2024 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC)
Rounds 1 & 2 – Roma, Queensland
By Troy Pears and TH
The rural town of Roma in outback Queensland, six hours from Brisbane, came alive with the excitement of the nation’s top enduro talent on March 9-10 as it hosted the inaugural two rounds of the 2024 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship presented by MXstore (AORC).
With an impressive turnout of almost 250 entries, including over 30 women, Roma served as the launching point for the 18th season of the AORC.
The Roma rounds were run in time-trial style over short 12-15 minute sprint loops, resembling a variety of special tests that included everything from creek beds to bulldust to rocky sections.
After a trying couple of seasons in Europe, Daniel Milner is back to assert his dominance on home soil once again in Australia’s premier off-road motorcycling competition.
Milner is on a 450 EXC-F with KTM backing for 2024 under his own DM31 Racing Team banner. His mission got off to a successful start in Roma. The Victorian dominated the opening day of competition outright and also scored E2 class honours by over a minute ahead of Jonte Reynders on a Sherco 300 SEF.
With 2023 AORC Champion Josh Green now retired, Kyron Bacon spearheads the Yamaha charge in 2024. Bacon emerged victorious in E1 on day one astride a Yamaha WR250F and finished second outright as AORC season ’24 kicked off with round one.
KTM 500 EXC-F mounted Riley McGillivray took E3 honours ahead of Stefan Granquist (Husqvarna) and Fraser Higlett (Beta) on Saturday.
Jess Gardiner topped the Women’s category, while Jett Arnold handed Yamaha more success in EJ as AORC season 2024 got underway.
Round One Senior Top 20
| Pos | Competitor | Class | Total Time |
| 1 | Daniel MILNER | E2 | 51:33.4 |
| 2 | Kyron BACON | E1 | 52:33.7 |
| 3 | Jonte REYNDERS | E2 | 52:37.8 |
| 4 | Cooper SHEIDOW | E1 | 53:05.8 |
| 5 | Korey MCMAHON | E1 | 53:09.0 |
| 6 | William DENNETT | E2 | 53:15.2 |
| 7 | Riley MCGILLIVRAY | E3 | 53:43.1 |
| 8 | Andrew WILKSCH | E2 | 54:02.4 |
| 9 | Beau RALSTON | E2 | 54:10.4 |
| 10 | Stefan GRANQUIST | E3 | 54:22.9 |
| 11 | Fraser HIGLETT | E3 | 54:30.0 |
| 12 | Tom BUXTON | E1 | 54:53.5 |
| 13 | Billy HARGY | E3 | 54:54.0 |
| 14 | Jett YARNOLD | EJ | 54:57.7 |
| 15 | Jeremy CARPENTIER | E2 | 55:17.6 |
| 16 | Harrison TEED | E2 | 55:41.7 |
| 17 | William PRICE | E1 | 55:48.6 |
| 18 | Jye DICKSON | E3 | 56:03.0 |
| 19 | Ben KEARNS | E2 | 56:27.1 |
E1 – Round One
Kyron Bacon showcased his prowess with a 30-second lead over fellow WR250F pilot Cooper Sheidow.
Korey McMahon of GASGAS secured the bronze position with impressive times throughout the day to run Sheidow close while Kiwi Tom Buxton finished fourth.
E1 (100cc-200cc 2/ & 150cc-250cc 4/) Results
| Pos | Competitor | Total Time |
| 1 | Kyron BACON | 52:33.7 |
| 2 | Cooper SHEIDOW | 53:05.8 |
| 3 | Korey MCMAHON | 53:09.0 |
| 4 | Tom BUXTON | 54:53.5 |
| 5 | William PRICE | 55:48.6 |
| 6 | Brock NICHOLS | 57:29.9 |
| 7 | Thomas TEED | 58:00.7 |
E2 – Round One
Following the initial test, 450 EXC-F mounted Milner asserted his dominance and maintained it throughout all four tests staged on the opening day, ahead of Jonte Reynders on a Sherco 300 SEF.
WR450F mounted Will Dennett stepped up from the junior ranks to join the big boys in 2024 and rounded out the E2 rostrum on day one.
E2 (220cc-250cc 2/ & 275cc-450cc 4/) Results
| Pos | Rider | Time |
| 1 | Daniel MILNER | 51:33.4 |
| 2 | Jonte REYNDERS | 52:37.8 |
| 3 | William DENNETT | 53:15.2 |
| 4 | Andrew WILKSCH | 54:02.4 |
| 5 | Beau RALSTON | 54:10.4 |
| 6 | Jeremy CARPENTIER | 55:17.6 |
| 7 | Harrison TEED | 55:41.7 |
| 8 | Ben KEARNS | 56:27.1 |
| 9 | Joshua WHITEHEAD | 57:36.6 |
| 10 | Deegan GRAHAM | 57:47.5 |
E3 – Round One
KTM 500 EXC-F mounted Riley McGillivray shone brightly in Roma, unaffected by the challenging conditions and technical track. Securing first place in E3, the Victorian finished with a total time of 53:43.104, establishing a commanding lead of nearly 40-seconds ahead of the competition.
Stefan Granquist was engaged in a fierce battle for second place, pitting his Husky 501 against Beta’s Fraser Higlett. Throughout the day, the two competitors battled it out in the Queensland heat, with Granquist ultimately clinching second by just over seven-seconds after four tests.
E3 (290cc-500cc 2/ & 475cc-650cc 4/) Results
| Pos | Rider | Time |
| 1 | Riley MCGILLIVRAY | 53:43.1 |
| 2 | Stefan GRANQUIST | 54:22.9 |
| 3 | Fraser HIGLETT | 54:30.0 |
| 4 | Billy HARGY | 54:54.0 |
| 5 | Jye DICKSON | 56:03.0 |
| 6 | Campbell HALL | 56:34.8 |
| 7 | Luke CHELLAS | 57:31.6 |
| 8 | Jaiden TREASURE | 58:22.0 |
| 9 | Patrick MCGILLIVRAY | 58:22.4 |
EW – Round One
The EW category piqued the interest of many with young Danielle McDonald joining the seniors ranks to take on the established stars of the category. The demanding obstacles challenged most riders, and after four runs, McDonald secured a third-place finish on the JGR WR250F.
Reigning EW Champion Gardiner showcased her prowess with a dominant performance on another JGR WR250F to take the outright honours on day one over Husqvarna’s Emelie Karlsson.
EW (Women) All Powers Results
| Pos | Rider | Time |
| 1 | Jessica GARDINER | 1:01:23.100 |
| 2 | Emelie KARLSSON | 1:02:20.150 |
| 3 | Danielle MCDONALD | 1:02:29.949 |
| 4 | Ebony NIELSEN | 1:02:41.020 |
| 5 | Nenah CHADWICK | 1:12:34.775 |
| 6 | Emily BIELENBERG | 1:12:58.545 |
| 7 | Fynleh DUNCOMBE | 1:16:49.649 |
| 8 | Chelsea REID | 1:29:33.076 |
EJ – Round One
With 2023 Junior Champ Will Dennett stepping up to the E2 ranks for 2024, the way is open for the next crop of youngsters to step and challenge for the EJ crown.
Yamaha’s Jett Yarnold was the first to step up as the heir apparent, winning the opening day of season 2024 by almost two-minutes.
The closest chaser was Husqvarna’s Eli Tripcony, who enjoyed a decent advantage over third-placed Oliver Paterno.
EJ (16 to U18) All Powers Results
| Pos | Rider | Time |
| 1 | Jett YARNOLD | 54:57.7 |
| 2 | Eli TRIPCONY | 56:48.7 |
| 3 | Oliver PATERNO | 58:12.1 |
| 4 | Jackson VERSTEEGEN | 58:53.8 |
| 5 | Cody HOWELL | 59:19.2 |
| 6 | Davey GEAR | 59:38.5 |
| 7 | Tomas PORTO | 1:0:33.774 |
| 8 | Ryan JORDAN | 1:01:01.246 |
| 9 | Cruiz RIKYS | 1:01:29.866 |
| 10 | Jagger SENIOR | 1:02:43.529 |
Round Two – Sunday
On Sunday, Daniel Milner again took top honours, but this time around was run a little closer by Bacon.
Teenager Danielle McDonald secured her first-ever EW victory, outpacing experienced JGR Ballards team-mate Jess Gardiner in a Yamaha 1-2.
Round 2 Senior Top 20
| Pos | Competitor | Class | Total Time |
| 1 | Daniel MILNER | E2 | 48:03.3 |
| 2 | Kyron BACON | E1 | 48:39.0 |
| 3 | Jonte REYNDERS | E2 | 49:33.4 |
| 4 | Korey MCMAHON | E1 | 50:02.4 |
| 5 | William DENNETT | E2 | 50:03.5 |
| 6 | Tom BUXTON | E1 | 50:13.1 |
| 7 | Andrew WILKSCH | E2 | 50:14.6 |
| 8 | Riley MCGILLIVRAY | E3 | 50:22.9 |
| 9 | Cooper SHEIDOW | E1 | 51:00.6 |
| 10 | Billy HARGY | E3 | 51:15.7 |
| 11 | Fraser HIGLETT | E3 | 51:31.0 |
| 12 | Stefan GRANQUIST | E3 | 51:40.0 |
| 13 | Jeremy CARPENTIER | E2 | 51:47.8 |
| 14 | Beau RALSTON | E2 | 52:15.3 |
| 15 | Harrison TEED | E2 | 52:28.6 |
| 16 | Ben KEARNS | E2 | 52:53.1 |
| 17 | William PRICE | E1 | 53:02.9 |
| 18 | Jett YARNOLD | EJ | 53:15.1 |
| 19 | Brock NICHOLS | E1 | 53:55.5 |
| 20 | Joshua WHITEHEAD | E2 | 54:11.5 |
E1 Round Two
Tasmanian Kyron Bacon continued to exert his dominance of the E1 category on Sunday.
Kyron Bacon
“It was a pretty good start to the championship, and I felt better as the days went on. The first test on Saturday wasn’t good as I just overrode the track and, as a result, lost my back brake, and then my arms pumped up, but I settled down after that and was able to build with every lap.
“It’s awesome to be back racing again, and the team did a great job with the bike. The tests had a bit of everything, so it was a good way to start the year, but also, there are some things I can improve on before the next round. I want to start my days better and be more consistent across the day to keep the pressure on Daniel, so it’s back to Tasmania to get a few things straightened out and be ready for the next rounds at Mt Misery.”
GASGAS rider Korey McMahon was his closest challenger, the 24-year-old stepping up his pace on the EC 250F across the second day of competition.
Korey McMahon
“I’m just coming back from a shoulder reconstruction and haven’t had enough time to get 100 per cent used to the new chassis on my EC 250F, so as a result, this weekend became a bit of a learning weekend for us. While the results are a bit frustrating, we learned a lot and improved the bike settings as the weekend went on. Considering I’ve been off the bike for two and a half months, I can’t complain about being second in the championship and to be near the podium overall as well. We’ll go to Victoria now and do some more testing, learn more about the bike, and get ourselves ready for Mount Misery next month!”
New Zealand’s Tom Buxton took third on Sunday ahead of Cooper Sheidow. The 25-year-old Kiwi is racing under Milner’s DM31 Team banner for 2024.
Tom Buxton
“I’m really happy with how my weekend went. I struggled a bit yesterday with nerves, arm-pump, and getting into the flow of things, then today I was more relaxed. Even though I’m not used to the hot and dusty conditions, today’s test had a technical creek section that I could make up some good time through. The pace in Australia is definitely a big step up from New Zealand and I now know some areas I can build on. I’ll head back home this week for the last round of the Sprint series there, then I’ll try and set myself up with a base in Australia for the rest of the season.”
