Rounds seven and eight of the Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship presented by MXstore delivered everything competitors and fans had hoped for as the championship arrived at the famous sandy terrain of Casterton, Victoria. 

Recent rainfall was quickly absorbed by the deep sand, creating ideal racing conditions before the circuit evolved into a rough and demanding test across both the Cross Country and Sprint formats. As ruts deepened, braking bumps developed and the track continued to break down throughout the weekend, riders were challenged to balance endurance, precision and outright speed. From gruelling multi-hour battles on Saturday to flat-out sprint racing on Sunday, Casterton produced some of the closest and most exciting competition of the 2026 season so far.

Pro Enduro
Round 7, Cross Country
The Pro Enduro battle ignited from the moment the race started as championship leader Wil Ruprecht (Yamaha) and Korey McMahon (KTM) launched side-by-side into the opening turn. It was a contest that would ultimately define the race, with neither rider able to gain a decisive advantage across the gruelling three-hour encounter.

McMahon controlled the opening lap before Ruprecht struck back to take over by the end of lap one. The lead changed hands multiple times throughout the race as both riders traded momentum, each refusing to yield. Behind them, Kogan Lock settled into a strong position early while returning Australian racing star Lyndon Snodgrass found himself with significant work to do after crossing the opening lap in fifth.

The intensity increased through the middle stages of the race. Snodgrass charged forward and moved past Lock on lap three, while the leading pair continued their relentless battle. Ruprecht’s afternoon almost unravelled when contact with a lapped rider damaged both his rear sprocket and rear brake disc, allowing McMahon back into contention once again.

Pit strategy would become a major factor as lap times stretched beyond 35 minutes. During the second pit cycle, Yamaha elected for a quick splash-and-dash fuel stop, allowing Ruprecht to rejoin just ahead of McMahon and maintain crucial track position. Snodgrass meanwhile saw valuable time erased after receiving a pit infringement penalty.

The final lap delivered one last twist as McMahon briefly reclaimed the lead before a mistake allowed Ruprecht to strike back. From there, the championship leader controlled the closing stages to secure another overall victory and continue his remarkable unbeaten run in 2026. McMahon crossed the line second after producing one of his strongest performances of the season, firmly signalling that he remains a genuine threat in the championship fight.

Snodgrass completed the podium in third despite facing the unique challenges of a discipline he has competed in sparingly in recent years. Lock continued his impressive run of form in fourth, while E1 contenders Cooper Sheidow (Yamaha), Maximus Purvis (Yamaha) and Jeremy Carpentier (Yamaha) rounded out the top seven overall. The trio were separated by less than 90 seconds after three hours of racing, highlighting just how competitive the E1 category has become.

Round 8, Sprint
McMahon wasted no time making his intentions clear, landing the first blow with a commanding opening test victory, seven seconds faster than the entire field. The E3 standout looked set to repeat the performance in test two before a heavy crash in the final turn threw away the test win and valuable time. Uninjured, McMahon remounted quickly, limiting the damage to around 10 seconds and immediately putting himself back into the fight.

The second test highlighted just how tight the battle had become, with only six seconds separating the top seven riders. Purvis was the standout on the E1 machine, taking the fastest time and placing himself right in the outright podium conversation.

McMahon responded across the next three tests, rebuilding his advantage with composed, aggressive riding. After five tests, he had opened a 24secs lead, but behind him the battle was far from settled. Purvis continued to apply pressure in second outright, while Ruprecht and Snodgrass remained locked in the fight. At the halfway point, just three seconds separated second through fourth.

As the day progressed, Chandler Burns and Jye Dickson (KTM) found more speed, adding further intensity to the battle inside the top six. Casterton was quickly shaping as the closest Pro Enduro finish of the year, with McMahon holding the lead while Purvis, Ruprecht and Snodgrass sat almost equal on time entering the final stages.

It all came down to the last test. McMahon carried a small buffer and could afford to manage the risk, but the riders behind him had no choice but to attack. Ruprecht threw everything at the final test before a late crash ended his hopes of second outright. Purvis was near faultless, but Snodgrass had one final push remaining, producing one of his fastest tests of the day to snatch second place by just .18secs.

