Moto News Weekly for July 16, 2019
Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
What happened this week
- Briar Bauman dominates AFT Twins at New York Short Track
- Dalton Gauthier claims AFT Singles win at Weedsport Speedway
- Andrew Short wins Silk Way Rally Stage 9 – Sunderland leads into final
- Toni Bou claims 2019 Portuguese TrialGP victory
- Luke Clout & Kirk Gibbs claim MX Nationals Round 7 wins
- Gajser & Prado continue MXGP domination
- 2019 FIM Junior Motocross World Champions crowned
- Australia strong in 2019 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship
- Team Australia fourth in U21 Speedway World Championship
- AORC final Rounds 10 & 11 move to Hedley, Victoria
- Australian Three-Day Vintage Enduro (A3VE) returns in 2019
Briar Bauman dominates New York Short Track
Images by Scott Hunter
Briar Bauman rebounded from his worst result of the 2019 American Flat Track season at the Lima Half-Mile, where a mechanical DNF took a bite out of his championship lead, by scoring a dominant victory at the 2019 New York Short Track held at Weedsport Speedway.
Rather than allow the pressure to cause additional difficulties to escalate following the disappointing previous round, the championship leader responded with perhaps the most convincing performance of his standout ‘19 campaign.
At the start of the 30-lap Main Event, the recently rejuvenated Jeffrey Carver Jr. squeezed past Bauman and his brother, Bronson Bauman, to lead the opening lap. But before Carver could even contemplate the possibility of completing his career Grand Slam with a maiden Short Track win, Bauman blasted back by and ripped open a gap at the front.
Smooth and in control throughout, Bauman took the win with 3.589 seconds in hand. Despite the result representing his eighth podium (and seventh top two) in nine Main Events this season, the victory was Bauman’s first since his triumphant season opener.
Briar Bauman
“I’ve got to thank my team — they bust their butts during the week. The bike was insane… today we showed up and didn’t change a thing and we were good all day. It just feels good. It feels like it’s been a whole season since I got a win. Seconds are really cool… ‘I know there’s nothing’s wrong with silver’ — said the great Ricky Bobby — but I’m just glad to get a win again.”
Carver backed up his first podium of the year with a second consecutive runner-up result. He was followed to the stripe by Short Track standout Henry Wiles in third. Bronson Bauman extended his streak of top fives to three with a fourth-place finish, while Robert Pearson secured his best result of the season in fifth.
Meanwhile, multi-time time defending AFT Twins champ Jared Mees could manage just seventh on the night. As a result, Bauman stretched his advantage back out to 26 points (170-144) as the title fight reached its halfway point.
AFT Twins Main Event – New York Short Track 2019
- Briar Bauman, 30 Laps, 0:18.795
- Jeffrey Carver Jr. +3.589
- Henry Wiles +4.983
- Bronson Bauman +7.111
- Robert Pearson +8.734
- Davis Fisher +12.466
- Jared Mees +14.310
- Brandon Robinson +15.296
- Brandon Price +15.498
- Bryan Smith +16.911
2019 American Flat Track – AFT Twins Standings
- Briar Bauman 170
- Jared Mees 144
- Brandon Robinson 119
- Bronson Bauman 116
- Henry Wiles 113
- Jeffrey Carver Jr. 110
- Jarod Vanderkooi 93
- Robert Pearson 92
- Sammy Halbert 81
- Jake Johnson 79
Dalton Gauthier claims AFT Singles win
Images by Scott Hunter
Dalton Gauthier took maximum advantage of the opportunity before him in the 20-lap AFT Singles Main Event. Pre-race title leader Mikey Rush was forced to watch from the fences after he failed to make the Main, finishing 0.135 seconds short of a qualifying position in his semi. And since Rush competed in the premier AFT Twins class in 2018, he earned no AFT Singles points and thus had no provisional start to call upon.
As a result, Gauthier fully capitalized. The ‘Comeback Kid’ dropped down the order early despite starting from pole, but he quickly demonstrated the speed he used to earn that starting slot in the first place.
He exploded through a tight, back-and-forth pack contesting the lead and escaped from that early chaos to power to his second victory of the season and reclaim the AFT Singles championship lead in the process.
