Twelve titles, 12 different champions. The 2024 KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championships certainly delivered an overload of action this past week, as around 300 of the country’s top young racers fought for national honours around Bunbury’s Shrubland Park circuit.
Press release: Spectators at the demanding, loamy track saw everything from outright dominance to last-moto dramas across the board, as Australian riders secured nine of the titles on offer, while New Zealand talent took three of them back across the Tasman.
125-150cc 2T and 200-250cc 4T 15 Years
It was a perfect weekend for Western Australia’s Seth Shackleton, who dominated the class and finished his junior career on a high note by winning all five of his finals.
The BCP HAS Honda Junior Development Team rider was in a league of his own all weekend, comfortably taking the junior title ahead KTM Junior Racing Team’s Jackson Fuller, who was consistently P2 all weekend, apart from the final moto of the event where he crossed the line in third.
Husqvarna Junior Racing Team rider Jack Deveson rounded out the podium, ahead of NSW’s Max Compton, as a strong final moto from Western Australian Sonny Pellicano saw him edge Jackson Walsh for the final spot inside the top five.
128-150cc 2T and 200-250cc 4T 13-U15 Years
There was more domination in the younger 250cc four-stroke class, as Kiwi racer Hayden Draper held the field to ransom over the entire weekend. The LMC Husqvarna Racing rider won all five finals – including one of them by more than 44 seconds – to finish with a perfect score of 125 points.
There was fierce competition for the runner-up position though, with NSW’s Jack Burton winning on a countback from Husqvarna Junior Racing Team’s Peter Wolfe, after the two both tied on 104 points.
Queensland’s Lachie Allen (GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing) did enough to wrap up P4 in the final standings, finishing just ahead of Corey Eisel after a weekend-long battle.
100-125cc 2T 15 Years
This class came down to the wire as KTM Junior Racing Team’s Jackson Fuller and Husqvarna Junior Racing Team’s Jake Deveson entered the final day tied on points. However the day’s final two motos proved pivotal, as Fuller finished 1-2, while Deveson battled to 4-5 results.
That saw Fuller take the W from moto one winner Ryder Matthews-Taylor, while a disappointed Deveson slipped to third in the final wash-up. A fast-finishing Max Compton posted 2-1 results in the final two motos to jump up to P4 in the standings, while Hayden Downie finished fifth overall
100-125cc 2T 13-U15 Years
It was a perfect weekend for current 85cc world champion Levi Townley, as the young Kiwi went undefeated through his heats, then convincingly beat some of Australia’s best with a perfect 1-1-1 result in the finals.
The Altherm JCR Yamaha team rider showed his real class in the final moto, where he won by more than 35 seconds in swiftly adapting to the 125cc ranks.
GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing’s Allen proved to be the best of the Australians with his 2-2-3 scorecard, while Husqvarna Junior Racing Team rider Peter Wolfe ended his weekend third overall, courtesy of a 3-3-2 result. Fourth went to WA local Levi Farr and fifth to Jack Burton.
85cc 2T and 150cc 4T 14-U16 Years
The elder of the 85cc classes was all about Levi Farr, as the local racer swept all five finals to claim this year’s crown.
Farr controlled every race from the front, but there were plenty of fireworks behind him as a number of contenders battled for the final podium spots.
In the end, Riley Fiford from WA got the better of Cooper Ford (KTM Junior Racing Team) to secure the runner-up spot by just three points. Ritchie Lawler finished the weekend in fourth, while Cooper Bowman completed the top five.
85cc 2T and 150cc 4T 12-U14 Years
Tight, intense racing was the hallmark of this class all week, as the top three were separated by just seven points after five motos.
When the final chequered flag flew, GASGAS Junior Racing Team’s Seth Thomas stood on top of the box with two wins and a podium result in every moto, while KTM Junior Racing Team’s Ollie Birkitt claimed P2 on countback over WA’s Mason Brown after winning the final moto of the week.
GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing’s Deegan Fort wrapped his campaign up in fourth overall, while Jaggar Townley stayed consistent all week to round out the top five.
85cc 2T and 150cc 4T 9-U12 Years
Having eased his way through a series of heats to determine the fastest 40 riders for the three finals, young GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing rider Blake Bohannon performed when it mattered most to claim this year’s championship.
Bohannon won two of the three finals to take the title by seven points over second-placed Jayce Stocker, who won the final moto. Bam Hill rounded out the podium after finishing 2-9-5 in his races, as Liam Millard and Husqvarna Junior Racing Team’s Ethan Wolfe came home in fourth and fifth overall, respectively.
Girls 100-150cc and 200-250cc 13-U16 Years
New Zealand’s Karaitiana Horne convincingly wrapped up the older of the two Girls’ classes, as she stormed to four straight wins, then coasted home to fifth in the final moto to wrap up the title with eight points still in hand.
BCP HAS Honda Junior Development Team rider Leah Rimbas ended her weekend second overall with four P2 results and one P3, while the final moto winner, Madi Simpson (Honda) completed the podium. Makayla Rimbas finished the event in P4, as Bella Burke completed the top five.
Girls 85cc 2T and 150cc 4T 12-U16 Years
Eliza Dennis put a P3 result in the opening moto behind her to win the remaining four finals and emerge victorious in this field.
The NSW rider won each of those four races with big margins – up to 41 seconds – as she coasted to the title over first-moto winner Makayla Rimbas from WA.
Addison Orr finished third overall with five podium results, as Kyrah Mancninelli beat Stephanie Turnbull to P4 overall on a countback.
65cc 10-U12 Years
A come-from-behind performance over the past two days of action saw Mason Ezergailis claim the older of the 65cc classes.
The Victorian finished third in his opening two motos, but came out swinging on Friday and Saturday to win the remaining three races and take the crown by seven points from early leader Bohannon.
NSW rider Kye Sproule also started with a P5 in the opening race, but ended with four consecutive P2 results to round out the podium. Lewis-Jay Carafa and Oli Chander finished fourth and fifth.
65cc 7-U10 Years
The last of the classes that had to undergo heats to determine who qualified for the finals was clean-swept by Queensland’s Hudson Francis. He won his second moto by more than 40 seconds, as he cruised to the title from Ollie Cale.
It was a tight battle for the remaining podium spot, with Rowdy Rabjones (P3), Nate Forwood (P4) and Chase Wilson (P5) only separated by three points, and fourth and fifth having to be decided on countback.
50cc 7-U9 Years
Nate Forwood is our youngest AJMX champion after claiming the 50cc class win.
Forwood devastated the rest of the field early in the proceedings to set himself as the favourite, and even though he was disqualified from the fourth moto, he still did enough to win the title by four points over Cai Rose.
Harrison Rex bounced back from a tough opening moto to take third overall, as John Wodetzki was P4 and Malachi van Maanenberg fifth.
Images: Foremost Media