McMahon’s clean final test secured the round eight Pro Enduro victory, repeating his Casterton success from 2025 and confirming his momentum as one of the major outright threats of the season. Snodgrass finished second after a brilliant late charge, while Purvis completed the podium in third after one of his strongest performances of the year.

E1
Round 7, Cross Country
The E1 class once again produced some of the most dramatic racing of the day, with several of the leading contenders encountering problems almost immediately after the start.

Both Sheidow and Carpentier experienced issues only metres after leaving the line, effectively finding themselves at the rear of the class entering the opening turns. Their setbacks opened the door for Luke Chellas and Stefan Granquist (Triumph) to establish themselves at the front early in the race.

The drama continued when Purvis collided with a kangaroo during the opening lap, dropping valuable positions and leaving himself with a significant recovery mission. Rather than fading from contention, Purvis responded with one of the rides of the day as he began carving his way back through the field.

Sheidow was equally determined. By the completion of lap one he had already worked his way into the class lead while simultaneously climbing through the overall Pro Enduro rankings. Behind him, the battle for the remaining podium positions remained fierce as five riders circulated within seconds of one another for much of the race.

Chellas delivered arguably his strongest performance of the season, consistently holding a top-five position throughout the day. Jackson Versteegen (KTM) also recovered well from a difficult opening lap to secure sixth place, finishing just 20 seconds behind Granquist at the chequered flag.

At the front, Sheidow ultimately proved too strong, claiming another important class victory. Purvis’ remarkable comeback earned second place, just over a minute behind the winner, while Carpentier salvaged valuable championship points with third after overcoming his early setbacks.

Round 8, Sprints
The E1 class started with immediate intensity as Carpentier struck first, topping the opening test ahead of Purvis and Sheidow. Purvis answered in test two, cutting the margin to just two seconds and setting the tone for what looked set to be another fierce class battle.

Sheidow adopted a more measured approach early, staying close to the front without matching the all-out pace of Carpentier and Purvis. Chellas also placed himself inside the lead group, continuing the form he showed in round seven and keeping himself in podium contention through the opening stages.

Across the next three tests, Purvis found his rhythm. The 25-year old began to stretch away at the front of E1 while also pushing deep into the Pro Enduro podium fight. Behind him, Sheidow’s pace increased as he began to apply pressure to Carpentier for second.

Carpentier’s podium hopes came undone in test five when a bike failure forced him to record a DNF, dropping him well down the order and removing one of the key contenders from the fight. That promoted Chellas into third, but Granquist was shadowing closely, having gone quicker than Chellas in tests four and five.

Purvis remained untouched from that point forward, controlling the remainder of the day to claim a commanding E1 victory and third outright in Pro Enduro. Sheidow maintained his consistency to secure second, while the final podium position became a fight between Granquist and Carpentier across the closing tests. Carpentier’s mechanical issue proved too costly, allowing Granquist to secure third and finish off a strong day in the Casterton sand.

E2
Round 7, Cross Country
While the Pro Enduro battle remained intense throughout the afternoon, the E2 class once again belonged to Ruprecht. The championship leader controlled proceedings from the front and was never seriously challenged on his way to another class victory.

The biggest storyline in E2 centred around Dickson. After showing encouraging speed early and appearing poised to capitalise on conditions that traditionally suit him, the KTM rider’s day unravelled on lap two following a knee injury. He battled on for two additional laps before eventually being forced to retire, leaving the extent of the injury to be assessed in the coming days.

The battle behind Ruprecht was far more contested. Snodgrass found himself buried in traffic off the start and spent much of the race working through competitors including Liam Mason, Will McInnes and Lock. Lock positioned himself near the front from the outset and remained firmly in the podium fight all day.

McInnes and Mason traded positions repeatedly throughout the middle stages before Jacob Sweet joined the battle, creating one of the closest contests within the class. In the end, Ruprecht remained untouchable as he continued his perfect season.

Snodgrass secured second place in class while Lock completed the podium in third. Mason emerged best of the next group ahead of McInnes and Sweet, with less than a minute separating the trio after three demanding hours of racing.

Round 8, Sprints
Ruprecht led E2 away in familiar fashion, setting the fastest time in class in the opening test, but round eight was never going to be a simple runaway for the championship leader.

