Rounds five and six of the 2026 Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship presented by MXstore (AusEnduro) on May 16-17 delivered a punishing weekend of racing at Queensland Moto Park (QMP).

Dry, dusty conditions, scattered rocks and deeply worn ruts challenged competitors from the opening test, while deteriorating visibility and roughening tracks ensured mistakes carried heavy consequences throughout the weekend.

A brief shower late in round five temporarily settled the dust before forecasts again threatened rain heading into Sunday, though the weather never fully arrived. As conditions continued to worsen across both days, consistency and mistake minimisation ultimately proved the defining factors in securing strong results at QMP.

Pro Enduro
Round 5, Saturday
The Pro Enduro fight erupted immediately as Shop Yamaha Off-Road Racing Team’s Wil Ruprecht once again established himself at the front of the field, but this time it was Jye Dickson (DM31 KTM Racing Team) applying relentless pressure from the opening test. Despite a small crash late in the lap, Dickson still managed to secure the opening test win, immediately signalling his intent for the day.

Behind the leading pair, rider Korey McMahon (DM31 KTM Racing Team ) remained firmly in touch, only 1.9 seconds from the lead after the opening stages as the E2 and E3 machinery controlled the outright pace around QMP.

As the day progressed, Ruprecht and Dickson continued to trade blows, separated by just over a second through the middle stages of the event. Dickson’s speed kept the pressure firmly on the championship leader, but an issue during test five proved costly, ultimately allowing Ruprecht to create the breathing room he needed.

From there, the order stabilised through the remaining tests, with Ruprecht extending his unbeaten run in 2026 ahead of Dickson, while McMahon completed the outright Pro Enduro podium after another consistent performance.

Round 6, Sunday
Launching out first once again, Ruprecht immediately established himself as the benchmark, opening the day with a five-second advantage over Dickson, who continued his strong form from round five. Familiar names quickly filled the top of the leaderboard, with McMahon, Cooper Sheidow (BLU CRU Yamaha), Kogan Lock (GASGAS) and Jeremy Carpentier (JGR Yamaha) all featuring prominently through the opening stages.

The first three tests largely mirrored one another as Ruprecht controlled proceedings, but by test four McMahon began to show the pace many expected, finishing just two seconds shy of the Yamaha rider. Dickson finally broke through for a test victory in the fifth stage after spending the entire weekend within striking distance, while McMahon’s speed continued to build as confidence returned through the latter half of the day.

McMahon capped off the weekend in style by topping the timesheets in the final test, carrying valuable momentum into the next round at Casterton. But once again it was Ruprecht who stood tallest at the close of racing, extending both his winning streak and perfect 2026 season. Dickson delivered another impressive performance to secure second outright, while McMahon completed the Pro Enduro podium in third. Sheidow finished fourth outright as the leading E1 rider, with Lock rounding out the top five.

E1
Round 5, Saturday
The E1 category resumed exactly where it left off at the previous round, with Sheidow, Deegan Graham (Yamaha), Maximus Purvis (Shop Yamaha Off-Road Racing) and Carpentier all immediately locking themselves into another intense four-rider battle. Just 7.6 seconds separated the quartet after the opening test.

The opening stages saw Sheidow and Graham continue to exchange test wins by the narrowest of margins, while Purvis delivered his strongest start to an event so far this season, remaining firmly in contention through the early laps.

The turning point came during test four, where Sheidow responded with a commanding performance to reclaim control of the class. The stage also proved costly for Purvis, who suffered a heavy crash after striking a rock and sliding down the track, forcing him out for the remainder of the day.

From there, Sheidow maintained control through the closing tests to collect another E1 victory in 2026. Graham continued to push all the way to the finish despite a late issue of his own, narrowly securing second overall by just 0.2 seconds ahead of Jeremy Carpentier in third.

Round 6, Sunday
Sheidow continued his commanding E1 form at QMP, immediately setting the pace in the opening test. Carpentier started strongly once again, finishing just three seconds adrift to establish himself as Sheidow’s closest challenger early in the day.

