Age no barrier in rider’s quest for title | Canterbury Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Canterbury

The joints may be creaking, but old campaigner Dennis Charlett has sent out a message to the young guns that he's out to regain the 600cc sports production title when the national road racing series starts with the NZGP round at Ruapuna this weekend.

The 41-year-old won the title two years ago but finished fourth in last year's series. Big crashes at Teretonga and Levels pulled him down the order.

Since then he's been troubled by a hip injury - "but I don't feel it when I'm on the track."

Helping his bid to regain the title, Charlett has a new Suzuki GSXR 600 this season, and backing from Suzuki NZ and Avon City Suzuki.

And he starts in hot form after totting up five victories in seven rides in the New Year street meeting at Nelson.

"Racing on the streets is completely different to racing on the road, but it was good to have a win. And we want to win the series this year - there's no doubt about that!"

Charlett came back to Christchurch in 2007 after four years in Australia, where he won the South Australian state title two years on end.

He's won three or four NZGP titles, and before going to Australia raced superbikes, with a season's best of fourth overall in the national series.

In the 600s, where 30 riders could be on the grid this season, he's one of the oldest.

"They have a lot of young guys," he said. "It's a breeding ground for the superbike class."

Aussie rider Robbie Bugden is chasing his fourth consecutive success in the New Zealand superbike championship this season, but Charlett admits he'd like to see his old rival and seven times champion Andrew Stroud win it.

"He's an older fellow as well, and he came from Christchurch, too!" he said.