The opening weekend of the 2024 Australian Off-Road Championship presented by MXstore (AORC) season in Roma, Queensland saw Daniel Milner picking right back up where he left off two years ago, with the overall win across two days.

The stacked field saw the entry split in to two, across two different enduro tests, before switching over for the second day.

It was a convincing start to the 2024 season for all riders in the main classes race with comfortable wins. Those included Yamaha JGR Ballard’s Off Road Team rider Danielle McDonald who tuned around a day one deficit to her teammate Jess Gardiner to claim her first Enduro Women’s win.

Kyron Bacon (Shop Yamaha, Threesix Motorsports) comfortably first in E1 and second overall behind Daniel Milner (KTM Australia, DM31 Racing Team), winner in E2 and OA, Riley McGillivray (Shepparton Motorcycles, KTM) who claimed E3 and Jett Yarnold (Yamaha Motor Australia, Yamalube) the overall Junior victor.

Comfortably winning E1 class, Kyron Bacon made an almost best possible start to the season. His total times for the day were 52:33.7 and 48:39 for the two days which put him well-clear of Cooper Sheidow and Korey McMahon in class respectively, but equally well behind Daniel Milner in the overall.

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2024 AORC Round 1 E1 Top 5 results, day 1:

  1. Kyron Bacon (Shop Yamaha, Threesix Motorsports) 52:33.729
  2. Cooper Sheidow (Yamaha Motor Australia, Yamalube) 53:05.819
  3. Korey McMahon (GASGAS Australia, Motorex) 53:08.970
  4. Tom Buxton (KTM Australia, DM31 Racing Team) 54:53.529
  5. Will Price (Empire Motorsports Kawasaki Off Road Race Team) 55:48.607

2024 AORC Round 1 E1 Top 5 results, day 2:

  1. Kyron Bacon (Shop Yamaha, Threesix Motorsports) 48:39.018
  2. Korey McMahon (GASGAS Australia, Motorex) 50:02.391
  3. Tom Buxton (KTM Australia, DM31 Racing Team) 50:13.130
  4. Cooper Sheidow (Yamaha Motor Australia, Yamalube) 51:00.588
  5. Will Price (Empire Motorsports Kawasaki Off Road Race Team) 53:02.884

Dream start for Milner

Milner’s return from two years in Europe racing the EnduroGP World Championship hasn’t knocked any edges off his speed in the dry and dusty enduro test of Queensland. If it was comfortable in overall then in class it was a breeze with over a minute advantage ahead of Jonte Reynders in E2 each day.

“It’s quite nice to be back here racing AORC.” Said Milner. “It definitely feels like being back home, that’s for sure.

“I was excited to get out racing and the club have done an unbelievable job of setting up these tracks. Typically, I’ve experienced tracks in Queensland that are wide open and rocky but these tracks have been quite technical and tight, with added flowy sections. We definitely experienced a little bit of everything today.

“I’m absolutely stoked with how my day went. Aside from a crash in the final test, I finished top of E2 and the fastest overall time.”

2024 AORC Round 1 E2 Top 5 results, day 1:

  1. Daniel Milner (KTM Australia, DM31 Racing Team) 51:33.351
  2. Jonte Reynders (Motul Pirelli Sherco Team) 52:37.833
  3. Will Dennett (Shop Yamaha, Threesix Motorsports) 53:15.229
  4. Andy Wilksch (Beta Offroad Team) 54:02.448
  5. Beau Ralston (Empire Motorsports Kawasaki Off Road Race Team) 54:10.415

2024 AORC Round 1 E2 Top 5 results, day 2:

  1. Daniel Milner (KTM Australia, DM31 Racing Team) 48:03.326
  2. Jonte Reynders (Motul Pirelli Sherco Team) 49:33.394
  3. Will Dennett (Shop Yamaha, Threesix Motorsports) 50:03.522
  4. Andy Wilksch (Beta Offroad Team) 50:14.633
  5. Jeremy Carpentier (Yamaha JGR Ballard’s Off Road Team) 51:47.818

Big bike rules

Setting the tone for the season, Riley McGillivray bossed the big E3 bike class, again, comfortable wins across both days. Behind the KTM Australia rider it was much closer though with Stefan Granquist and Billy Hargy both trading runner-up spots in a tight fight for class podium honours.