One of the major setbacks came for Graham, who crashed heavily in the opening test and surrendered nearly a minute, leaving himself with a mountain to climb for the remainder of the event. Stefan Granquist (Triumph) briefly placed himself inside the podium fight with a pair of strong early tests, while Fraser Higlett (Yamaha) steadily built momentum as the day progressed, finding improved pace by test three.

By the halfway point the shape of the class had begun to settle, with Sheidow and Carpentier consistently matching one another across each stage while the battle for the final podium position intensified behind them. Graham, Granquist and Higlett traded positions throughout the closing tests as every second became critical.

At day’s end it was all Sheidow, delivering a convincing third victory of the 2026 season. Carpentier continued his strong championship campaign with another second-place finish, while Graham secured third after a consistent charge through the latter stages of the event.

E2
Round 5, Saturday
The E2 category again produced one of the battles of the day as Ruprecht and Dickson took their Pro Enduro rivalry directly into class competition. Dickson struck first with impressive speed in the opening test before Ruprecht responded immediately in test two, opening a small advantage over the KTM rider.

Behind them, Lock delivered another measured and consistent performance to establish himself in third early in the day, while Will McInnes (KTM) quietly remained within striking distance throughout the opening half of the event.

Although Ruprecht controlled the class for most of the day, the margin never allowed for mistakes, with Dickson consistently remaining within only a handful of seconds across nearly every test. The defining moment arrived during test five, where Dickson dropped over 11 seconds and surrendered crucial time in the overall battle.

Dickson returned to form immediately in the closing stages, again matching Ruprecht’s pace, but the Yamaha rider proved too strong once more, securing another E2 victory and extending his remarkable winning streak. Dickson finished second after one of his strongest performances of the season so far, while Lock completed the podium in third.

Round 6, Sunday
The E2 category again revolved around the battle between Ruprecht and Dickson, with both riders matching one another test-for-test as they simultaneously fought for outright Pro Enduro honours.

Behind the leading pair, Lock quickly established himself in third position and remained largely unchallenged throughout the day, though still searching for the pace required to bridge the gap to the riders ahead. The fight behind Lock proved far tighter, with McInnes, Oliver Paterno (Yamaha) and Jake Henderson (KTM) regularly trading positions across the opening tests. A costly second test hurt Paterno’s momentum, dropping him down the order before recovering later in the day.

As the final times were tallied, Ruprecht once again secured victory ahead of Dickson in another dominant display. Lock completed another familiar podium appearance in third, while Brock Nichols (Husqvarna) produced his strongest ride late in the day with an impressive final test performance.

E3
Round 5, Saturday
McMahon controlled E3 from the opening test, once again demonstrating the outright speed that has made him one of the standout riders of the 2026 championship.

The battle behind him remained intense throughout the day. Max Midwinter (KTM) overcame an early mechanical issue during the sight lap to eventually recover into second position, while Broc Grabham (Stark), Max Rikys (KTM) and Jack Conlan (Sherco) spent the opening tests separated by only seconds in the fight for the remaining podium positions.

As the laps progressed, Conlan was the first to lose touch with the leaders following difficulties in test three, while Grabham and Midwinter continued to exchange positions through the middle portion of the event.

By the close of the day, McMahon remained untouchable at the front, claiming another convincing E3 victory ahead of Midwinter in second and Grabham in third.

Round 6, Sunday
McMahon once again proved untouchable in E3, controlling the class from start to finish to secure a fifth consecutive class victory in 2026.

Grabham’s opening result appeared misleading on paper after a timing malfunction left him well down the order, but the Stark rider quickly returned to the pace expected of him across the remaining tests. Midwinter delivered another composed performance, consistently finishing inside the top three throughout the day to secure a podium result early. Conlan also showed flashes of impressive speed, remaining just outside the podium positions across multiple stages.

At the conclusion of racing it was another dominant victory for McMahon, extending both his winning streak and championship advantage. Grabham strong showing to claim second overall, while Midwinter completed the podium in third.

