Image: AUS-X Open.

Event promotion and sport administration expert Tony Cochrane was thoroughly impressed after attending Saturday’s Monster Energy AUS-X Open Sydney, in which he is the new chairman.

Cochrane’s appointment was confirmed directly prior to the 2017 running and he said its success is a testament to directors/co-founders Ryan Sanderson and Adam Bailey.

“It’s absolutely unbelievable!” commented Cochrane on Saturday evening. “You’ve gotta see it live – it’s good on TV, but it’s awesome live. You just can’t believe the gap that they put those bikes into, the speed and the control is just phenomenal. Fantastic, loved every second of it.”

Cochrane, who formerly had a limited association with the non-championship Australian SX Nationals in 2004 as a director of organisers Sports and Entertainment Limited (SEL), said that supercross is a highly-compelling type of motorsport that particularly resonates with the millennial demographic.

“I’ve just had a passing interest in [supercross], but I think I’ve only ever been to one supercross event live before in my life, so it’s mainly been on TV. I love all motorsport, but it’s kind of the motorsport for now. It’s really a motorsport that is fantastic for the millennials.

“It’s quick, full of adrenaline, action-packed and it happens so fast before your eyes. You can get really down and close to it and it all happens in front of you, so it’s a compelling story and compelling motorsport at its best – a compelling sport at its best. You can see why it’s such a huge success.”