Off Road

Support and Junior class wrap from Gympie Yamaha AORC opener

Posted:

Saturday, March 10th, 2018

9:27 PM

Support and Junior class wrap from Gympie Yamaha AORC opener

Jemma Wilson has started her quest for a third title in a row by taking out the Womens class on day one. Photo: John Pearson Media.

As the Women‰Ûªs, Vets and Masters competed from the WR450F test gate, it would be Jemma Wilson, Ben Grabham and John Baker to come out on top for their respective classes in the season opener for the 2018 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC).

The sprint format consisted of eight laps to determine the winners at Gympie, QLD.

In the Junior classes Korey McMahon has come from behind to take out the J4 class while Will Riordan took out the J3 class comfortably after a great days riding, and his brother Angus Riordan continued the winning ways in the J2 class.

Womens
Taking a phenomenal win for the Women‰Ûªs Class was Jemma Wilson on her Yamaha. Wilson recorded a time of 1:02:57.912 and will be gunning for three Women‰Ûªs titles in a row. The returning Jessica Gardiner of the Yamaha MX Store Ballard's Off-Road Team rose to the occasion today. Gardiner posted an accumulated time of 1:04:36.432, a positive return after competing in France in 2017. Emelie Karlsson rode very well on her Yamaha to finish in third with a time of 1:04:47.957. The battle will likely go down to the wire between these three women at the end of the year.

Runner-up in the Womens class Jessica Gardiner posted an accumulated time of 1:04:36.432, a positive return after competing in France in 2017. Photo: John Pearson Media.

Vets
The Veterans class is designed for over 35's competitors and showcases several Enduro legends and champions. Ben Grabham on his Beta took a sensational win on Saturday. Grabham can be extremely proud of his time of 58:59.098. Richard Chibnall on the KTM finished in second with a time of 1:01:46.687. Jade Gartlan on his Gas Gas solidified his solid weekend with a third-place finish. Gartlan‰Ûªs total time was a 1:01:49.012 after braving the WR450F track.

Masters
John Baker took the win for the Masters class. Baker took 1:03:33.811 to complete the sprint. In second was Geoff Ballard. Ballard‰Ûªs time was a 1:03:43.808. Ian Jenner was the final podium placer with a time of 1:04:19.005. The win will be all up for grabs between these highly competitive Masters class competitors.

The J4 class became a two-horse race between eventual winner Korey McMahon and Kyron Bacon with McMahon eventually taking the win.Photo: John Pearson Media.

J4
On a day that saw every condition possible on the bLU cRU track, the J4 class became a two-horse race between eventual winner McMahon and Kyron Bacon. The pair battled it out for much of the day before McMahon made his move in the final two heats to pull away to a 13 second victory. Jayden Rudd rounded out the podium in third position in a great first outing in the J4 class after winning the J3 title in 2017.

J3
Riordan was on another level at Gympie in the J3 Class. He didn‰Ûªt make a mistake all day to come away with the win. Taking on the technical circuit, Riordan showed off his class and sent a message to his competition for the coming season. Ned Chapman finished in second place and will take some positive momentum into Sundays racing, whilst Blake Hollis took the last step on the podium in third position.

J2
After seeing his brother Will dominating the Gympie terrain, Angus wasn‰Ûªt going to be left behind, as he won the J2 class. Riordan was the fastest man on track and showed the Riordan family mean business this season. Billy Hargy and Mackenzie Johnson completed the podium after a solid days riding.

These riders will switch to the YZ 450 FX track that the Seniors rode in today‰Ûªs races.

The racing is back tomorrow starting at 8am, with all the juniors pushing to complete the weekend and set themselves up in the quest for their respective championships.

Provisional Results Womens
1. Jemma Wilson - 1:02:57.912
2. Jessica Gardiner - 1:04:36.432
3. Emelie Karlsson - 1:04:47.957
4. Sophie Coldicutt - 1:05:46.968
5. Tegan Hall - 1:07:03.179
6. Tamara Gray - 1:07:05.399
7. Ebony Nielsen - 1:08:21.123
8. Danielle Foot - 1:09:43.875
9. Emi Ruprecht - 1:01:53.035
10. Julie Denyer - 1:06:00.930

Provisional Results Vets
1. Ben Grabham - 58:59.098
2. Richard Chibnall - 1:01:46.687
3. Jade Gartlan - 1:01:49.012
4. Craig Wease - 1:03:45.402
5. Peter Rudd - 1:04:03.484
6. Steven Newman - 1:04:34.407
7. Michael Burgess - 1:05:22.677
8. Ryan Teggart - 1:05:26.153
9. Hugh Howarth - 1:05:55.857
10. Daniel Sawtell - 1:05:57.045

Provisional Results Masters
1. John Baker - 1:03:33.811
2. Geoff Ballard - 1:03:43.808
3. Ian Jenner - 1:04:19.005
4. Hamish Guy - 1:04:35.967
5. Michael Widdison - 1:05:17.117
6. Craig Treasure - 1:05:50.950
7. Gordon McQueen - 1:06:33.780
8. Rob Mystek - 1:06:45.357
9. Robert Day - 1:06:46.959
10. David Salt - 1:07:32.972

J4 Provisional Results:
Korey McMahon 1:02:59.176
Kyron Bacon 1:03:12.218
Jayden Rudd 1:04:23.902
Matt Waters 1:06:35.610
Matthew Pye 1:07:01.779
Raife Dooley 1:07:31.710
Max Price 1:08:39.033
Benjamin Harris 1:10:59.423
Lyle Byrne 1:12:07.694
Jared Watson 1:12:08.790

J3 Provisional Results:
Will Riordan 1:03:55.412
Ned Chapman 1:04:32.529
Blake Hollis 1:05:08.748
Benjamin Teed 1:08:50.926
Jasper Franklin 1:08:55.228
Sam Barton 1:09:49.616
Oscar Collins 1:11:30.182
Charlie Milton 1:12:20.877
Maxwell Liebeknec 1:14:39.012
Levii Read 1:14:42.051

J2 Provisional Results:
Angus Riordan 1:05:39.554
Billy Hargy 1:09:20.136
Mackenzie Johnson 1:09:51.584
Kade Conley 1:10:29.109
William Dennett 1:11:46.301
Max Phillips 1:12:34.800
Zac Perry 1:12:39.139
Harley Mystek 1:14:01.843
Taj Gow-Smith 1:15:00.812
William Cooper 1:16:15.694