Dalton Gauthier
“I picked up a lot of confidence tonight, and it’s definitely going to help us with this championship. The day went off so good. I was fast in practice and qualifying and felt really comfortable. I can’t thank Jimmy Wood at Öhlins enough for helping us out with our shock and our suspension. He was a gamesaver, and I felt so much more comfortable than I had before on this bike. And my mom’s here for her first National ever – it’s awesome to win in front of her.”
Morgen Mischler put in a late charge, slashing his way through the same talented pack Gauthier diced through earlier in the race, to work up to second position. Mischler even managed to dramatically close down the gap to Gauthier but ultimately ran out of laps, coming up 0.413 short of the victory at the checkered flag.
He was followed home by reigning class champion Dan Bromley. Just behind, Kevin Stollings finished fourth while Bromley’s teammate, Shayna Texter, completed the top five.
As a result of Saturday’s pivotal outcome, Gauthier now leads Rush in the AFT Singles championship chase 169-156. Defending champ Bromley remains in close contention at 151 points thanks to his remarkable consistency, despite still seeking the first Main Event victory of his title defense.
AFT Singles Main Event – New York Short Track 2019
- Dalton Gauthier, 20 Laps, 0:18.888
- Morgen Mischler +0.413
- Dan Bromley +1.953
- Kevin Stollings +3.593
- Shayna Texter +3.706
- Andrew Luker +4.431
- Cole Zabala +5.548
- Tanner Dean +6.026
- James Rispoli +7.527
- Jesse Janisch +8.616
2019 American Flat Track – AFT Singles Standings
- Dalton Gauthier 169
- Mikey Rush 156
- Dan Bromley 151
- Jesse Janisch 138
- Ryan Wells 111
- Shayna Texter 108
- Chad Cose 91
- Morgen Mischler 90
- Kevin Stollings 79
- Max Whale 72
Andrew Short wins Silk Way Rally Stage 9
Sam Sunderland leads into final
Stage 9 of the 2019 Silk Way Rally has just been won by Andrew Short, while Sam Sunderland heads into the final in the lead, with a 23-minute lead over Short, but it’s been a long journey to get this far.
Sam Sunderland looks like a shoe-in for the win, following strong performance throughout the nine stages so far, while Andrew Short and Adrien Van Beveren are only separated by a minute heading into the final stage. Kevin Benavides is a further two-minutes behind Beveren, ensuring he’s well within reach of a podium position.
Here’s a quick recap of the action so far…
The Silk Way Rally kicked off in Serbia, where heavy rain ensured challenging conditions for the opening stage, with Honda’s Kevin Benavides claiming the stage win from Luciano Benavides and Xavier de Soultrait.
Stage 2 was held in Russia to the south-east of Lake Baikal, featuring a 212km timed special and saw Sam Sunderland close down the lead on Kevin Benavides with a stage win.
Stage 3 saw the Silk Way Rally cross into Mongolia with the finish close to Ulan Bator, with 691km travelled including a 243km timed special, reaching altitudes of 1500m and mixed terrain of forested foothills and open mountain passes. Kevin Benavides claimed the stage win, from Joan Barreda and Luciano Benavides, with Sam Sunderland fourth.
It proved to be KTM’s stage for the fourth iteration marking the first of a two-part marathon with only riders able to work on their bikes overnight, with Sunderland and Luciano Benavides taking the 1-2, propelling them into the same positions in the standings.
Sunderland opened Stage 5 on the back of his Stage 4 victory, leading riders across the plains of Mongolia to extend his lead to 13-minutes. Luciano Benavides and Kevin Benavides held onto second and third in the standings.
Sam Sunderland further extended his lead in Stage 6, covering 411km across fast, open gravel roads which criss-crossed the stage, with many riders getting caught out by a tricky waypoint. Sunderland had to settle for fourth, with Oriol Mena taking the stage win and moving into second in the standings.
Stage 7 saw the Silk Way Rally arrive in China, with just three more stages to go following Sunderland’s win from Oriol Mena and Luciano Benavides.
