Round one of the 2026 Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship presented by MXstore in Roma on March 7 delivered a brutal test for competitors, with gruelling rough and dusty conditions pushing riders to their limits.

A hot and humid Saturday, combined with a demanding course, meant riders needed to bring their very best to minimise mistakes and endure a long day in the saddle. Across six lengthy special tests, the nation’s top enduro riders were forced to dig deep as Roma immediately showed why it is one of the toughest stops on the championship calendar.

In contrast, racing on Sunday was cancelled after heavy overnight race made any sort of action untenable.

Pro Enduro
Wil Ruprecht (Shop Yamaha Offroad Team) stamped his authority on the field throughout the day, proving the rider to beat in Pro Enduro as he dominated the majority of the tests. His only interruption came in test six, where Korey McMahon (KTM DM31 Racing) surged late in the day to claim the fastest overall time.

Second outright in Pro Enduro was Jye Dickson (TM DM31 Racing), the newest addition to the KTM squad. While victory eluded him on the day, his relentless consistency kept the pressure on Ruprecht and firmly established him as a serious contender for the 2026 championship.

Rounding out the podium was McMahon, who overcame a challenging start to the day before finding his rhythm later in the event, highlighted by his outright test victory.

The next four positions in Pro Enduro were filled by E1 riders Cooper Sheidow (BluCru Yamaha), Deegan Graham, Ryan Hayward and Maximus Purvis (Shop Yamaha Offroad Team), further proving the smaller capacity machines were more than capable of matching the outright pace on Roma’s technical layout.

Wil Ruprecht

E1
With defending champion Jonte Reynders sidelined through pre-season injury, the E1 category arrived in Roma wide open and ready for a new contender to take control.

Launching out early, Sheidow was flying, immediately putting 15 seconds between himself and the field in the opening test.

But he wasn’t going to have it all his own way. The following tests saw  Graham and Purvis begin to show their hand, steadily eating away at the early advantage. Graham found strong form through the middle of the day, claiming victories in tests two, three and four.

Meanwhile, Hayward’s early consistency positioned him strongly in the podium fight as the demanding Roma circuit began to take its toll.

Sheidow, however, remained firmly in the hunt. Maintaining his impressive pace across the remaining tests, the Yamaha rider held strong to secure the E1 victory.

A late charge from Hayward across the final two tests wasn’t quite enough to overturn the order, with Graham holding on for second place while Hayward completed the podium in third.

Cooper Sheidow lands first blow in E1. Image – Troy Pears

E2
Picking up from his dominant finish to the 2025 season, Ruprecht wasted no time establishing himself as the rider to beat in E2.

From the opening test Ruprecht set the benchmark, immediately pulling a 15-second advantage over the field. Riding with confidence and precision, the Yamaha rider delivered a flawless performance across the day’s tests, ultimately securing victory with a commanding margin.

The consistency of  Dickson could not be denied. Delivering a smooth and calculated performance, Dickson finished second in every test as he chased the Yamaha throughout the day. Despite gradually edging closer test by test, Ruprecht remained just out of reach.

Making his debut in the E2 class, Kogan Lock (Beta) impressed immediately. The 2025 EJ champion showed he belonged in the category from the very first test, placing third on his opening run and maintaining that pace throughout the day to secure a strong podium result in his first outing.

Wil Ruprecht dominates E2. Image – Troy Pears

E3
Quickly establishing himself as the benchmark in E3 was reigning champion McMahon.

McMahon opened the day on top of the class and was never seriously challenged for the remainder of the event, delivering a composed and confident ride across the demanding tests to secure victory.

Behind him, Max Midwinter found his rhythm early on the demanding course, opening the day with a solid second-place performance. With pressure building from the chasing pack, Midwinter maintained his composure to hold second overall by the end of the day.

Quietly working his way into the podium positions, Broc Grabham delivered a strong and consistent ride aboard the Stark electric machine. Finishing third on the day, Grabham also achieved a milestone result — marking the first time an electric motorcycle has stood on the podium in a Pro class at the Australian Enduro Championship.

McMahon strongest in E3

EW
For Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha JGR Offroad Team), the plan heading into Roma was simple — start the 2026 season exactly the way she finished 2025.

With a strong pre-season behind her and conditions that suited her riding style, the reigning champion delivered a commanding performance from the outset. Gardiner controlled the event throughout the day to secure a dominant victory in the opening round of the season.

Madi Simpson was widely expected to challenge at the front, but an early incident set her back during the opening stages of the event. Despite the setback, Simpson regrouped to secure second place on the day — and remains a rider capable of quickly returning to the fight.

Completing the podium was Emelie Granquist (Triumph Australia), who delivered a solid performance to begin her 2026 championship campaign.

Jessica Gardiner strong in EW. Image – Troy Pears

EJ
With a new generation of riders stepping into the EJ category, tight racing was expected — and the opening round delivered exactly that.

Kai Austin fired the first shot, storming through the opening test to establish a near 10-second advantage over the field. Mitch Ford, Beau Tripcony and Mason Phillips followed closely behind, separated by just three seconds in a fiercely competitive start.

However, test two proved costly for Austin as a disagreement with a creek crossing cost him valuable time and opened the door for the chasing riders.

Mason Phillips capitalised immediately, taking control of the event as the day progressed. Beau Tripcony kept the pressure on, narrowly missing victory in test three by less than a second before claiming a test win of his own in test four.

Meanwhile, Marcus Nowland quietly built momentum with consistent performances throughout the day, remaining firmly in the hunt as others faltered.

In the final stages it was Phillips who proved strongest, extending his lead across the final two tests to secure an impressive EJ victory. Nowland’s consistency paid off with second overall, while Tripcony completed the podium in third.

Hard fought victory for Mason Phillips. Image – Troy Pears

Looking ahead
Roma pushed riders to their limits from the very first round. The combination of brutal logs, rough terrain and oppressive heat made for a punishing day of racing that many competitors will remember long after the dust settles.

Unfortunately, following the conclusion of racing on Saturday, the weather took a dramatic turn as the skies opened and rain began to fall across the venue.

The rainfall was relentless throughout the evening and into the early hours of Sunday morning, leaving the course heavily saturated and significantly impacting the already demanding terrain.

Event organisers conducted an assessment of the circuit first thing Sunday morning, however the continuing rain and deteriorating ground conditions meant it was deemed too wet to safely continue competition. As a result, Round 2 of the championship was cancelled.

The Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship presented by MXstore will now turn its attention to the next stop on the calendar, with the series heading to Dungog (NSW) on April 11–12 for rounds three and four.