Image: Foremost Media.

The 2023 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) resumed with rounds seven and eight in Keyneton, South Australia, as the returning Kyron Bacon stood tall in the E1 category both days among other winners that emerged across the competing classes.

Bacon (ShopYamaha Off-Road Racing) made his AORC comeback from a broken left leg sustained at a Tasmanian enduro event earlier in the year, and led Will Price (Empire Kawasaki) and Cooper Sheidow (Yamaha) in E1 on Saturday.

GasGas-mounted Korey McMahon rebounded on Sunday to finish second in the class behind Bacon, as Sheidow once again completed the top three ahead of Price in fourth.

In E2, KTM racer Andy Wilksch took the top spot honours at round seven, leading ShopYamaha Off-Road Racing’s Josh Green and Jye Dickson (GasGas).

However, it was Jonte Reynders (Motul Pirelli Sherco) who led the way in E2 at round eight, ahead of Green and Dickson who completed the podium once more. Unfortunately, Wilksch hurt his knee in the first sprint on Sunday which ultimately forced him to withdraw from the event prematurely.

Shepparton Motorcycles KTM rider Riley McGillivray was the man to beat on Saturday in E3, leading Stefan Granquist (Husqvarna) and Sam Pretscherer (Simford Motorsport Husqvarna). McGillivray again topped the E3 charts on Sunday, but Pretscherer edged Granquist this time around for the runner-up position.

The EJ category saw Luke Chellas (KTM) lead Billy Hargy and Will Dennett (Yamaha) on Saturday, while Dennett stood tall at round eight ahead of Jett Yarnold (Yamaha) and Hargy.

Meanwhile, Yamaha JGR Ballard’s Off-Road Team’s Jessica Gardiner set the EW benchmark on both days, with Emelie Karlsson (Husqvarna) and Monique Simioni (Husqvarna) standing on the podium for round seven, as Taylor Thompson (GasGas) and Karlsson completed the podium on Sunday.

Detailed results