Heading into Stage 8 Sunderland was confident in the lead with a 785km distance to travel, including a 326km timed special which included the dunes of the Gobi Desert. It proved Kevin Benavides who would take the stage win however, from Adrien Van Beveren and Paulo Goncalves, with Sam Sunderland settling for eighth despite an early crash, and retaining a 25-minute lead.
It was Andrew Short however, who rode a faultless Stage 9 of the 2019 Silk Way Rally to post the fastest time and elevate himself to second in the provisional overall standings. Mastering the rough and physical timed special while navigating accurately through the stage, Short completed the 290.3-kilometres in less than four hours. The stage covered rough, sandy roads and camel grass covered dunes, with navigation proving a challenge for many riders.
Andrew Short
“Stage nine was really good for me today. I knew it would cover really similar terrain to yesterday so I had a little better idea of what to expect. With my start position I had a lot of tracks laid down ahead of me but at times those tracks would split up. I navigated well and always chose the right direction. My pace to the refuel was really good and then after that I was able to keep to a good speed and again, where other people had made mistakes, I was able to make the right choices and push on to the finish. I’m happy with how the day has gone and really happy with my performance.”
Enjoying a comfortable motorcycle class lead as the rally entered China due to his dominant performance through Russia and Mongolia, Sam Sunderland knew he had to simply maintain a strong but steady pace to stay ahead. Keeping things safe, the British rider controlled the race from the front, doing exactly what he had to do to defend his lead. Finishing fourth, Sunderland now leads the overall standings by close to 23 minutes.
Sam Sunderland
“I think they definitely saved the toughest till last because the two days in China so far have been super physical. The tracks have been really technical with a lot of broken rivers and washes coming through the piste. It makes it really difficult to find a good rhythm and of course the temperature here is much hotter. For me personally, after a good run through Russia and Mongolia these last few days were about just managing my pace. Obviously yesterday I got caught out which was frustrating, with a lead like I have the goal should be to take things easy and not take any risks, but I clipped a rock and got thrown off. Today I kept a cool head, in fact I saw Andrew just before the refuel and he was riding really well. I tagged onto him for a bit but in the end just decided to keep my own pace and bring it home at the end of the day.”
Benavides, after the Stage 8 win, was forced to open the track. The Argentinean was making swift progress until he was caught by other riders who arrived back at the Jiayuguan bivouac in a group. Barreda, meanwhile, sought to maintain a fast pace in spite of not feeling very much at ease on the terrain, and sits 2.5-minutes off third placed Adrien Van Beveren heading into the final.
Kevin Benavides
“Today was a hard day, more than yesterday. There was a lot of navigation and offroad until kilometre 130. Opening the stage was a tough task in the stage with the most navigation of all. I felt good, I liked the terrain and I pushed hard throughout. The others didn’t catch me up until the end of that navigational phase. I let Van Beveren pass in front of me to be able to push hard again after the refuelling. I think it was good for both of us and we ended up happy with each other after having pushed the whole stage. And for tomorrow? Well, let’s go for it. In rally you never know what could occur. Until the final kilometre everything can happen.”
Provisional Standings After Stage Nine – 2019 Silk Way Rally
- Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 23:27:27
- Andrew Short (USA), Husqvarna, 23:50:18 +22:51
- Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Yamaha, 23:51:09 +23:42
- Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 23:53:35 +26:08
- Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 24:01:45 +34:18
Provisional Standings After Stage Nine – 2019 Silk Way Rally
- Sam Sunderland (KTM) 23:27:27
- Andrew Short (Husqvarna) 23:50:18
- Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 23:51:09
- Kevin Benavides (Honda) 23:53:35
- Luciano Benavides (KTM) 24:01:45
Toni Bou claims 2019 Portuguese TrialGP victory
Toni Bou has repeated his 2018 efforts, claiming the 2019 Portuguese TrialGP victory, where last year he took his 100th TrialGP World Championship victory. 2019 sees Bou increase that figure to 110, with teammate Takahisa Fujinami coming home in fifth, a point shy of fourth.
The fifth round of the TrialGP world championship, held today in Gouveia, Portugal was marked by roasting temperatures and very demanding sections located amongst the boulders of the Parque de Nostra Senhora los Verdes.