E1 (100cc-200cc 2/ & 150cc-250cc 4/) Results – Top 10
| Pos | Rider | Time |
| 1 | Kyron BACON | 48:39.0 |
| 2 | Korey MCMAHON | 50:02.4 |
| 3 | Tom BUXTON | 50:13.1 |
| 4 | Cooper SHEIDOW | 51:00.6 |
| 5 | William PRICE | 53:02.9 |
| 6 | Brock NICHOLS | 53:55.5 |
| 7 | Thomas TEED | 54:31.6 |
| 8 | Thomas FOSTER | 1:01:06.540 |
| 9 | William EDWARD | 1:01:24.167 |
E2 Round 2
Securing the fastest overall time on Sunday, along with consecutive victories in the E2 class, Milner has settled back in on Australian soil as a force to be reckoned with in 2024.
Daniel Milner
“It feels good to be back on the KTM and to be racing in Australia again. I didn’t really enjoy my time racing with different teams in Europe, but now I feel comfortable and strong again, and can push where I need to push. The weekend went really well, with two outright and E2 wins in two days. I had a lay-down in the last test yesterday, then had another one today that shook me up a bit, but apart from that, it was exciting to be back out there and picking up where I left off a few years ago. Hopefully this year I can give the boys someone to chase and get the speed of Australian racers up.”
Jonte Reynders was again the runner-up in E2 on Sunday aboard the Sherco 300 SEF.
Jonte Reynders
“I made a few mistakes and didn’t really feel like I got the best out of myself this weekend. Overall, we have a lot of positives to take away. Last year, I started the season with 4-3 finishes, so to go 2-2 this year is a solid start! We’ll continue to build and look to go one better at Mount Misery.”
Yamaha’s Will Dennett completed his first AORC round as a senior on the podium with third place on a WR450F.
Will Dennett
“I said coming into the weekend that my goal was to be on the podium in E2 and being inside the top five for Outright, so I went close to that, and I’m happy with how the weekend went. It was a lot to take in as it was the first event working closely with the team and also racing with the pro’s, but I enjoyed it and can take a lot from it and hopefully improve a little each round from here. My bike was awesome all weekend and had no major issues apart from a couple of crashes. The club did a great job at the event, and I can’t wait for the next round.”
Making a comeback after recent knee surgery, Andy Wilksch took out fourth on the Beta RR 350.
E2 (220cc-250cc 2/ & 275cc-450cc 4/) Results – Top 10
| Pos | Rider | Time |
| 1 | Daniel MILNER | 48:03.3 |
| 2 | Jonte REYNDERS | 49:33.4 |
| 3 | William DENNETT | 50:03.5 |
| 4 | Andrew WILKSCH | 50:14.6 |
| 5 | Jeremy CARPENTIER | 51:47.8 |
| 6 | Beau RALSTON | 52:15.3 |
| 7 | Harrison TEED | 52:28.6 |
| 8 | Ben KEARNS | 52:53.1 |
| 9 | Joshua WHITEHEAD | 54:11.5 |
| 10 | Toé FUGIER | 54:35.8 |
E3 Round Two
KTM-supported McGillivray began 2024 in the same way he finished last year, by winning both days of Sprint format racing to re-establish himself as the rider to beat in the big-bore category.
The Victorian stayed calm and composed in tricky conditions to finish Saturday’s opening round 40 seconds ahead of the chasing pack. Day two saw him again lead from the front and finish with a comfortable 52-second advantage on the 500 EXC-F.
Riley McGillivray
“I only got back from a six-week trip to the US a couple of weeks ago, so I hadn’t had much time on the new KTM 500 EXC-F. Because of that, I just wanted to stay consistent and get good points this weekend. I rode pretty conservatively, but still as fast as I could because you’ll never win a championship at the opening rounds, but you can definitely lose it. Taking a double-class win and not hitting the deck all weekend was a good reward. It was pretty brutal out there – today’s test had a kilometre-long rock garden down a dry creek bed, and by the end of the day, it was really chewed out. All in all, it was a solid weekend, and I’m looking forward to having a round closer to home next month.”
