It was a weekend of mixed emotions for 14-year-old Levi Townley at the third round of the EMX125 Championship in Riola Sardo, Sardinia, as the reigning 2024 FIM Junior Motocross World Champion battled through the brutal sand and a bit of bad luck.
Racing for Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC Yamaha, Townley was caught up in a first-turn pile-up in Race 1, along with several other riders. He remounted and began working his way through the field before his charge was cut short by another rider veering across his line.
“I was around fourth going into the first turn but washed the front,” Townley explained. “I came from last to 17th when another rider cut across the track to exit with no warning. I hit him really hard and broke my front disc, which resulted in a DNF.”
Race 2 showed exactly why the young Kiwi is tipped as one of the sport’s rising stars. He ripped the holeshot and led the opening four laps, running with the front pack and holding his own against more experienced competition like Jekabs Kubulins and eventual winner Áron Katona.
“I had a big gap behind but had a crash,” he lamented. “Got back up and fought back to the top ten, but on the last lap had a big crash. Lucky the sand is soft. Ended up nineteenth.”
Despite the tough results, Townley’s raw speed in qualifying—where he posted the fourth fastest time—and early pace in Race 2 were clear signs that the young Kiwi is adjusting quickly to the stacked EMX125 field.