Repsol Honda Team ace Toni Bou suffered considerably in the gruelling Portuguese trial. In spite of a first lap which saw Bou make several mistakes and pick-up a penalty for exceeding the lap time limit, the champion was nevertheless able to stage a comeback on lap two to take his win tally to 110 out of 210 world championship participations. This, the fifth victory of the season increases Bou’s overall lead to 22 points over the nearest second-place rival.
Toni Bou
“Today was a very tough trial. It was a very positive weekend, with the type of terrain that we like a lot. We rode a very good second round through the sections, so we leave here with a very good taste in our mouths. We will try to be fully recovered for France to be able to have a good trial. We know that, if we win, I will be champion, something really impressive, but the important thing is to have a great trial. I am very happy and I want to thank the whole team because this week they have done a great job.”
The next TrialGP world championship outing, the sixth points-paying round, will be held next weekend in Auron, France, July 20-21.
TrialGP of Portugal 2019 results
- BOU, Toni (SPA) 25
- RAGA, Adam (SPA) 32
- FAJARDO, Jeroni (SPA) 36
- CASALES, Jorge (SPA) 39
- FUJINAMI, Takahisa (JPN) 40
2019 TrialGP Standings – Top 5
- BOU, Toni 120
- RAGA, Adam 98
- FAJARDO, Jeroni 82
- FUJINAMI, Takahisa 77
- DABILL, James 60
Luke Clout & Kirk Gibbs claim MX Nationals Round 7 wins
For the full report see: CDR Yamaha men win MX1 | Webster and Honda win MX2
MX1
Round 7 of the 2019 MX Nationals kicked off over the weekend, with Luke Clout claiming a double-win in the opening motos, with Brett Metcalfe and Kirk Gibbs completing the top three over the combined results, while the final moto of the weekend for full points saw Kirk Gibbs claim victory. Clout was runner up in the final moto but, secured 67-points for the weekend and the round win, while Gibbs was two points in arrears and Hayden Mellross was third overall on 58-points.
The result sees Clout leave Round 7 with a nine-point lead from Mellross, who is three-points ahead of Todd Waters. Kirk Gibbs sits in fourth with 312-points, to Clout’s leading 397.
Luke Clout
“The team did a great job today and the bikes were awesome. It showed in the results with Kirk and I winning all three races and going 1-2 for the day that CDR Yamaha really do the work. Looking forward to the next round at Moree in a couple of weeks and want to keep this momentum rolling all the way through to the final corner at Coolum.”
MX1 Round 7 Overall – Top 10
| Pos | Rider | Total | R1 | R2 |
| 1 | Luke Clout | 67 | 35 | 32 |
| 2 | Kirk Gibbs | 65 | 30 | 35 |
| 3 | Hayden Mellross | 58 | 28 | 30 |
| 4 | Todd Waters | 53 | 25 | 28 |
| 5 | Brett Metcalfe | 52 | 32 | 20 |
| 6 | Dylan Long | 51 | 26 | 25 |
| 7 | Jayden Rykers | 47 | 24 | 23 |
| 8 | Caleb Ward | 44 | 22 | 22 |
| 9 | Connor Tierney | 44 | 23 | 21 |
| 10 | Richie Evans | 41 | 17 | 24 |
MX1 Standings – Top 10
| Pos | Name | Total |
| 1 | Luke Clout | 397 |
| 2 | Hayden Mellross | 388 |
| 3 | Todd Waters | 385 |
| 4 | Kirk Gibbs | 312 |
| 5 | Jayden Rykers | 300 |
| 6 | Brett Metcalfe | 293 |
| 7 | Justin Rodbell | 287 |
| 8 | Jesse Dobson | 258 |
| 9 | Richie Evans | 258 |
| 10 | Lawson Bopping | 215 |
MX2
In the MX2 class it was Nathan Crawford who claimed the moto 1 win from Kyle Webster and Jay Wilson, while the final moto saw a turn-around as Kyle Webster came out on top, with championship leader Wilson Todd crashing and having to fight his way back to sixth. The result saw Webster and Crawford tied on 67-points for the weekend overall – while Webster took top honours, with Jay Wilson third on 58-points.