Second place in E3 went to 18-year-old Billy Hargy. The Simford-backed rider from Wauchope got on better terms with the track and his Husky 501 on Sunday, going two positions better than he managed on Saturday.
Billy Hargy
“I’ve only had the big Husqvarna FE 501 for a few weeks, so I’m still learning how to ride it – it’s a whole different ball-game! Yesterday was a bit slow and I was still feeling out the bike, but today I felt I had more flow and it was a track I could ride well. To be honest, I’m quite relieved to get the first weekend out of the way and to score some good points. I know I have the speed now, so we’ll go down and do some suspension testing this week, spend some more time riding the bike, and see if we can get an even better result at the next round.”
Experienced Queenslander Fraser Higlett was in hot pursuit of Hargy. The Beta R 480 rider secured a consecutive third-place finish in E3 after outpacing Stefan Granquist (Husqvarna) for a spot on the podium.
E3 (290cc-500cc 2/ & 475cc-650cc 4/) Results – Top 10
| Pos | Rider | Time |
| 1 | Riley MCGILLIVRAY | 50:22.9 |
| 2 | Billy HARGY | 51:15.7 |
| 3 | Fraser HIGLETT | 51:31.0 |
| 4 | Stefan GRANQUIST | 51:40.0 |
| 5 | Jye DICKSON | 54:16.8 |
| 6 | Campbell HALL | 54:22.8 |
| 7 | Luke CHELLAS | 54:45.8 |
| 8 | Jaiden TREASURE | 55:22.1 |
| 9 | Adam GILES | 55:42.6 |
| 10 | Patrick MCGILLIVRAY | 55:48.5 |
EW Round Two
The second day of competition presented some challenges for Jess Gardiner. The defending champion got tangled with a downed rider, and then a fall for herself put her on the back foot.
Stepping up to the fore was Danielle McDonald. The 16-year-old celebrated her maiden class victory to establish herself as a serious championship contender and beat her team manager to the line. Nonetheless, Gardiner was happy to see the success of her young charge.
Jessica Gardiner
“I love this. It was a tough weekend to start the championship with the heat, but it was nice to get the win on day one after such a busy off-season. And I am just as excited for Danielle to get her first win as well. She is going to be a great competitor and even on the weekend, she adjusted quickly to the tougher conditions in the senior racing and improved a lot. Also, I would like to acknowledge all the women and junior girls who showed up to race this weekend. It was so good to see over thirty female riders at this round, and I hope they all enjoyed themselves and want to do more.”
Danielle McDonald
“I’m pretty pumped to get the win, as it was part of a big learning curve for me this weekend. Saturday, I just made too many mistakes and lost a lot of time, but I was able to clean it up a bit for Sunday, and while not perfect, it was better, and I was able to get the win, so that’s nice. Things should be easier from here on as I know what to expect. But thanks to the team and our sponsors for getting everything sorted as well as my family for their support. I can’t wait for the next round and see if I can continue to improve.”
Beta RR 300 rider Ebony Nielsen completed the podium on Sunday. Nielsen engaged in a tense duel with Emelie Karlsson (Cassons, Husqvarna) for third position, ultimately securing it with a 4.157-second lead after the four Sprints.
EW (Women) All Powers Results – Top 10
| Pos | Rider | Time |
| 1 | Danielle MCDONALD | 58:53.9 |
| 2 | Jessica GARDINER | 58:57.2 |
| 3 | Ebony NIELSEN | 1:0:44.223 |
| 4 | Emelie KARLSSON | 1:0:48.380 |
| 5 | Nenah CHADWICK | 1:12:46.294 |
| 6 | Emily BIELENBERG | 1:17:45.193 |
| 7 | Fynleh DUNCOMBE | 1:22:36.310 |
| 8 | Chelsea REID | 1:32:15.100 |
EJ Round Two
Yamaha’s Yarnold continued his unstoppable streak in EJ, securing two consecutive first-place finishes. This triumph comes as no surprise, given Yarnold’s history of dominating his competition as a junior competitor.