Snodgrass was just 2.1 seconds behind after test one, remarkably the largest gap between the pair across the opening six tests. From there, the two traded blows throughout the day, with only 0.4 seconds separating them after five tests in one of the tightest E2 battles of the season.

Behind them, Lock again positioned himself in the fight for the podium, but he had a new challenger to deal with in Burns. Burns showed his intent in test two by matching Lock’s time before gaining the upper hand across the following tests.

The knee injury from round seven was hanging over Dickson, having entered the day unsure if he would even be able to compete. Managing the risk carefully, he eased into the morning before cranking up the effort from the third test. By tests four and five, Dickson was third fastest in class and had forced his way back into podium contention.

Test six brought Dickson and Burns right onto the pace of Ruprecht and Snodgrass, with just .8secs covering the four riders. Ruprecht responded in test seven, opening a three-second buffer over Snodgrass entering the final test, while Dickson continued to impress by pushing the lead riders to the limit.

That limit was crossed in the final test. With less than 500 metres remaining, Ruprecht was charging hard and had cleared the infamous bog hole that had caught out so many riders across the weekend. But a large acceleration bump had formed just past it late in the day, catching the Yamaha rider and violently whipping the bike sideways before sending him into a high-side crash. Ruprecht remounted quickly, but the time lost was too much.

Snodgrass not only inherited the E2 win, but his pace in the final test elevated him to second in the Pro Enduro classification. Ruprecht salvaged second in class, while Burns completed an impressive AusEnduro debut by landing on the final step of the podium.

E3
Round 7, Cross Country
McMahon’s pursuit of an outright Pro Enduro victory translated directly into another commanding E3 performance as the KTM rider extended his unbeaten run in class.

He immediately established himself at the front and never looked likely to surrender control despite the pressure of battling Ruprecht for the overall victory throughout the day. His pace in the sand once again proved formidable and further strengthened his position atop the E3 standings.

Behind him, Max Midwinter enjoyed one of his strongest rides of the season, positioning himself well from the opening lap and becoming involved in several of the key Pro Enduro battles. His efforts were rewarded with eighth outright and second in class.

Further back, Tom Devries and Jack Mentha engaged in a race-long duel that remained unresolved until the closing stages. After three hours of racing, just one minute separated the pair at the finish.

McMahon collected another E3 victory ahead of Midwinter, while Devries secured the final podium position after successfully holding off Mentha during the closing laps.

Round 8, Sprints
McMahon’s pace was undeniable in E3, with the KTM rider fastest across every test except the one impacted by his crash. From the opening test, McMahon was in a league of his own and continued his unbeaten run in class with another dominant victory.

While the outright battle kept McMahon under pressure, his control of E3 never looked threatened. His ability to rebound from the early crash and continue building an advantage further underlined the strength of his round eight performance.

Midwinter slotted into a comfortable second place from the outset and produced a strong ride of his own. With one of his closest championship rivals not starting rounds seven or eight, Midwinter strengthened his position in the championship while also placing seventh outright in Pro Enduro, just behind Lock.

Max Rikys delivered a consistent performance throughout the day, holding third across each test and securing the final podium position. It was a solid and composed ride from Rikys, who converted his pace and consistency into a well-earned E3 podium.

EW
Round 7, Cross Country
The Women’s category delivered one of the stories of the day as three-time GNCC champion Rachael Archer (Yamaha) – having given birth to her first child just 10 weeks ago – made an immediate impact in her first AusEnduro appearance in two years.

Archer launched out of the start and led the opening lap, immediately demonstrating she had lost none of her speed during her time away from competition. Championship leader Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha) found herself buried in fourth through the opening turns but wasted little time moving forward.

By the completion of lap one, Gardiner had already taken over the lead and began building an advantage. Archer remained within striking distance, while Madison Healey (GasGas) established herself inside the top three. Emelie Granquist (Triumph) also featured prominently as she worked through the demanding conditions.

Madi Simpson (Yamaha) endured one of the toughest starts of anyone in the field. An early crash in a bog hole (from which she was covered in mud) during the opening lap forced her to complete much of the lap gloveless, with her hands then forming painful blisters over the next three hours. Simpson regrouped and fought her way back through the field to salvage fifth position.

