Image: Supplied.

New Zealand teenager Levi Townley made headlines in the Netherlands over the weekend after clinching the 85cc crown at the 2024 Junior Motocross World Championship at Circuit Kamperweg Heerde.

The 14-year-old – who has been a regular in the MX85 Cup at ProMX this season – son of former MX2 world champion Ben Townley went 1-3 for the overall in a remarkable achievement on his Yamaha YZ85.

“It was an amazing weekend for me,” he reflected, after becoming the first-ever Kiwi to win a junior motocross world title. “I wasn’t expecting it… I was expecting to go and learn as much as I could. I got a really good start in the first race and came around second, ended up leading by halfway and won that moto.

“That set the day up and the weekend really well to win. I didn’t get the best start in the second moto then I rode pretty good and came from outside the top 10 to third and that was enough to win the world championship. That was pretty cool when I crossed the line!”

Of the Australians in the field, Ky Woods finished 21st overall in the 125cc category, Seth Thomas finished 12th in the 85s, and Mason Ezergailis claimed 11-8 moto scores for eighth in the 65cc class.