Wilson Todd continues to lead the standings despite disappointment in moto 2, with 397 championship points. Kyle Webster is just 10-points behind, while third places Jay Wilson likewise has a 10-point decificit.
Kyle Webster
“I’m stoked I got the race win and that gave me the overall round win on a tie-breaker, which is awesome. It’s the best feeling to get another overall win, and the best way to thank everyone on the Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing team and all the sponsors for their support. With three rounds to go, it’s going to be an exciting finish to the Championship and I’m just going to keep doing what I have been doing. I don’t want to change anything.”
MX2 Round 7 Overall – Top 10
| Pos | Rider | Total | R1 | R2 |
| 1 | Kyle Webster | 67 | 32 | 35 |
| 2 | Nathan Crawford | 67 | 35 | 32 |
| 3 | Jay Wilson | 58 | 30 | 28 |
| 4 | Aaron Tanti | 56 | 26 | 30 |
| 5 | Wilson Todd | 53 | 28 | 25 |
| 6 | Dylan Wills | 48 | 24 | 24 |
| 7 | Morgan Fogarty | 45 | 22 | 23 |
| 8 | Cooper Pozniak | 43 | 21 | 22 |
| 9 | Ricky Latimer | 43 | 23 | 20 |
| 10 | Luke Reardon | 41 | 20 | 21 |
MX2 Standings – Top 10
| Pos | Name | Total |
| 1 | Wilson Todd | 397 |
| 2 | Kyle Webster | 387 |
| 3 | Jay Wilson | 377 |
| 4 | Nathan Crawford | 339 |
| 5 | Aaron Tanti | 328 |
| 6 | Dylan Wills | 304 |
| 7 | Bailey Malkiewicz | 280 |
| 8 | Ricky Latimer | 252 |
| 9 | Cooper Pozniak | 249 |
| 10 | Morgan Fogarty | 243 |
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Gajser & Prado continue MXGP domination
For the full report see: Tim Gajser makes Honda history with MXGP of Asia win
MXGP
Tim Gajser won the MXGP of Asia in Indonesia with another perfect performance and 1-1 race results, marking his seventh Grand Prix win in a row, making the red plate owner has become the most successful Honda rider of all time for GP wins in a row. He also extended his points lead to 173 points over Jeremy Seewer who is now second in the points. Second overall was Arnaud Tonus and third place went to Jeremy Seewer.
Tim Gajser
“Unbelievable, I was enjoying that second race so much and that is the most important thing. I took the FOX Holeshot and I controlled the second race. I had a big crash yesterday and I got a lot of help with that from people around me. After the crash yesterday in time practice I was struggling a little bit, I had a good start in the first race, made a gap and I was enjoying it out there. I am very happy to go home safe, that is the most important thing.”
Arnaud Tonus
“We had a tough time last week in Palembang, but we rebounded today with a second place and I didn’t have a good feeling yesterday, so it is amazing for the team and it feels even better when you have struggled. I really like coming to these races, the people are so excited to see us, and we are always welcomed very well.”
Jeremy Seewer
“It is safe to say that I am now second in the championship, I saw some sketchy crashes and I didn’t want to take risk and I knew I would have been on the podium and got a lot of point. I told my practice mechanic I would bring back the black plate (holeshot award) and I did that. I look forward to the next Grand Prix’s now.”
MXGP – GP Classification Top 10
- Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 50 points
- Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 42
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 38
- Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 32
- Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), 29
- Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 28
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 26
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 25
- Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), 23
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 22
…14. Lewis Stewart (AUS) 16
…16. Adam Coles (AUS) 11
…17. Joel Milesevic (AUS) 9
MXGP Championship Standings Top 10
- Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 538 points
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 365
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 358
- Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 346
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 343
- Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 299
- Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 288
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 271
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 268
- Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 243
…26. Lewis Stewart (AUS) 29
…29. Adam Coles (AUS) 22
…40. Joel Milesevic (AUS) 9
MX2
Jorge Prado won the MX2 class overall at the MXGP of Asia in Indonesia, with the Spanish rider scoring 1-1 results and extending his championship points lead over Thomas Kjer Olsen to 78 points. Second overall at Semarang was Tom Vialle and third overall was Calvin Vlaanderen.