As the race entered its closing stages, Archer mounted one final charge and reclaimed control of the class. Her determination paid off as she secured a memorable victory in her return to racing, finishing ahead of Gardiner in second and Healey in third.

Round 8, Sprints
After her breakthrough round seven victory, Archer returned to the track in top form and immediately showed that her Saturday result was no one-off. Archer set the fastest times across the opening two tests and looked set to do the same again in test three before the bog hole near the end of the stage caught her out and dragged her to the ground.

Gardiner was next in line and took full advantage, clawing back 20 seconds from Archer’s mistake. For Gardiner, it was an unfamiliar position, spending much of the day as the rider doing the chasing rather than controlling the race from the front. After five tests, she sat just 6.5secs behind Archer.

Archer regrouped quickly and returned to the top of the time sheets across the next two tests, keeping Gardiner under pressure as the pair traded momentum. Behind them, Simpson delivered a strong response after a difficult round seven, returning to the form expected of her and claiming the fastest time in test three.

Despite badly blistered hands, Simpson continued to push hard and went second fastest in test six, keeping herself within reach of the lead duo and comfortably in the podium fight. Gardiner answered in test seven, clawing back valuable seconds before the final test, but Archer remained composed when it mattered most.

At the close of the day, Archer stood on the top step once again, completing a perfect weekend in her return to Australian racing. Gardiner secured second, while Simpson produced a tough and determined ride to claim third.

EJ
Round 7, Cross Country
The demanding Casterton conditions created opportunities for new faces to emerge at the front of the EJ category, while several of the championship’s established contenders endured a day they would rather forget.

A dramatic race saw Marcus Nowland (Yamaha), Kai Austin and Beau Tripcony (Husqvarna) all fail to reach the finish, costing the trio valuable championship points and opening the door for others to capitalise. With the championship battle taking another twist, consistency once again proved critical in the challenging Cross Country format.

Bjorn Cardenas was one rider who made the most of the opportunity. Positioning himself near the front from the opening stages, Cardenas controlled proceedings throughout the race and was never seriously challenged on his way to a breakthrough victory. The result marks his first EJ win of the 2026 season and adds yet another name to the growing list of class winners this year.

Oscar Harris delivered a composed ride to secure second place, taking advantage of the changing fortunes around him while avoiding the mistakes that caught out many of his rivals. The battle for the final podium position proved one of the closest contests in the class, with Mason Phillips (Kawasaki) and Jackson Rossi (KTM) locked together deep into the race. Just 30secs separated the pair at the chequered flag, with Phillips ultimately securing third after a hard-fought battle that could easily have gone either way.

Round 8, Sprints
As it has so often throughout 2026, the EJ class again delivered close and unpredictable racing. Austin struck first in the opening test, but the Casterton sand quickly brought new names into the battle and kept the class wide open through the early stages.

Continuing his strong form from round seven, Cardenas was quick to place himself in the mix after the second test. Having claimed his first win of the season on Saturday, Cardenas carried that momentum into round eight and began building another strong challenge for victory.

Liam Egan was another rider clearly comfortable in the sandy conditions. His speed and consistency placed him third as the class entered the back half of the day, while Nowland also showed strong pace before mistakes in tests two and five cost him valuable time.

The closing stages remained tense. Egan continued to hold within reach of the podium, while Rossi featured strongly with the second-fastest time in test six and Harris responded with the second-fastest time in test seven. Austin then reignited his challenge late in the day, cutting down the margins as the fight for the podium tightened.

But at the front, Cardenas proved unstoppable. Backing up his round seven victory with another win in round eight, he completed a standout Casterton weekend and firmly announced himself as one of the form riders in EJ. Austin finished second, while Egan secured third after an impressive and consistent day in the sand.

Looking ahead
After two demanding days at Casterton, the AusEnduro Championship now turns its attention to rounds 9 and 10 at Kempsey, New South Wales on August 8-9. 

With the championship battles tightening across multiple classes and momentum shifting throughout the field, the run toward the final stages of the season is now well and truly underway.

Images: Troy Pears