EW
Round 5, Saturday
The EW category delivered one of the most dramatic battles of the event as Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha JGR Offroad Team) appeared set to continue her dominance after opening a strong early advantage through the first tests. Madi Simpson (Yamaha BLU CRU) settled into second position early, while Emi Ruprecht (GASGAS) immediately showed podium pace.

However, the complexion of the race changed during tests three and four when small mistakes from Gardiner allowed Simpson to capitalise with consecutive test victories, throwing the overall standings wide open heading into the final stages.

Gardiner regained momentum in test five before another dramatic shift arrived in test six, where Simpson responded with a massive 15-second gain to keep the fight alive heading into the final test. Behind them, Emelie Granquist (Triumph) and Ruprecht continued their own battle for the final podium position.

The deciding final test delivered the ultimate twist. Simpson charged out determined to secure victory, while pressure forced Gardiner into another costly mistake. Simpson capitalised to secure her first win of the 2026 season by just 3.5 seconds over Gardiner, while Ruprecht clawed her way back onto the podium in third, narrowly edging Granquist.

Round 6, Sunday
Determined to rebound from the mistakes that hindered her previous day, Gardiner launched aggressively into round six and immediately stamped her authority on the class. Starting behind Simpson on track, Gardiner caught Simpson by the end of the opening test to establish an early advantage.

Granquist also showed strong early speed in third position, while Ruprecht rebounded strongly after losing time in the opening stage. Madison Healey (KTM) quietly remained in podium contention throughout the day with consistent performances across every test.

As the event progressed the battle for the final podium position intensified, with only seconds separating the contenders heading into the closing stages. Tests four and five replayed the same close battle as the riders continued trading time deep into the afternoon.

At the close of racing Gardiner proved untouchable, securing a commanding EW victory ahead of Simpson. The fight for third went all the way to the final test before Healey successfully returned to the podium in third overall.

EJ
Round 5, Saturday
The EJ category produced another fiercely contested battle as current championship leader Marcus Nowland (GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing) immediately made his intentions clear by narrowly leading Beau Tripcony (Husqvarna) after the opening test, with Kai Austin (Kawasaki) and Oscar Harris (KTM) also firmly in contention.

Tripcony answered back strongly in test two, producing an exceptional ride to open a small advantage, while Mason Phillips (Kawasaki) also entered the fight near the front as Austin lost valuable time following an issue.

Consistency soon became critical around the demanding QMP conditions, with Nowland repeatedly returning to the top of the timesheets despite earlier mistakes and crashes. Harris steadily worked his way into podium contention, while Austin fought back through the order after his earlier setback.

A test five victory for Harris briefly tightened the standings once again, but Nowland’s determination across the final two stages proved decisive. Two closing test wins secured his first EJ overall victory of 2026 ahead of Tripcony and Harris, while Austin and Phillips completed the top five.

Round 6, Sunday
Austin started with authority, immediately opening a 10-second advantage over the field in the opening test. Nowland, Harris and Callum Gutke (Yamaha) quickly established themselves inside the early fight for podium positions.

Austin and Nowland tightened their battle through the middle portion of the day, while Tripcony and Phillips entered the podium fight after strong performances in test two. The momentum then shifted dramatically in the closing stages as Tripcony claimed consecutive test victories across tests four, five and six to rapidly close the gap to the leaders.

Despite the late charge, Austin held firm to secure victory by seven seconds at the end of the day over Tripcony, with Nowland completing the podium in third.

Looking ahead
QMP delivered some of the toughest and dustiest racing seen so far in the 2026 AusEnduro Championship, exposing the strengths of some riders while highlighting the weaknesses of others across an unforgiving weekend of competition.

Changing track conditions, deteriorating terrain and the constant threat of rain added further challenges throughout both days, ensuring every mistake carried significant consequences.

Attention now turns south to Casterton (Vic) on June 20-21 in vastly different conditions, with the sandy terrain set to offer many riders an opportunity for redemption as the battles across every class continue to intensify.

Images: Troy Pears