Jorge Prado
“I am happy about the weekend. I went first in every single session. It is a good feeling to come to Indonesia and win both races. I felt good and I enjoyed today. It is good to be on the podium, on the top step of the box. I had a very good jump out of the gate in the first race, but I braked too much and two guys passed me. I made a pass early on Olsen and I am enjoying the track way more today. I was looking forward to the second race and it was a good one, I pulled away and put it in cruise control. I had some sketchy moments so I took it easy as I felt a little dizzy.”
Tom Vialle
“It is good for the team and all the hard work. Second again on the podium, it is fantastic, and I am very happy. The first race was good for me following Jorge, but then I made a mistake. The second race I didn’t have a good rhythm and I just tried to control myself to be sure to be on the podium.”
Calvin Vlaanderen
“First podium of the year. It feels good to be back and I didn’t expect it as it is just my second race back. I recovered well during the week. Renaux was riding really well and he was catching me, then I started thinking of the podium and he passed me. I want to thank the team for being behind me and also my girlfriend and everyone back home. We spent some time in Bali between the races and I got to do some surfing and really enjoyed that. I enjoy coming to these races, but am looking forward to heading back to Europe too.”
MX2 Grand Prix Top Ten
- Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 50 points
- Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 40
- Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, HON), 36
- Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 35
- Henry Jacobi (GER, KAW), 28
- Mathys Boisrame (FRA, HON), 28
- Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 28
- Brent Van doninck (BEL, HON), 26
- Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 26
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 23
MX2 – World Championship Top Ten
- Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 544 points
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 466
- Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 366
- Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 360
- Henry Jacobi (GER, KAW), 335
- Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 246
- Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 242
- Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 228
- Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 227
- Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 220
2019 FIM Junior Motocross World Champions crowned
The 2019 FIM Junior Motocross World Champions were crowned at the Italian track of Il Ciclamino where Italians Mattia Guadagnini and Valerio Lata were the 125cc and 85cc World Champions respectively, while Vitezslav Marek from Czech Republic was the best in the 65cc class. Team Italy dominated the Nations classification, followed by France and UK.
Dutch rider Lotte Van Drunen took the first FOX Holeshot of the day while the Australian Ky Woods dominated the first laps ahead of the Dutch rider Lotte Van Drunen, the Czech Vitezslav Marek, Gyan Doensen, Salvador Perez and home rider Edoardo Martinelli. The young Australian rider dominated the 8 laps of race one and crossed the finish line five-seconds ahead of Marek and Van Drunen. Martinelli was forth and Boughen completed the top five.
It was the British rider Ashton Boughen who was first at the start of race two, closely followed by Perez and Van Drunen. The winner of race one Ky Woods did not have a good start, but was already third by the end of the first lap. The Czech rider Marek had an unfortunate start but gave his best to move from seventh to the lead after five laps, and he kept the first position until the end followed by Minear and Woods.
The huge effort of Vitezslav Marek in race 2 paid off as the Czech rider won the 65cc World Title with Australian Ky Woods on the second step of the podium and Lotte Van Druden from the Netherlands completing the top three.
65cc Junior World Cup Overall Top Ten
- MAREK Vitezslav – CZE KTM – 47
- WOODS Ky – AUS KTM – 45
- VAN DRUNEN Lotte – NED KTM – 38
- MINEAR Kayden – AUS KTM – 35
- MARTINELLI Edoardo – ITA Husqvarna – 34
- DOENSEN Gyan – NED KTM – 29
- PEREZ Salvador – SPA Yamaha – 27
- BOUGHEN Ashton – GBR Husqvarna – 26
- RYBAKOV Semen – RUS Ktm – 20
- MARTORANO Paolo – ITA KTM – 18
Latvian rider Karlis Alberts Reisulis took the FOX holeshot of the first 85cc race, ahead of home riders Matteo Luigi Russi and Valerio Lata, Lucas Bruhn, Maximilian Ernecker, Edvards Bidzans and American Nicholas Romano. After a few turns there was a change of leader and Valerio Lata commanded the 13 laps to win the first 85cc race, followed by his compatriot Matteo Luigi Russi and Karlis Alberts Reisulis.
