Image: Foremost Media.

Defending champions Kyron Bacon and Josh Green swept the 2023 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) opener in E1 and E2, while Samuel Pretscherer emerged as the leading E3 rider on both days at Mendooran.

ShopYamaha Off-Road Racing’s Bacon made his intentions clear for back-to-back titles, finishing in front of Korey McMahon (GasGas) and Cooper Sheidow (Yamaha) who completed the top three in class across the weekend.

The winning form the ShopYamaha team spread to the E2 category, with Green setting the pace in New South Wales to lead Jye Dickson (GasGas) and Fraser Higlett (Beta) on day one, with Dickson again second on the final day ahead of Jonte Reynders (Motul Pirelli Sherco Racing Team) who improved to third.

Posting the E3 benchmark in Mendooran was Pretscherer (Simford Motorsport Husqvarna), as Stefan Granquist (Husqvarna) and Riley McGillivray (KTM) completed the category’s podium on both days.

Yamaha-mounted William Dennett impressed in EJ to top both days in the class, as Taylor Thompson (Excite Motorsports Yamaha) edged defending champion Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha JGR Ballard’s Off-Road Team) in Mendooran to emerge with the early series lead in EW.

Detailed results