2024 AORC Round 1 E31 Top 5 results, day 1:

  1. Riley McGillivray (Shepparton Motorcycles, KTM) 53:43.104
  2. Stefan Granquist (Husqvarna) 54:22.852
  3. Fraser Higlett (Beta Australia) 54:29.952
  4. Billy Hargy (Simford Group Motorsport) 54:54.036
  5. Jye Dickson (Beta Racing Australia) 56:03.001

2024 AORC Round 1 E31 Top 5 results, day 2:

  1. Riley McGillivray (Shepparton Motorcycles, KTM) 50:22.902
  2. Billy Hargy (Simford Group Motorsport) 51:15.700
  3. Fraser Higlett (Beta Australia) 51:31.043
  4. Stefan Granquist (Husqvarna) 51:40.026
  5. Jye Dickson (Beta Racing Australia) 54:16.815

Enduro Women

Jess Gardiner came out swinging on day one in the Enduro Women’s class. Her advantage of Emilie Karlsson was almost a minute as the senior classes took one set of tests on day and then switched over with the Vets and other classes on Sunday.

The more technical test proved positive for Danielle Macdonald who turned around the third place on day one to hammer over a minute advantage over Gardiner for a maiden win.

“It was a tough battle between me and Jess all day,” said Macdonald, “so I’m stoked to come away with the win today,” confirmed McDonald.

 

 “It was a pretty tough track but it suited my style more than yesterday. The WR450F test wasn’t my cup of tea so I came third but I’ve obviously come back this Round faster and stronger.

“Heading into Rounds 3 & 4, I just need to keep my pace, not stress too much and have fun!”

2024 AORC Round 1 EW Top 5 results, day 1:

  1. Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha JGR Ballard’s Off Road Team) 1:01:23.100
  2. Emelie Karlsson (Cassons, Husqvarna) 1:02:20.150
  3. Danielle McDonald (Yamaha JGR Ballard’s Off Road Team) 1:02:29.949
  4. Ebony Nielsen (Beta Motorcycles Australia) 1:02:41.020
  5. Nenah Chadwick (RR Racing) 1:12.34.775

2024 AORC Round 1 EW Top 5 results, day 2:

  1. Danielle McDonald (Yamaha JGR Ballard’s Off Road Team) 53:15.149
  2. Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha JGR Ballard’s Off Road Team) 54:46.569
  3. Ebony Nielsen (Beta Motorcycles Australia) 1:00:44.223
  4. Emelie Karlsson (Cassons, Husqvarna) 1:00:48.380
  5. Nenah Chadwick (RR Racing) 1:12:46.294

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Jett set Junior

Yamaha’s were prevalent across the classes and in the Juniors it was Jett Yarnold who couldn’t be beaten with two day wins. The “pocket rocket” demolish his competition in class with times gaps even the senior class winner couldn’t manage.

2024 AORC Round 1 EJ Top 5 results, day 1:

  1. Jett Yarnold (Yamaha Motor Australia, Yamalube) 53:15.149
  2. Eli Tripcony (Husqvarna, Motorex) 54:46.569
  3. Oliver Paterno (Port Macquarie Motorcycles, Yamaha) 55:54.001
  4. Davey Gear (Leatt, Nutrien Ag) 56:13.086
  5. Jackson Versteegen (Peter Stevens, Fox Australia) 56:45.131

2024 AORC Round 1 EJ Top 5 results, day 2:

  1. Jett Yarnold (Yamaha Motor Australia, Yamalube) 54:57.663
  2. Eli Tripcony (Husqvarna, Motorex) 56:48.678
  3. Oliver Paterno (Port Macquarie Motorcycles, Yamaha) 58:12.115
  4. Jackson Versteegen (Peter Stevens, Fox Australia) 58:53.833
  5. Cody Howell (Tweaked Performance) 59:19.216

Full results for a ll classes on both days here: https://speedhive.mylaps.com/organizations/112684

 

More information: www.aorc.org.au

 

Photo Credit: Troy Pears