A very motivated Lata started at the front in race 2, followed by his compatriot Russi, who crashed in the second turn; Grau was then second and the Bruhn was third. Once again home rider Lata kept the lead with an amazing determination until the end of the race and claimed the 85cc World Title with superb authority. Bidzans was second and Prugnieres third.
Valerio Lata was on the top of the 85cc podium to collect the gold medal, while Edvards Bidzans from Latvia and Matteo Luigi Russi from Italy received the silver and bronze medals respectively.
85cc Junior World Championship Overall Top Ten
- LATA Valerio – ITA KTM – 50
- BIDZANS Edvards – LAT Husqvarna – 40
- RUSSI Matteo Luigi – ITA KTM – 38
- PRUGNIERES Quentin – FRA KTM – 35
- REISULIS Karlis Alberts – LAT KTM – 33
- GRAU Maxime – FRA KTM – 32
- ROMANO Nicholas – USA KTM – 30
- CANET Edgar – SPA KTM – 27
- HEYMAN Charlie – GBR Husqvarna – 20
- GUILLEMOT SCHEID – David FRA KTM – 19
Race 1 of the 125cc saw Joel Rizzi taking the holeshot followed by Simon Langenfelder, the Meico Vettik, Max Palssson, Mattia Guadagnini and Samuel Nilsson. However, after just one lap the current leader of the EMX125 Championship Mattia Guadagnini took the lead and kept it until the end. Tom Guyon from France did not have a good start but managed to finish second and Mike Gwerder ended third.
Guadagnini was determined to win the second and final race of the 125cc class and he managed to have a perfect start claiming the FOX holeshot and taking the lead, but Guyon was right after the Italian wheel. Behind them there were Gwerder, Osterhagen, Rizzi and Langenfelder. Half way through the race Guyon succeeded in overtaking Guadagnini, but after a few meters the Italian bounced back taking advantage of an error of the Frenchman and took the lead which he kept until the chequered flag.
Mattia Guadagnini became the 125cc Junior World Champion with a 1-1 result, and Tom Guyon and Mike Gwerder completed the podium.
125cc Junior World Championship Overall Top 10
- GUADAGNINI Mattia – ITA Husqvarna – 50
- GUYON Tom – FRA FFM KTM – 44
- GWERDER Mike – SUI FMS KTM – 40
- LANGENFELDER Simon – GER DMSB KTM – 33
- RIZZI Joel – GBR ACU KTM – 29
- MC LELLAN Camden – RSA KTM – 28
- WADE Eddie Jay – GBR KTM – 28
- NILSSON Samuel – SPA KTM – 24
- PALSSON Max – SWE KTM – 21
- MIOT Florian – FRA Yamaha – 20
Australia strong in FIM Junior Motocross World Championship
Team Australia put on a strong showing in the World Junior Motocross Championship (WJMX) in 2019, which was held in Pietramurata, Italy over the weekend. The green and gold riders fared particularly well in the 65cc World MX Junior Cup, with KTM riders Ky Woods and Kayden Minear finishing second and fourth respectively.
Boasting some of the world’s best junior motocross riders, the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship saw Aussies represented across all three classes (65, 85, and 125cc). Although they were unable to successfully defend Australia’s Team of Nations trophy won on home soil at Horsham in Victoria, the team that traveled to Italy acquitted themselves brilliantly, finishing ninth overall.
Mark Willingham – Team Australia Team Manager
“Really happy with the effort from all the riders. Similar to some previous years our 65cc class riders were amazing, and then we see the strength of the European racing program really shine through in the 85 and 125 classes. “From my perspective, Team Australia had one of the best set ups we’ve ever provided on site to ensure the riders had everything they needed. With our main section arranged under the Diga Racing truck we had a full catering service for our meals along with their experience and guidance. On top of this our Yamaha riders were provided services from Yamaha Europe’s official race trucks, which was a result of all the effort the Aussies arranged last year welcoming the European riders at Horsham. In the end Team Australia finished up 9th in the standings, and were the first team home that was unable to score points in all three classes.”
