium only once in the next seven events. In that period he became the only rider to beat a ruthless Everts that year after a close duel in Northern Ireland.

Coppins added a winning-edge to his reliable regularity (that included four top three finishes in the last six premier class world championships) once he joined up with Yamaha for 2007. A resolute maiden triumph came at Valkenswaard for the season-opener and he set the pace for the championship with further victories, totalling three from the first four meetings. He went on to walk the podium nine times and led the standings by more than one hundred points with just four rounds remaining until sustaining a broken shoulder at the Czech Grand Prix. Despite trying every method of rehabilitation available, Coppins was not fit enough to return and defend his advantage. He lost the lead in the series with only two motos of thirty left to run and in the eyes of many was a deserving uncrowned champion.

2008 should have seen his thwarted ambitions realised, but a blameless pre-season injury resulted in a damaged foot and was the first of several problems to disrupt his year. He was dominant with two moto wins and overall success in Germany and also made the podium in Portugal and France. Coppins was in the hunt for the title along with his team-mate up until round fourteen of fifteen.

After signing a contract extension midway through 2008, he now has unfinished business with Yamaha and the MX1-GP championship in 2009. Articulate and friendly, as well as becoming a new father for the first time recently, Coppins continues to be a worthy ambassador for the Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team.