1 Sep 2010

The Wellard Yamaha Junior Development Team went into the last round of the West Australian Motocross Championships aiming to prove a point. After a season of injury that had robbed them of more podium opportunities there was still a title on the line for 125cc rider Jayden Rykers.

Clear skies and a well prepared circuit met the riders for the last Championship round at the sandy circuit of Coastal Park in Henderson just south of Fremantle. The atmosphere was tense with titles to be won and lost on the day.

Jayden Rykers (Mandurah City Yamaha) came into the day with a handy thirteen point lead in the 125 class. Usually a workman like rider who goes about his job without showing much emotion Jayden knew what he needed to do. Moto one saw him ride to second place, having three points trimmed off his lead. Moto two was possibly the worst race he had all year, when in lap one he went down in the second corner and was relegated to near back of the field. With his rival now leading the race Jayden needed to get back through the field as fast as he could to salvage as many points as possible. By race end he had got back to fifth which was a great effort but his buffer was now down to just three points.

Moto three saw him get a reasonable start but not good enough, as he was in third and his rival was now winning the race. If it were to stay that way Jayden would lose by two points. The young charger put his head down and set about catching up on the one position that he needed. After a nail biting race that did not go all his way Jayden came home in second place which would see him tied for the Championship but winning on a count back courtesy of more race wins over the series.

“I don’t know what happened today I was feeling really sick before my second race I think the pressure really got to me. But a win is a win and I will take it for sure,” a very relieved Rykers offered up after the meeting.

250F mounted Daniel Strickland (Five Star Yamaha) was focussed on the mathematical chance of getting back on the podium after missing a round of the championship through injury. With only an eleven point deficit to make it happen, race one would see that option quickly evaporate when he ran out of room while overtaking a rider for the lead and spearing off the track clipping a stump and high siding himself over the bars. Unhurt but now dead last Daniel set about riding the wheels off his Yamaha to get back to seventh place which was good but the podium gap had now increased.

Races two and three would prove no better as while pushing as hard as possible he sampled the soil more times than he had all year.

 A disappointed Daniel said, “I am so bummed at today’s results I’ve worked really hard since my return this is not the way I wanted to finish in the Championship.”

Another rider who missed a round through injury was Kyle Webster (North City Yamaha) unlike his team mate Kyle’s day was going well. He came out in all moto’s to prove that once back to his full fitness level he will be a force to be reckoned with. With good starts and being a sand specialist Kyle rode his YZ250F to a podium position taking second for the day with a 2- 2- 3.

 “Today was pretty hard; I am really tired. The sand is hard to ride at the best of times. My fitness level is down for sure but I am pretty happy to be back up on the podium,” Webster commented.

85cc Small Wheel rider Justin Hart (Causeway Yamaha) had the best day of his series at Coastal Park. Coming in sitting in third for the title Justin put his head down in every race and wound up his 85cc bike as fast as it would go. Three awesome starts made his job easier as he powered away from the field to record three perfect scores and placing on the top step of the podium for the day.

“I moved up to second for the championship today which was about as good as I could have done. If I did not have a DNF at Jindong things might have been different and I could have been battling for the title,” Added Hart.

The last rider returning from Injury was Satellite rider Liam Whisler (Cully’s Yamaha) After suffering a lacerated Kidney just five weeks ago Liam was fit enough to come back for the last round. He also wanted to make up as many points as possible for his team. Unfortunately though only twelve but being quite tall the sand circuits can prove to be challenging for Liam and race one was not as good as he had hoped with a crash leading to a fifteenth. The next two were better as he posted 3-5 finishes. Although not on the podium, he had managed to make it back to fifth in the championship final standings.

‘After a very unlucky season of injuries our team has come through pretty well. Jayden is without doubt all class and though a little off today showed he is a true champ taking his seventh state title at only thirteen years of age. Justin showed that next season will be his year by narrowly missing the big prize this year. As for Daniel, Kyle and Liam to miss a round each and still finish in the top five is pretty amazing and a big statement for our rider’s depth and skill in this team.

“Yamaha and all our advertising partners should be proud just like I am to be involved with a group of Champions like this year’s Development team. Some of the boys will be off to the Nationals before we focus on our Arenacross series which kicks off just after the Aussie titles,” Team Manager Peter Strickland had to say about his young chargers. 

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS
85cc 9-U12 Years
1st    Connor Tierney -KTM
2nd   Justin Hart -Yamaha
3rd   Max Vlasich- Honda
4th   Liam Whisler -Yamaha

125cc 13-U16 Years
1st    Jayden Rykers - Yamaha
2nd   Mitchell Taylor - Yamaha
3rd    Joseph Murphy - Yamaha

250F 13-U16yrs
1st     Mitchell Taylor - Yamaha
2nd    Joseph Murphy - Yamaha
3rd    Scott Kramer - Honda
5th    Kyle Webster -Yamaha

250F 15 years
1st     Dylan Sexton - KTM
2nd    Reece Colgan - KTM
3rd    Jonty Thomas -Honda
5th    Daniel Strickland -Yamaha