García Wins EMX250 Finale as Reisulis Secures Championship in Afyon

The final round of the 2025 FIM EUROPE EMX250 European Championship in Afyon saw Janis Reisulis secure the championship while Francisco García claimed the overall race victory, rounding out a season of competitive racing.

Australian Liam Owens continued his strong form with a second consecutive podium, finishing third, while fellow countryman Jake Cannon closed out the season with a solid fourth overall.

Entering the weekend with a 38-point lead over Noel Zanocz, Reisulis needed only to finish safely to clinch the title, leaving the battle for podium positions in the races as the main contest.

Race 1 got underway with Max Werner taking the holeshot, closely followed by Reisulis and Zanocz. Francisco García, starting further back, quickly moved up to third and then overtook Werner to take the lead. He extended his advantage over the chasing pack, ultimately winning the race. Reisulis remained in second, ensuring he would claim the championship regardless of the race winner. Elias Escandell advanced through the field to secure third, completing the podium behind García and Reisulis.

Liam Owens delivered a strong ride, navigating the mid-pack battles to finish fourth, while Adria Monné took fifth. Jake Cannon had a fast start from gate six but was pushed wide at the first turn, dropping to seventh. He quickly moved up to fourth on lap three, battling for a podium, when an incident with another rider forced him back to eleventh. Cannon settled into a rhythm and recovered to finish seventh, demonstrating consistent pace and resilience, moving up to eighth in the series standings.

Further back, Max Werner faded to eleventh after his early holeshot, while Mads Fredsoe and other riders battled through minor incidents to complete the top ten.

Race 2 began with Reisulis seizing the holeshot ahead of García, Liam Owens, and Escandell. Zanocz found himself buried in ninth after the start, requiring a strong climb through the field to challenge for points. Owens held third through the opening laps, tracking the leaders, while Escandell stayed close in fourth. García steadily reduced the gap to Reisulis, eventually overtaking him on lap ten to take the lead.

Owens maintained third, benefiting from Escandell’s later crash, which forced the French rider to retire. Jake Cannon, starting the race further back, was again pushed wide at turn one, dropping to ninth. He gradually moved up, passing two riders in the opening laps before being caught in a high-speed pack. By lap eight, he had moved into fifth and, after a few decisive passes, finished fourth, narrowly missing the podium but confirming eighth in the championship.

Reisulis finished second in the race, taking the weekend overall second behind García. Zanocz, after recovering from a poor start, finished within points but could not challenge Reisulis’ championship margin. García’s 1-1 score across the weekend confirmed him as third in the championship standings.

Janis Reisulis reflected on his season: “The season was long, with ups and downs, but in the end, I put everything together and managed to take the gold. The second race was not too bad, just some arm pump, but Francisco rode really well. Overall, it’s been a good season and thanks to my opponents and my team.”

Jake Cannon commented on his weekend: “I took the holeshot down the straight but drifted wide in the first turn to come out seventh. I made a few good passes to move to fourth, but then I saw a front fender coming straight for me and that sealed my race. Today, I got stuck behind some other riders for a few laps, which cost me the chance of top-three in the moto. I learned a lot this season and will come back stronger next year. I start supercross practice tomorrow and fly back home to Australia for the supercross season.”

The Afyon round concluded the 2025 EMX250 season, a campaign marked by consistent performances, tight battles, and the emergence of young talent. Liam Owens finished both races on the podium, highlighting a strong performance for the Australian, while Jake Cannon showed promise in his first European season with solid top-ten finishes and strong recoveries despite on-track incidents. Janis Reisulis leaves Turkey as the champion, Noel Zanocz second, and Francisco García third, setting up an exciting step into MX2 for the next season.