Ryder Kingsford (Yamaha) and Campbell Williams (KTM) also made it to the finals, finishing in 13th and 24th places in the 85cc class. Also representing Australia were Alex Larwood (Yamaha,125cc), and Blake Fox (KTM, 125cc).
Team Australia fourth in U21 Speedway World Championship
Team Australia have claimed fourth in the 2019 FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship final over the weekend, which was held in Manchester, England. The Joeys came in behind Poland, Great Britain and Denmark, with 21-points. Poland was crowned World Champions with 41-points, to take their sixth consecutive gold medal.
Great Britain and Denmark battled it out for the runner-up position, with the UK coming out ahead by two-points, with 33 to Denmark’s 31-points.
The Joey’s lack of international experience turned out to be their ‘chink in their armour’, while a late flurry of points in the closing stages on the meeting came with some relief as Captain Jaimon Lidsey and Jordan Stewart won their remaining races proving they have the abilities to compete with best of their age brackets.
Mark Lemon – Team Australia Team Manager
“A podium place was always going to be big ask for the young speedsters. However, ultimately, they did themselves and their country proud, gaining invaluable experience that will serve them well in the future. They can be very proud of efforts in reaching the final. We would like to thank everyone who sent messages and showed their support, and special mention to CBS Bins from Adelaide for their continued and generous sponsorship the team, our travel partners ATPI, Motorcycling Australia and Sport Australia,”
FIM Team U-21 World Championship Final
- Poland 41: Bartosz Smektala 13, Dominik Kubera 12, Maksym Drabik 11, Wiktor Lampart 5
- Great Britain 33: Robert Lambert 20, Dan Bewley 11, Drew Kemp 2, Kyle Bickley 0, Leon Flint 0
- Denmark 31: Mads Hansen 11, Fredrik Jakobsen 8, Patrick Hansen 6, Jonas Jeppesen 6
- Australia 21: Jaimon Lidsey 12, Jordan Stewart 5,Kye Thomson 2,Matthew Gilmore 1, Zach Cook 1
AORC final Rounds 10 & 11 move to Hedley, Victoria
The Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship has announced that the final rounds originally scheduled to be held in Penshurst, in Victoria have been moved due to council and agricultural restrictions.
Instead Rounds 10 & 11 will be co-hosted by the Geelong Motocross Club and Corner Inlet Motorcycle Club in Hedley, Victoria over September 14-15 (2019).
Special consideration for the location was made to minimise disruption and ensure minimal additional travel distance, while retaining a Victorian round.
Hedley will feature a Cross Country racing format for Round 10, followed by Sprints for Round 11. Further information on the final rounds and accommodation can be found at the AORC website – www.aorc.org.au (link). Entries will open shortly for Rounds 10 & 11.
Australian Three-Day Vintage Enduro (A3VE) returns in 2019
After the successes of this year’s Australian Three-Day Vintage Enduro (A3VE), held in May, The Vintage Enduro Riders Inc (VERi) have announced the second annual running of this event will go ahead in 2020. The date to mark down on your calendar for the 2020 A3VE is 22 – 24 May, returning to the Wombat State Forest, located 50 kilometres west of Melbourne in Victoria.
Ninety-eight riders took part in this year’s A3VE, which saw four classes catering for bikes from pre-1976 to pre-1988. Riders will race for glory in 2020 on the same tracks used in this year’s event, however some tracks will be run in reverse.
Drakeford emphasised just how privileged the competitors were to have three different tests in farmers’ paddocks, with three farmers generously giving up their land for the special tests during the course of the event.
Peter Drakeford – VERi Club Secretary
“I think everybody was pretty stunned and surprised in terms of how well the event went so smoothly. This is a real commitment from VERi, as everyone stepped up big time and helped out where was needed. I take my hat off to the whole town and community who worked on the whole project. The head of the Blackwood progress association, David White welcomed us back with open arms. We were really well received and welcomed. We couldn’t help but say that we would run the event again.”
An added bonus for the 2020 A3VE will be that a team from the United Kingdom will head down under and challenge some of the Aussie riders. The UK riders will be Husqvarna mounted, courtesy of Rob Shoemark, who will be providing three motorcycles for the British riders.
