2019 AORC Opener Preview - Toowoomba

As the trucks pull up and riders gear up for a new season with new challenges, keep yourself in the know on Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship’s (AORC) Rounds 1 & 2 location, how to access live timing throughout the weekend and where to stay updated on all news and results as it comes through.

Both rounds will deliver a Sprint format to all competitors, with a new track to navigate. Landing on Toowoomba for the first time in AORC’s 13 years, the new challenge faced with a new landscape and test is exciting for fans and riders alike! Toowoomba’s forecasted high heats combined with a dusty landscape will prove the raw skill and fitness of each competitor.

2019 AORC Toowoomba Preview – Image by John Pearson Media

The opening rounds of the 2019 AORC season will feature the 2019 Queensland Enduro State Championship and will be promoted by host Toowoomba Motorcycle Club.

Featuring this weekend includes four-time Enduro GP Champion, Matthew Phillips (MX Store, KTM), who will compete in E1 alongside his teammate Kyron Bacon (MX Store, KTM) in EJ. A Tasmanian local, Phillips has rekindled his love for the Enduro discipline after a serious injury in 2018 thanks to his mentee, Bacon. With international renown and indisputable success to boot, it is an honour and a pleasure to welcome Phillips back into the AORC fold.

Returning ‘down under’ with a sixth consecutive FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) Women’s World Trophy victory is Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha MX Store Ballards Off-Road Team). 2019 also marks Gardiner’s new campaign to knock the current AORC Women’s title record out of the park and finish the season with five Championship titles! One of the few other competitors that has come close to taking the record out from under Gardiner is her former ISDE teammate, Jemma Wilson!

2018 ISDE Outright Champion and one of the four members of Australia’s victorious World Trophy Team, Daniel Milner (KTM Enduro Racing Team) returns to the AORC pits for 2019. After an extremely successful 2018 AORC season, Milner has moved to a smaller bike, changing classes from E3 to E2. Confident in his agility and drive, Milner will contend for fastest overall test time and one of 10 coveted AORC 2019 titles alongside teammate, Lyndon Snodgrass.

2019 AORC Toowoomba Preview – Image by John Pearson Media

A member of the immortal 2018 Australian ISDE World Trophy Team, Snodgrass has proven time and time again that his competitive drive is a force to be reckoned with. A major contender on home soil and internationally, Snodgrass returns to the 2019 AORC pits in the E1 class, going up against Phillips and 2018 Australian ISDE Junior World Trophy member, Fraser Higlett (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team).

A larrikin both on and off the bike, Higlett has shown his rivals on Australian and international soil that behind his smile is a demon that pushes the metal for all it’s worth. With a 2018 mullet that near preceded him in reputation, Higlett has his work cut out for him this season as he goes head to head with Snodgrass and Phillips.

Higlett’s Husqvarna Enduro Racing Teammate, Daniel Sanders, who rode alongside Milner and Snodgrass in Australia’s triumphant ISDE World Trophy Team last year, comes into this weekend’s opening rounds as a fan favourite for his new E3 class. With his trademark sunny disposition, Sanders is one to keep your eye on as he pushes a campaign to take out another AORC title.

Last but certainly not least is Andy Wilksch (Motul Pirelli Sherco Team), who returns to the AORC pits this weekend in the E3 class against Sanders. A member of Australia’s dynamic ISDE Junior World Trophy Team alongside Higlett, Wilksch delivers a pedigree of skill, agility and drive which will assist in guaranteeing podium real estate.

Stay up to date with all the happenings of the 2019 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship by visiting the AORC Website at aorc.org.au where you can access the live timing.

2019 AORC Toowoomba Preview – Image by John Pearson Media

Toowoomba, Queensland welcomes AORC

All the action will kick off in the town of Murphys Creek, just 20 minutes’ drive outside of Toowoomba city. Located at the foot of the Great Dividing Range, the historic town was once a thriving business centre around 100 years ago. The picturesque town was named after the nearby Murphys Creek, which was named after Peter Murphy who built his station next to the creek back in 1841.

This is first time AORC will land in Toowoomba, which will produce a new challenge for all competitors as they navigate the demanding terrain. What remains alternatively unchallenging though is exploring the Toowoomba region! If you’re in the region, be sure to check out the McCoy’s Café up North in Cooyah or the Cobb+Co Museum for their Bush Mechanics Exhibition.

School Visit

Earlier today AORC visited Murphys Creek State School with four fan favourite riders, Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team’s Fraser Higlett and Daniel Sanders, and Yamaha MX Store Ballard Off-Road Team’s Jessica Gardiner and Jeremy Carpentier. Across the morning our riders spoke to the students about their experiences as an athlete on a world stage, how they keep safe out on the tracks and how to get started in your racing career!