Multi-time Australian Off Road Champion, Jess Gardiner, returned to her best form and topped an impressive list of results for Yamaha riders at rounds three and four of the AORC held at a dry and dusty Queensland Moto Park, over the weekend. Check out the round recap in the video below…

Over the course of the two day event, Yamaha pulled down an outstanding 9 class wins stretching from the J2 85cc class all the way through to the E2 450cc division led by Jess Gardiner who claimed the double victory in the Women’s category.

After a busy month that included a successful trip to Europe to contest the opening weekend of the World Enduro Championships, Jess Gardiner bounced back into Australia, freshened up and then headed straight to Queensland for rounds three and four of the AORC. Back in her preferred hard dirt and enduro based format, Gardiner turned it on all weekend and won both days in the Women’s class to reassert her authority at the top of the championship table.

After a busy month that included a successful trip to Europe to contest the opening weekend of the World Enduro Championships, Jess Gardiner bounced back into Australia, freshened up and then headed straight to Queensland.

After a busy month that included a successful trip to Europe to contest the opening weekend of the World Enduro Championships, Jess Gardiner bounced back into Australia, freshened up and then headed straight to Queensland.

She barely lost a test all weekend and took the round three victory by four minutes, then backed that up with a three-minute victory on Sunday to make up for the list points at the opening weekend and reclaim the lead in the Women’s category.

“I had been suffered the lingering affects of a cold the past few weeks but thankfully I was able to shake that off in the days prior and feel pretty good when I got up on Saturday morning,” Gardiner explains. “Its well known that I don’t ride sand that well, but back on hard dirt and in dry conditions like this is what I have the most experience in and I was able to put that to good use over the weekend and win both days with a good gap over the next rider. It was good to get the first won of the year on the board and get my championship back on track.”

Danielle Macdonald faced a more challenging weekend as she was not 100 per cent riding with a recent wrist injury.

Danielle Macdonald faced a more challenging weekend as she was not 100 per cent riding with a recent wrist injury.

Teammate, Danielle Macdonald faced a more challenging weekend as she was not 100 per cent riding with a recent wrist injury. The 15 year old gun was able to get through unscathed on Saturday and win the round in the Junior Girls class, but backing up again on the Sunday proved difficult and she was only able to finish second on the day.

With three round wins and a second so far, Macdonald still leads the Junior Girls division and the break in the AORC calendar will give her wrist time to heal. Jeremy Carpentier is still on the sidelines as he recovers from a broken wrist but is expected back in action for the A4DE next month in WA.

Wil Dennett has stepped things up in 2023 and has been one to watch and the weekend proved his round one success was no fluke with another dual class win and taking top seven Outright results on both days.

Wil Dennett has stepped things up in 2023 and has been one to watch and the weekend proved his round one success was no fluke with another dual class win and taking top seven Outright results on both days.

In other results, Wil Dennett continues to show his start on the rise with a scintillating performance in the EJ (under 19) class. Dennett has stepped things up in 2023 and has been one to watch and the weekend proved his round one success was no fluke with another dual class win and taking top seven Outright results on both days.

Jett Yarnold had a tough start to the season but is now getting back to 100 per cent and the dual podium will no doubt be a confidence booster.

Jett Yarnold had a tough start to the season but is now getting back to 100 per cent…

While his bLU cRU Yamaha support teammate, Jett Yarnold, stood alongside him on the podium both days with a third place finish in the EJ class, making it a Yamaha 1-3. Yarnold had a tough start to the season but is now getting back to 100 per cent and the dual podium will no doubt be a confidence booster for the teenage New South Welshmen.

Marcus Nowland rode well over the weekend in the J3 (13-15 years) class on his YZ250F.

Marcus Nowland rode well over the weekend in the J3 (13-15 years) class on his YZ250F.

In the junior divisions, Yamaha again performed well with Ollie Gear leading the way. The South Australia racked up two round victories in the J3 (13-15 years) class on his YZ250F. Dylan MacDonald and Marcus Nowland both rode well over the weekend in the same division but it was Gear who go the job done and took a convincing victory.

Harley Hutton rebounded from a tough first weekend of racing at rounds one and two to get back to he belongs in the J2 85cc class.

Harley Hutton rebounded from a tough weekend of racing at rounds one/two to get back to he belongs in the J2 class.

Harley Hutton rebounded from a tough first weekend of racing at rounds one and two to get back to he belongs in the J2 85cc class. Hutton charged to a round win on Saturday and impressed with his speed and race craft. He backed that up with a second-place finish on Sunday as he climbs the championship ladder after four rounds.

Rounds five and Six of the Australian Off Road Championship will be held in Victoria on July 22-23.

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