Local drivers took top spots in several classes at the 4x4 Manawahe National Finals on Saturday, and the Young Competitor of the Year award.

Drivers had competed in six rounds to reach the national titles.

The overall national title went to Jared Biggs and his co-driver, Whakatāne’s Fletch Crawford in their Hot Wheels truck. The pair also came third overall on the day of the finals.

C-class was taken out by Edgecumbe driver Shayne Towers and his co-driver, Tony Hanland, who won on the day having gone into the finals in first place. They also came first in class Northern Zone.

In the same class, Eastern Bay Twin Diff Club members Rhys O’Brien and co-driver Clary Vazey came third, and fifth in their class for the season.

Eastern Bay Twin Diff Club members Paul and Danielle Taylor came first in F Class on Saturday, and for the season.

In D-Class, Wayne and Tayla Weatherly came fourth for the day, and 7th overall, while Gary West and Carl Morris came 13th on the day and 14th for the season.

Towers said this year’s finals held in Whakatāne was voted the best event of the season by competitors.

Counties 4 Wheelers took out club of the year, with Eastern Bay Twin Diff coming in second.

Taylor said the conditions on Saturday were perfect and made for good spectator viewing.

Drivers were pushing their trucks to their limits to secure final placings in the season, with “spectacular” hazards involving navigating up steep hills and launching over banks.

“The crowd would not have been disappointed with a few gnarly rolls,” he said.

Taylor and Danielle ended up rolling twice down a hill in their second hazard but were able to walk away from the tumble unscathed and finish the round – not before asking if anyone had caught the roll on camera.

The father daughter team said their highlight was being able to compete in the nationals with each other.

Danielle is hoping she can talk Taylor into competing again next season.

She took home the Young Competitor of the Year award.

“That’s an achievement, I’m real proud,” Taylor said.

He said they now have a collection of “heaps of trophies” to commemorate the season.