Rounds three and four of the 2022 Yamaha Australian Off Road Championships again saw a wave of bLU cRU supported riders and teams make their way to the podium each day in a challenging and gruelling two days of racing.
Media Information: 12 April 2022Heat, humidity, rain, mud: it was all thrown at competitors at rounds three and four of the AORC at Gum Valley, in tropical North Queensland, but Yamaha riders handled the conditions well and achieved some remarkable results to have many of leading their championship classes or well placed as the series heads towards the half way point.
To view the bLU Cru round recall: https://youtu.be/DMVjAJN21E4
It was a another successful weekend for Jess Gardiner and her Yamaha JGR Ballard’s Off Road Team. Gardiner led the way taking the win in the Women’s division on both days and has four round wins on the trot in 2022. She kept a comfortable gap over her nearest rivals and despite making a few mistakes out on track herself, she was more then able to make up for it and kept her 2022 winning streak intact.
Following in her footsteps is 14year old Danielle Macdonald. Macdonald also took out victory both days in the Junior Girls (JG) division on her YZ125 and is making every post a winner this season. She even banged bars with the boys pulling down top five results on both days.
And just to ensure the entire team made a trip to the podium, Jeremey Carpentier finished third on day one in the hotly contested E1 division. Carpentier showed plenty of experience to fight his way onto the podium for the round and was hopefully of a repeat on day two but a nasty fall halted his podium charge on day two and he was left to nurse his wounds in eighth for the day.
“Overall it was a successful and positive weekend for myself and the team,” Gardiner explains. “We had no bikes issues at all and apart from Jeremy having a pretty good crash on day two, everything else went smoothly for us.
“Thank you to the AORC organisers for a great event and also to Yamaha and our team sponsors for doing a fantastic job or keeping us on track and looking good.”
There was plenty for Yamaha fans to cheer about in other classes with the Hutton name continuing to be featured at the AORC rounds. Harley Hutton took the double win on his YZ85 in the J1 juniors with younger brother chiming in for 4-3 results on each day.
Will Dennett took his YZ250 two stroke to third in the EJ (Under 19) class on day one but then stepped things up on day two to take the round win and ignite his season.
Marcus Nowland took the win in the J2 division, Davey Gear split the J4 wins with Jett Yarnold, while Kane Hall did the business in the two stroke cup.
“With the success of the ShopYamaha Team as well as Yamaha’s other supported riders, off road manager, AJ Roberts came away from the event well pleased with the bLU cRU results.
“The event turned out to be another great one for Yamaha with success in several classes. Not only are we having on track success but the off-track presence of profile of our riders and teams looks great and Yamaha continue to throw their weight behind off road racing.
“On behalf of Yamaha, congratulations to all Yamaha riders at Gum Valley on a job well done and hope that the good results will keep coming at future rounds,” AJ signs off.
All riders now turn their attention to the Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE) in Victoria starting on May 4 where Yamaha will again be out in full force and looking for more podium time.