Jett Yarnold
“The weekend was a lot of fun, and it’s good to get the class wins on both days. I had some good test times, but I want to make them more consistent. I have a goal to get into the top ten outright as the rounds progress. But it’s a good start, and I’m looking forward to keeping the momentum going for the coming rounds.”
Eli Tripcony (Husqvarna, Motorex) and Oliver Paterno (Port Macquarie Motorcycles, Yamaha) completed the rostrum on Sunday.
EJ (16 to U18) All Powers Results – Top 10
| Pos | Rider | Time |
| 1 | Jett YARNOLD | 53:15.1 |
| 2 | Eli TRIPCONY | 54:46.6 |
| 3 | Oliver PATERNO | 55:54.0 |
| 4 | Davey GEAR | 56:13.1 |
| 5 | Jackson VERSTEEGEN | 56:45.1 |
| 6 | Ryan JORDAN | 57:29.0 |
| 7 | Cody HOWELL | 57:55.8 |
| 8 | Jagger SENIOR | 59:29.9 |
| 9 | William KEARNEY | 1:01:20.566 |
| 10 | Cruiz RIKYS | 1:02:25.434 |
2024 AORC Standings after Round 2
E1 Standings – Top 10
| Pos | Name | Total |
| 1 | Kyron BACON | 50 |
| 2 | Korey MCMAHON | 42 |
| 3 | Cooper SHEIDOW | 40 |
| 4 | Tom BUXTON | 38 |
| 5 | William PRICE | 32 |
| 6 | Brock NICHOLS | 30 |
| 7 | Thomas TEED | 28 |
| 8 | Thomas FOSTER | 26 |
| 9 | William EDWARD | 24 |
| 10 | Michael DODD | 11 |
E2 Standings – Top 10
| Pos | Name | Total |
| 1 | Daniel MILNER | 50 |
| 2 | Jonte REYNDERS | 44 |
| 3 | William DENNETT | 40 |
| 4 | Andrew WILKSCH | 36 |
| 5 | Jeremy CARPENTIER | 31 |
| 6 | Beau RALSTON | 31 |
| 7 | Harrison TEED | 28 |
| 8 | Ben KEARNS | 26 |
| 9 | Joshua WHITEHEAD | 24 |
E3 Standings – Top 10
| Pos | Name | Total |
| 1 | Riley MCGILLIVRAY | 50 |
| 2 | Billy HARGY | 40 |
| 3 | Stefan GRANQUIST | 40 |
| 4 | Fraser HIGLETT | 40 |
| 5 | Jye DICKSON | 32 |
| 6 | Campbell HALL | 30 |
| 7 | Luke CHELLAS | 28 |
| 8 | Jaiden TREASURE | 26 |
| 9 | Patrick MCGILLIVRAY | 23 |
| 10 | Adam GILES | 22 |
EW Standings – Top 10
| Pos | Name | Total |
| 1 | Jessica GARDINER | 47 |
| 2 | Danielle MCDONALD | 45 |
| 3 | Emelie KARLSSON | 40 |
| 4 | Ebony NIELSEN | 38 |
| 5 | Nenah CHADWICK | 32 |
| 6 | Emily BIELENBERG | 30 |
| 7 | Fynleh DUNCOMBE | 28 |
| 8 | Chelsea REID | 26 |
| 9 | Yolanda TREASURE | 12 |
| 10 | Jackie JOYCE | 11 |
EJ Standings – Top 10
| Pos | Name | Total |
| 1 | Jett YARNOLD | 50 |
| 2 | Eli TRIPCONY | 44 |
| 3 | Oliver PATERNO | 40 |
| 4 | Jackson VERSTEEGEN | 34 |
| 5 | Davey GEAR | 33 |
| 6 | Cody HOWELL | 30 |
| 7 | Ryan JORDAN | 28 |
| 8 | Jagger SENIOR | 24 |
| 9 | Cruiz RIKYS | 23 |
| 10 | William KEARNEY | 21 |
Rounds three and four of the AORC series will be held in Mount Misery, Victoria, from April 20-21.
