Rounds three and four of the 2026 Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship roared back to life in Dungog, NSW, with two punishing days that tested even the most seasoned riders as conditions deteriorated from fast and dusty to deeply rutted and treacherous.
Limited visibility, thick bull dust and hidden obstacles turned every test into a calculated risk, while the demanding Time Card format ensured fatigue played a decisive role as the weekend unfolded. Through it all, Wil Ruprecht rose above the chaos, delivering a commanding double victory in Pro Enduro to tighten his grip on the championship.
Pro Enduro
Ruprecht wasted no time asserting control across the weekend, stamping his authority early on Saturday with a blistering opening WR test that put him nine seconds clear of Korey McMahon. That early statement set the tone, with the Shop Yamaha Off-Road Racing Team rider building momentum and steadily extending his advantage across the day.
Behind him, the fight was intense, with as little as five seconds covering positions fourth through tenth at times. Jye Dickson remained in contention despite an early crash, while Ryan Hayward and Cooper Sheidow consistently hovered inside the top five outright. A standout moment came in MXstore Test 3, where Sheidow surged to the third fastest outright, highlighting the growing pace within the E1 ranks.
Up front, however, Ruprecht was untouchable, completing a clean sweep of Saturday’s tests to secure both the outright Pro Enduro win and the E2 class victory. McMahon delivered a composed ride for second outright and top honours in E3, with Dickson rounding out the podium and second in E2.
Sunday followed a familiar script. Armed with fresh knowledge of the terrain, Ruprecht again controlled proceedings from the opening test, immediately setting the pace and refusing to relinquish it. McMahon and Dickson mounted an early challenge, sitting just four and six seconds adrift respectively, but Ruprecht’s consistency proved decisive.
The closest challenge came in WR Test 2, where McMahon pushed to within half a second in one of the tightest margins of the weekend, but beyond that moment, Ruprecht remained firmly in control. Another near-perfect performance secured his second Pro Enduro victory of the weekend and a third consecutive win in the championship.
McMahon again finished second outright with a calculated ride, while Dickson completed the podium in third, continuing his strong run of form.
E1
The E1 class delivered some of the most intense racing of the weekend, particularly between Ryan Hayward and Cooper Sheidow.
Saturday’s battle ebbed and flowed throughout the day, with Sheidow responding strongly after an early setback and Hayward maintaining consistency to stay in the fight. By WR Test 4, the pair were separated by just 0.7 seconds, setting up a final-test showdown. In MXstore Test 4, the pressure proved decisive, with a costly mistake from Sheidow allowing Hayward to capitalise and secure his first E1 victory of the season.
Sheidow settled for second, while Jeremy Carpentier delivered a breakthrough ride to claim his first podium of the year in third.
Sunday saw another dramatic contest, this time with Carpentier striking early and excelling in the dry, technical conditions to build an advantage. Hayward and Sheidow remained firmly in contention, trading time across the tests and keeping the pressure on throughout.
Despite a midday setback, Carpentier responded when it mattered most to secure his first Australian round win. Hayward pushed hard in the final test and even claimed a top-three outright result, but ultimately fell just short, while Sheidow’s consistency earned him third.
E2
Ruprecht’s dominance extended throughout the E2 category, where he controlled every phase of both days with precision.
On Saturday, Dickson held strong despite early adversity to secure second, while Kogan Lock recovered impressively from midday trouble, particularly in MXstore Test 3, to secure third.
Sunday again saw Ruprecht complete a perfect day, winning all tests, with Dickson backing him up in second. Lock continued his strong form with another third-place finish, while Oliver Paterno showed steady progression in fourth as he edges closer to a maiden podium.
E3
Korey McMahon proved the benchmark in E3 across the weekend, combining outright speed with consistency to convert his Pro Enduro performances into class success.
He claimed Saturday’s win alongside second outright, while Max Midwinter delivered a measured ride for second and Brock Grabham impressed aboard the Stark Varg, finishing third in class and inside the top ten outright.
Sunday saw McMahon once again take control of the class, underlining his consistency. Grabham continued to turn heads on the electric machine with another strong ride for second, while Midwinter rebounded from an early setback to secure third.
EW
Jessica Gardiner returned to dominant form in the EW category, controlling both days despite challenges in the pack behind her.
Saturday’s race featured early drama, including a small crash for Madi Simpson and tight times that saw just two seconds covering second through fourth early on. Simpson fought back strongly with a key stage win, while Courtney Rubie remained in contention before encountering trouble later.
Gardiner ultimately secured the win, with Simpson second and Emelie Granquist third.
Sunday followed a more controlled script for Gardiner, who steadily extended her advantage across the day. Simpson again showed resilience to claim second, while Rubie completed the podium and celebrated her first in the category.
EJ
The EJ class delivered some of the closest racing of the weekend, particularly on Saturday where gaps were often measured in tenths.
Beau Tripcony set the pace early, edging Marcus Nowland by just 0.064 seconds in Michelin Test 1, with momentum swinging repeatedly throughout the day. Nowland responded in Homestead Test 1, while Kai Austin remained firmly in the mix, the leading trio often separated by less than a second.
Mistakes in Michelin Test 2 reshuffled the standings, but the battle continued to ebb and flow until the final stage, where Tripcony delivered under pressure to take the test win by half a second and secure the overall victory. Nowland claimed second after a remarkably consistent ride, with Austin third.
Sunday’s shortened program featured just two tests, but the intensity remained high. Austin carried momentum into the day to secure the win, with Nowland again consistent in second and Archie Salopayevs rounding out the podium in third.
Tripcony mounted a late charge and narrowly missed a test win by 0.6 seconds, but a costly opening test left him just outside the podium.
Dungog proved one of the toughest tests of the 2026 season so far, physically demanding, mentally draining and unforgiving for even the smallest mistake.
The championship now builds towards Queensland Moto Park on May 16–17 for the next chapter in the 2026 season.
