The ShopYamaha Off Road team fired back to life at full strength for the Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) rounds seven and eight in Keyneton, South Australia last weekend.
Kyron Bacon and Josh Green, both recovering from injuries that kept them out of action for a while, made their return and didn’t miss a beat, securing impressive results over the weekend.
The event featured a Cross-Country format on Saturday, putting riders on the bike for around three dusty hours. Kyron Bacon made a cautious start on his comeback but quickly found his rhythm, finishing the day second in the E1 (250cc) class and second overall.
Day two brought the Sprint format, and Bacon’s momentum continued to grow. He dominated the E1 class, achieving a 1-1 result for the weekend. Not stopping there, he pushed to take the Outright victory, signalling his triumphant return and reasserting himself as Australia’s top off-road racer.
“I’m just happy to be back at the AORC and racing again,” Bacon said at days’ end. “It had been nearly three months between races for me and while my recovery went well, I just wanted to get back to an AORC round and see how my progress was coming along.
“I still think there is room for improvement and it took me a little to get warmed up each day, but it was a positive weekend for me and the team and it’s good to be back.
“Thank you to everyone in the team for supporting me and standing by me during my injury. It was cool to be back with the guys and having fun racing. You don’t realise how much you miss it until you can’t do it,” Bacon concluded.
For Josh Green, battling back from injury was a tougher ordeal. Racing to recover from knee surgery and returning to the bike in only a few weeks’ time, he faced the additional challenge of nursing a hurt thumb just before the SA round.
But Green’s determination carried him through the weekend. Despite the difficulties, he managed to not only complete the races but also make significant progress in the championship rankings.
Green secured second place in the Cross Country (E2) class and third overall on Saturday. He followed it up with another solid performance on Sunday, grabbing another second in class and fourth overall. His consistent weekend performance helped him solidify his position at the top of the E2 championship and extend his lead in the Overall standings.
“I can’t say I had a lot of fun on the weekend as most of the time it was damage control to get through the weekend and preserve my body,” Green explained. “I had strapping all over me and then the dusty conditions also meant looking after the bike also became a priority.
“Thankfully we were able to do both, and we leave here in pretty good shape. There are a few weeks until the next round and being at Kyogle, it will be technical, so I will need the time for my thumb to recover and be ready to go in September,” Green concluded.
The bLU cRU support riders also shined in this successful weekend, clinching several podium results. Cooper Sheidow secured third place on both days, displaying consistent performance and leading the E1 class by eight points over his closest rival in the championship standings.
Wil Dennett’s strong performance earned him the lead in the EJ (under 19) championship. His 3-1 results in South Australia extended his lead to 21 points, marking his progress in the 2023 season as he comfortably stays within the top 10 overall riders.
Jett Yarnold, despite facing a tough Saturday, found his stride on Sunday, notching his best result of the season with a second-place finish, while Marcus Nowland rebounded from a fifth-place finish on Saturday to claim a class win (J3) on Sunday and move up to fourth in the EJ division.
The next round of the Australian Off-Road Championship is scheduled for Kyogle, NSW on September 16 and 17.
Championship Standings Can Be Found Here:
