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EP#58 - AEC RD5/6 Review with Wil Ruprecht

• Mitch Lees

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ADB's Mitch Lees is joined by co-host Jeff Briggs and special guest Yamaha's Wil Ruprecht, who has won every round of the Australian Enduro Championship in 2026, to discuss everything that happened at QMP on the weekend and all the things that might hav happened you probably didn't know!

SPEAKER_00

Welcome to the ADB Podcast, where we talk all things dirt with your host, Mitch Lee. Okay, guys, welcome back to another ADB podcast. We are reviewing the Australian Duro Championship like we always do. This is after rounds five and six held at QMP in Queensland. And uh with me in any minute now, I'm gonna have Jeff Briggs joining me. He's just running home from a chore. And um, I've also got Will Rupert, the AEC current leader, on the line as well to talk about it all. Will, thanks for coming on.

SPEAKER_01

No worries, thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_00

So, fair bit to talk about, actually, because um not only have you managed to hell hold on to your streak, which is pretty impressive, but um, even in the girls' class, Jess's streak got broken. Um, so you know, fair bit happening. And like we discussed a second ago offline, the AEC rounds five and six was held in in QMP up in Queensland, and they avoided a disaster that could have been uh flooding uh the following day. They got about 30 mils of rain kind of as soon as round six ended. So fair bit to talk through, Will. But yeah, like I said, thanks for coming on the podcast, mate. We really wanted to talk to you because it has been one hell of a season. Um, you know, we we watched last year when you came back from overseas and we were like, you know, you and Milner went kind of bar to bar that whole way through the season. We've spoken to you about this in the preseason. Um, but mate, this season in particular, it has it I said I asked Briggsie this today. We were talking about it, and I said, I reckon it's gotta have surprised him a little bit that he's clean swept. And then Briggsie said, you know, results and times on the weekend were a lot closer than the results show. Do you feel like has it been easier this year than it was last year with Milner out of the picture, or have you improved, or are the guys right there and it's just been, you know, you've been fortunate that you haven't had the odd mishap or whatever it is?

SPEAKER_01

Um, well, let's start off and saying that like my two toughest competitors this year in Jay and Corey, they they aren't like off the pace by a great deal. Like they are really good racers in the Australian Championship, and there's like nothing to discredit from that side of things. They both respectively had some really big wins last year and breakout wins in their careers.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, like Corey with Hadari is a very good cross-country rider, and he's um extremely well-versed in some styles of racing, and then Jai, obviously, his sprint speed, especially when it gets loamy and sandy, is unbelievable. And I think he is evolving, especially as a rider from what I've seen this year, um, in the tougher Enduro kind of conditions, which has been somewhat his not weakness, but he definitely hasn't had his standout rides there. Whereas I think we're starting to see that out of him now. Yeah, I think I'm a better athlete now, and I think like I can say it confidently that this is the best shape and form I've been in since I won my world title in 2022. Um the stars are aligning, it's very confidence inspiring as an athlete to have a package under you that will go as far as you're willing to push it kind of thing.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, and you walk a very fine line. Um, I like there's some videos on the weekend where we were having some really close lap times from lap to lap, and it just wasn't comfortable. So I kind of wicked it up a little bit. And um, there's some videos on my Instagram and whatnot that show me just how close to the edge I really was. And um it wasn't to the point where you know I was really spiking my heart rate and thinking, wow, that was close to going down, but it was somewhat uncomfortable. So um yeah, I'd I'd I'm not having it all my own way. Like I do have to fight for everything, but I think that's good for my career long term because if you just coast for a few years and no one's jumping at your heels, you kind of get a bit complacent. And then if you have a Kyron or a Will Dennett come back and they've really improved in Europe or a Gus Reedon from America, you know, um, you know, you may as well hang the boots off if they come back and just start dominating and you have nothing to answer for them, guys.

SPEAKER_00

So yeah, they're they're frightening words for your competitors you said at the start there that you feel like you're in the best form you've been in since you won a world title in 2022. Um, and that probably actually says a lot that so you think that this year, the will rupert we're getting in 2026, would the will rupert we get this year beat the will rupert of 2025?

SPEAKER_01

Uh yeah, it would. It would.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

But you know, you you just take everything as it comes. Like I can sit here and say, yeah, sure, I beat myself last year, but like when you're when you're at that pointy end, you've got to understand that I'm going up against someone like Daniel Milner, who's as good as anyone's ever been that's coming out of this country for a euro racing. Um, so there's no discrediting any of that. And um also the added pressure, like going up against someone like Milner, like before the season even starts, the mental side of things also play a factor. Um there's a little bit of a relaxation that comes, and this is not discrediting Joanne Corey, but it's from what I've been um like through in my career. If I show up in my best form this year, I shouldn't win on paper at least. I shouldn't lose on paper. Like it I should have it my way. Um, and that's not to say they don't take round wins away from me and this and that, but um I feel like it's a huge failure on my side if I don't beat them guys on paper. Um like yeah, I I really should. And my my ego would like me to to win all the rounds this year, but I'm not racing for that. I'm racing for a championship and not all the round wins. And in my opinion, like you you look at giant core, especially in the sand rounds, and there's some arguments to be made that they might be some of the best sand riders in the world at the moment from the enduro sense. So um, yeah, I'm confident about myself, and we've we've improved our setup. I'm a better athlete now than last year, but yeah, I'm not expecting just to walk all over them all year, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, Will Briggsy here, sorry I'm a bit late. Um, just looking at round one, you come out swinging, and then we're on to rounds two, three, four, five, six. Uh, have you made any major changes to the bike or steady as she goes and just focusing on yourself mainly? Um, anything that you've looked at changing even or tested wise?

SPEAKER_01

Um, we haven't evolved it much at all since um since the start of the year. We've done such good groundwork uh before the season started. I was already comfy last year. Um, and then we've just found a few little percenters here and there and made it a more complete package. I feel like um it's just well worth in all conditions now. Um so basically, yeah, like I think that's where some of my confidence in that comes from this year. Like, I always quite carry myself um quite confidently, but I guess it's the fact that I know I can turn up on equipment that I've done like hundred hours on now and just put my best foot forward. So there's no guessing game in it, and there's no being on the back foot looking for something more. And we always have the evolution in our game of needing to strive for more and find something else, but um it's not based out of reaction, it's it's because we want to be proactive about it, not reactive. So I think our decision making is very clear.

SPEAKER_02

No, I I understand that that predictability with the time of the bike makes a big difference, um, which is always going to help. Just looking at the results on the weekend, did you find Sunday's track a fair bit more technical to Saturday's in a sense of the the tightness, the point and shoot? I I look at when I after riding Sunday's track for you guys, which we raised Saturday and then swapping, I I did feel like the times would be a little closer on the Saturday's track after riding it. I realised why, just with the higher speeds, a little bit more open. Um, but I did think that Sunday would play to you a little more with that point and shoot. It's similar to what you've got at home with a bit more technicality. Did you feel like that once you rode it?

SPEAKER_01

Um, yes or no. Although it was tighter, you couldn't necessarily get out of the line that much. Um, you were kind of everyone was forced to be single fire riding the same stuff to a certain degree. So although although it was more about timing and maximising the apex of the corner, wherever that might have been, it was so bony and rocky. But the first day was was not technical in the sense that it was hard to get over rocks, but it was technical in the sense that if you were one wheel width too wide or too inside on a corner, you got punished for it as well. So they had their technical aspects in both ways, it was just the slow speed balance and getting out of the corner was more crucial on Sunday. So it's right what you say. Um, and I guess yeah, that shows how much like Corey and Jive improved in those conditions. Um what I will say though is historically at those dry, dusty, bony rounds, and especially when there's some rock to upset the bike, um, the KDMs have been very well versed. So I think as much as been as it is for them to bridge that gap closer a couple of years ago, it kind of would have been a KDM race as such. Um, so I think I'm looking at it at it as a positive as much as they are in the way of bridging the gap. I think, yeah, I think we've done just as good to be the lead bike there now.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, to get the bike up to that kind of level. I mean, Jess has dominated as well on a Yamaha for so many years now, but she's her and Maddie, they're both on Yummies and they're killing it in the girl in the women's class. You got Cooper had a cracking weekend as well on a yummy. It seems like you guys have those bikes dialed. Have you changed anything, any of your setup? You've got the exact same suspension shooting that you're using from last year. Um, and what about like off-bike training and and whoever else AJ's got around the team? Has any of that changed from from last year?

SPEAKER_01

Uh no, it's the comfortable of the familiarity of the team, I guess. And I've worked with them before in the past, but six years in Europe, like you kind of have to settle in a bit again. As far as the bike, we have made improvements um with it. Uh obviously, the 26 model um has the restrictions in the way of the European um noise standards down really low now. But because we don't have to comply with them yet here in Australia, we can open it up and it's actually way faster than the previous year's bike. Well, I don't know how you can ride.

SPEAKER_00

That's what the next question was how do you ride a fast WR? Because we bring the rhythm and I don't want it fast, I want it slower.

SPEAKER_02

And I spoke to AJ, I'm like, can I test that? He's like, You'll die, you're not riding.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I think it comes back to riding style too, because like, although I want all of it, quite often I'm trying to maximize traction. So through through that, I guess I'm not actually getting the most potent version of it. Yeah, but um, yeah, when I want it to go, I I'm I'm definitely asking for all of it and holding on to it. So you need a very few push-ups.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, to be honest, I think you're probably the only one in the field who could ride the WR like you do, like riding that third gear a lot more than second and just using the clutch to modulate, it's almost like a tomac in the bush. It's it's damn impressive, Will. I I am like I've ridden a YZ and a WR450, and to say that you want more motor, uh, I give you I've got to give you credit, honestly. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And I mean, I wasn't always like that because I actually went to a big capacity bike at quite a young age, so I was that very Australian style roll speed, um, flow everything. And like if you looked at a graph from an average speed point of view, it would stay quite neutral. Like I'll I think I feel like the Europe point and shoot style of racing has and and you ride 300s or 350s in Europe, so you need to ride them like that. And then I guess coming back, our Australian soil actually doesn't allow for that in some circumstances. So I'm trying to find that hybrid um between the Australian style and the European style, and I think that's kind of where I'm at now. Um I'm actually very interested to see like a year or two from now where I'm at with that how punchy I am or roll speed I am as the European way of racing kind of starts to um yeah, fall into the shadows.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. You're on the WR, not the YZ. I think we've asked you this earlier.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, based on a WR, but you know, we do a fair bit to them, and it's kind of a hybrid in some senses, but based on a WR, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And and have they chatting with Yamaha, obviously. I mean, this is pretty much a um everyone should know this, but we get a new YZ 250F this year. We got the new YZ450F last year, the 250F kind of follows in suit. Yamaha have uh essentially confirmed that, and then next year we'll get a new WR 450F that'll be based off the 2025 YZ450F. Um that's got a hydraulic clutch. It's actually, yeah, I mean, Briggsy's written it as well. We think it's probably easier to ride than the previous model, which is this one you're on, uh, motor and kind of chassis package, obviously, in the motocrosser. Um, have you guys I know it's a year away, but have you guys looked or talked or tested with any of the YZ the 2026 YZ 450F stuff?

SPEAKER_01

Um, so the shock out of it I'm using, it's a redesigned shock body, and there's unbelievable improvements. Like um it's interesting because I feel like we're in an age where as a rider it's easy to blame chassis, and probably nine times out of wrong out of ten, you're wrong about that. Like, I don't think uh guys understand how much influence fork, shock, triple clan linkages have on a bike, engine mounts. It like no rider even understands what a chassis, like a a new strut here or there, or strengthening in this area even does. Like, it's so far beyond our realm of understanding that, like, and not that it does, it obviously has a huge effect, but um, I think, yeah, how from what I've seen with like new shocks and linkages and that over the years, um, this new shock we've got that we're running from the YZ26 model is an unbelievable change and makes the chassis feel like a completely new one, although it's essentially the same.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, we said the same thing. Bordy said the same thing at the launch. Briggs you when I bought that one up to your joint. We do with you guys both said the same thing. The shock is a major improvement. It's interesting you've been able to just put that into the WR and get um a similar-ish uh feedback. So it'll be it'd be really cool next year when they bring out the WR4DF with the all the new YZ gear in it. So um hey, will this yeah, this season? Um Briggsy mentioned at rounds three and four. I think it was three and four. Technical, yeah. Some some sections you were like, this is almost hard in Duro to get up some of these hills. We had Jess, I was speaking to Jess Gardner as well, and she kind of said the same thing. She was like, Yeah, it was a bit wild. Um do you have you found this season any different to last season in terms of tracks? Have you found them harder, easier, more challenging? What how's the series changed from 2025 to 2026? Considering you obviously missing prior to that uh being over in Europe.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's definitely like uh a more European style of racing this year, and it's not even close when you talk about hardness. Like the two hills that we had difficult there at Dungog were just like no one would consider them difficult in Europe kind of thing. They're a mid-level kind of hill. Don't tell me that. So I feel like when we talk about hard in Australia, it's like we're we're a bit watered down in the sense of what's actually difficult. Um, not that they weren't hard because a lot of people did have their problems with it and it did play a factor into results in the race.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, I would actually like to see a continuation of that in Australia, and not speaking because I've got skin in the game, but if you look at GNCC, there's some really tight pinchy hills out of corners that aren't that easy to get up and can change the outcome of races in GNCC.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Europe obviously has it. We're kind of like I consider three big championships Australian chairmanship, world championship, and GNCC, yep, in endura sense. So I think we're the only ones that don't take advantage of like that wow factor in racing. Um, we're kind of a corner speed woods test in a sense compared to some other chairmanships. So and and we've got to cater for all types of riders because you know, from Clubman through to pros, right the same test. But I think if we had the introduction of like an A line and a B line, um yeah, I think that's that would be a great introduction to our series. Have some of that harder stuff that you can lose 10 seconds on here or there. Um and then and then you got the option to go around if you if you don't think you can cut it. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02

No, I that's what I was actually gonna say is uh and ask in the in Europe, it's not probably like Australia where we have a sta state round at the same time with development women, sportsmen, clubmen. So that option of that A and B line would vet would warrant that, in my opinion. Yeah, um, and I'd like to see more of that. And I think at Dungog they kind of did that in that other test. Remember, we had that crappy hill that you couldn't get up on the yes, yeah, and they put that B line in, it's probably 15 seconds slower. Um, even the tyres on the weekend, I thought maybe they could have put a B line around that for some of the clubmen and that, but yeah, it's just something that I think we're learning about. Um, and it's come a long way. Like it's been a pretty good series so far, to be honest.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Hey, we'll on to next round. Um, you got Castadon down in Vic. We know it's gonna be Sandy. Um, terms of your preparation from body and bits and pieces, but also bike setup stuff, is anything gonna change in in a before a month's time?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, the base that I've built um around like the fitness and off-bike side of stuff tailors to what sand demands of you. Um, stronger in the hips, the core, and the legs this year compared to last year. Um, so I've definitely put a lot of effort into that, knowing that sand's my weak point. Um, I've been touching base with sand a lot more often, you know, it's something that I kind of come to two months before we have a sand race, ride at that and only that before the race, and then forget about it soon after. But I've maintained touch with sand, um, which I haven't done in previous years. So the familiarity and not just having the shock to the system when it comes time to go in sand, I guess, is helping. And I feel like um I learn a lot because in the six years I was in Europe, we had one race with a bit of sand, and probably the whole time I rode 20 hours of sand. Like I really lost touch with it. So I feel like my renewed understanding of sand. Um, I I'm looking at the track different now and breaking it down a bit different and riding it more efficiently. Um and I actually start to enjoy riding it now that I can see it in that different um dimension as such.

SPEAKER_00

Wow. Yeah, that's just so interesting because I just it's guys like me, we just think you guys doesn't matter what the terrain is, you just absolutely rip, it's the same speed no matter where you go. But it's really interesting to hear that how important it is, like you said, to maintain touch with certain um terrains because you can lose that feel, even if it's one percent, that's enough for the likes of, like you said, um Corey's gonna be fast in the sand. We know how good he is out at Hatter, he's won that before. Um, to just that one percent is enough for them to pip you, and then the win streaks ended. And hey, look, they're they're they're less than a one you know DNF behind essentially. So, you know, if something was to if you were to have an off-round, um, it's not hard for them to come back and and pinch those points back. So um, yeah, that is really interesting. Hey, um Briggsie, I'm I'm conscious that we've held on a wheel for quite long long enough. You got anything else you needed to ask from the weekend?

SPEAKER_02

Nah, just congratulations, and yeah, uh, only other thing is what what's been your favorite round so far? And would you just like to see a bit more of an extreme test even um come into our format?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I think um one part that we miss a bit in Australia with the extreme side of things would be we do a 10 or 12 minute enduro test and then they put a few logs or ties at the end, which there's nothing wrong with, but you're not actually maximising the spectacle of it. Yeah, most races that we go to have an area that we could have an extreme test, and it only it really only needs to be a minute and a half or two minutes long. Like um, it doesn't need to be much, but I think if you go into It fresh as a variety actually pushing 100% over two minutes rather than 80% when you're already pumped up, you've already maxed out your heart rate throughout the test, kind of thing. So not taking advantage of the spectacle side of things. I think if we separate it and make it another test, and I'm not saying do it at every round because obviously you can't cater for that every round. Um you don't want to hit logs with a sand tire on when we go to Castleton. But if the opportunity is there, take advantage of it being a separate test, only two minutes long, um, and not at the end of an enduro test. I think that's one big thing. And then um favorite round so far, Dungog was a good one just because of the Enduro format. I think they got a bit unlucky there. Well, most places this this year have been unlucky with weather, but Roma was actually a really fun um racetrack, too.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

In some senses, it was almost like a hard pack fan round because it was hard pack whoops essentially, and then it kind of cut up like a Daytona supercross that had a rut up the face of the whoop. Um it was it was it was a hybrid stand hard pack kind of feeling day one there in Roma. With long grass on the sides, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so with that, just speaking on that extreme, what would you like to see? Like you do uh say an eight-minute in Jiro loop come in and then you just shuffle straight across into a two-minute extreme, and then that's a like a dual test sort of thing, you think?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I think that'd work well, and you wouldn't have the backup of riders between because you start from fastest to slower, so essentially the gap should get bigger. So if you have a drink and wait five minutes, I think you could transition into the next one fine.

SPEAKER_02

Yep. And it'd probably break it'd probably allow the first test to clear a bit quicker too, ready to get an extra sprint in for the day if they wanted, or vice versa. So yep, yeah, Q QMP would have been a good one for that, but that's something that yeah, maybe maybe they can get to in the next little bit.

SPEAKER_01

So yeah. The I think touching one other thing is um a bit of the problem we have is not taken away from anything because I appreciate appreciate everyone who puts anything into these events. But um how how do you build an extreme test without prior knowledge to it? Yeah, yeah, exactly. To a good standard because it's not that easy to put a 300 millimeter log in and not have it roll throughout the weekend, so it's almost like you need a whole freaking track crew just there waiting and prepping the track as it degrades. So from a promoter sense, it would be easy to do it. I think asking that of a club. Um, so I can't see soon, like in the near future, it being something that gets implemented and be consistently good. And I think the clubs already have a fair bit on their plate trying to get good racetracks, and like I respect the work they do in that regard. So I don't know what would have to change in regards to getting that to happen, the extreme test on the side. Um, so yeah, I think if it was a promoter-based thing, then it would be far easier to do if if the equipment was just there and they kind of had to set it up the week leading into. But yeah, are the other clubs capable of when they haven't set up an endurocross track before, it might almost not be worth it. Um in some senses.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, or the or they hire someone independent to go build it two weeks before or something and just have it as a a hybrid endurocross sort of grass track mixed in. But yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

I think what a good thing would be is places like QMP that could actually benefit from it after the race as well. Because in some regards, when you think of it from a financial point of view, well, you don't actually have to maintain them, really. Yeah, yeah, but you might get 10 more entries because you put in a super test, right? Like an extreme test. Um, but QMP can capitalise off that from the three months off the back end of it because you put the infrastructure in place and then people come to ride it. Um whereas somewhere like Dungog, it's just a hassle because it's a dairy farm. Yeah, it's in a paddock, and yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um yeah, that's that's a good point. They'd have to pull it down, obviously, if it wasn't you know in a park like QMP. And um yeah, I guess if they built something like that, people would come to have a go at it. Because you know, tractor upright tractor ties and log piles and that kind of thing, uh, do add an element, a challenging element for people to go back month day after week after week kind of thing and have a go at it. Um yeah, that'd be cool.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I wonder if there could be something like uh like obviously Acropovic sponsor the super test in Europe on the Friday nights. I wonder if there it'd be more of a sponsor-based thing who made it come together because honestly, I don't see it feasible or yeah in the club setting up the events best interest to do it, honestly.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, no, I agree. I'm with I'm with you too. I mean, like you said, we'll it might get 10 extra people, but it's gonna cost you a lot more than that and diesel just to put a tractor through to build the track, let alone someone's time and and knowledge to know how to build these so they don't fall apart when you get that many riders over it.

SPEAKER_01

Sure, sure. I think you have to take advantage of the wow factor and selling the highlights for your offense. What's the what's the um financial return on that out of a highlight for real vlog or something versus yeah, nothing in them for clubs, essentially.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, agreed. Um, all right, mate, that's excellent. Um it's been an absolute pleasure talking to you and letting us know how the season's gone so far. What we've got coming up. We're very excited for Cathedral and especially having heard that you're putting more time into the sand racing. So uh yeah, I guess you, Corey J, it's gonna be wild, I reckon. We'll be glued to the results, seeing what happens. Briggsy, you're gonna be down there with Will, aren't you, Catherine?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm actually looking forward to Will's teammate and seeing how he he pulls one out. So I third he goes all right in the old sand on Max.

SPEAKER_01

Uh yeah, yeah, the dark horse, eh? Yeah, yeah. Uh maybe.

SPEAKER_00

Awesome. Uh thanks, Will. Thanks very much for coming on, mate. And we'll chat to you um after one of the coming rounds.

SPEAKER_01

Thanks, Mitch. Thanks, Jeff. I'll talk to you. Thanks for watching.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, see, bud. Congrats.

SPEAKER_02

See you.

SPEAKER_00

Uh yeah, that was awesome having Will on. It's so good getting these guys who are riding at that level and just getting some of the insight just in terms of bike setup, um, what they're doing differently this year, you know, what they've thought so far of the series. I thought that was pretty cool. Uh, it was really interesting to hear that he does feel like it's a bit more Euro. Uh, you've said that already pretty much this whole series we've been doing these pods, Briggsie, but it does feel a bit more technical than previous years, and he knows that's playing into his hand probably more so than anyone else in the field. So, why would you change it? But I also think he's right, it's a good thing to do because nine times out of ten we're gonna have a six-day in Europe, and that's the kind of stuff they ride. And if we want to be good at six days, we need that experience.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, to be honest, I think gone in the days of uh motocross track between the trees, yeah. The speeds are down a lot, the corners are sharper, um, there's a lot more pinches. In saying that, the tests we rode on the Saturday, which they had on the Sunday, um, was a lot more technical purely from a rocky standpoint of view, as well as the tightness. The other one that we wrote on the Sunday did flow a lot better, it was a lot faster. Yeah, uh, and that's where you've seen Will having them moments in the footage that was on that test because it was pretty quick, it was third and fourth, a lot of it pretty fast. But in all honesty, they were both pretty good tests. And for QMP, I remember doing this two-day in juro there in 23, I think it was. Mate, I didn't want to go back, I hated it. It was basketballs, yeah, one foot of bullduff. Yeah, uh, it wasn't quite that bad this time, and to be honest, the tests actually rode really well. I I really enjoyed the weekend.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, okay, good. Um, let's talk then about the rest of the classes, too. Um, we'll start with Will's class in E2 because we've just kind of loosely touched on Jai Dixon. You mentioned there on the weekend he looked like he was going fast. Will just said like he was kind of taken aback by how fast Jai is going in this kind of stuff. We all know Jai's he's a young fella, uh, and so he's got lots of room to improve still as well. But he was 20 seconds off Will in the E2 class on both days, pretty much. Um, and some of those tests he was seconds off, and some tests he beat him. Um were you can see Jai getting around, getting something peeling peeling around off Will at some stage, you reckon? Maybe the sand coming up.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, look, Jay's actually stepped, he's he's impressed me this year. I I thought he would be the third place guy, yeah, sort of just behind Corey and Will. Yeah, and in my opinion, I think he'll be the next one, he'll be the first one to take a win off of Will.

SPEAKER_04

Yes.

SPEAKER_02

Um, I don't, it's not saying not taking anything away from Corey because Corey's riding unbelievable too. I just think Casterton's gonna suit Jay a little bit. The cross country format, maybe not as much as maybe Corey. Yeah, um, but I know Jay's he's impressing me this year, especially in the test on the weekend. I could see the Saturday one playing in his hands a bit more, being a little touch more open and flowy. Uh and he's got that motocross background, so he it'd tend to favor him a little. But the Sunday's where he really impressed me, yeah, because that's that's Will's kind of stuff. That point and shoot, really rocky, gnarly terrain, up and downs, pretty awkward. It was awkward to ride, which is where I feel Will really shines. But Joy's so smooth, too. It it it's gonna be good for him. It he's the one that's carrying the confidence near, if you ask me. Yeah, like seeing that he's closed that gap up, they've they've got new suspension with cruise tune near. He's he's really happy with his setup. I think he's coming into Casteton with a fair bit of confidence, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and he's only what we you know, because we missed round two, he's only five rounds into this new bike. This is his new team for him. It's Corey's, yeah, he's been on that team before. Um, it's Jai's first team on first year on this team. Even Will's had a year under his belt with AJ to kind of get things set up. So I think it's pretty impressive too, and he's young. Um Kogan Locke surprised me too. That for a young fella, he is showing some speed. He was third in E2. Uh, and you know, obviously he was a little bit behind Will and Jai. Um, he's probably about what two or three minutes behind them. But you know, third in that class is still pretty impressive. I think you've got even some old dogs in there like Scotty Keegan and that, uh, even uh Reuben Chadwick, the hard endura rider, had a go at it. So there's still plenty of fast guys in that class. So for Cogan to come third, man, he's gonna be one to watch, surely, in the coming years.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, definitely. He's still young and and he is riding well. I just think when you look at one, two, three outright next, then to fourth, there still is a fair gap to be bridged.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Uh, I'm not saying these kids and these young guys and even Jeremy and these other people can't bridge that gap a little bit. I just think we're at that stage where it was kind of like we've always had that two or three, we've lost a little depth, to be honest. Yeah, um, it's starting to it's starting to improve. The boys are starting to step up a lot more. Yeah, but yeah, Kogan's riding really, really well. Um, he'll he's gonna be one to watch in the future.

SPEAKER_00

Um, we just I just mentioned um Ruben Shadwick, obviously the hardened duro guys going and racing in duro. Uh, he probably wanted a technical round, which you would say it wasn't all that technical QMP compared to Dungog.

SPEAKER_02

Uh yes and no. I think Sunday's test for them was definitely as technical as Dungog with the Rocks. Uh it was it had some pretty tight, pinchy downhills and really off-cam, a lot of off-camber turns on Sunday's test for them, which was our Saturday. I I struggled a bit with it. I actually rode a lot better on the Sunday, a bit more open flowing test. Um, but yes, I think it was one of the most technical tests we've had apart from Roma. Dungog was really technical in a sense of it was a one foot deep rut going up a hill, and it's hard to be fast in that. So it's like, how do you train for that sort of stuff? Unless you go to like a transmodo at the end of the day after eight hours of riding and then just motor, yeah, moto yourself. That's the only way you can really train for it. And I sort of spoke to a few of the guys like that. They're like, Oh, yeah, it's you can't really train for this stuff, like you know. Um, so it was technical in that sense, but I do think like Queensland on the weekend was pretty technical track that second one.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Um, let's talk E3 because that's Corey McMahon's class. And for me, I know you said before Jai's gonna be fast in the sand. I feel like just based off Corey's format Hatter recently, he's gonna be hard to beat next week. He would be if I'm if I'm putting my money on anyone, it'd be really interesting to see how Will goes because he's just said how much effort he's been putting into sand. But I think it'll be you'd be splitting hairs between Corey and Will. Um so yeah, Will Corey won in E3 uh this weekend, and then Brock and Max Midwinter split round five and six. Uh Brock was Brock Grabbin, that is, he was uh second uh sorry, uh second uh uh at round six and third uh at round five, but they're a fair way off Corey McMahon. We're talking minutes behind.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, and the same as that separation between third and fourth. They're sort of from fourth through to 20th is is all really tight in that bunch. Um, and I'm just sort of looking to who's gonna take the next jump forward. Like Cooper Scheido's got it, he's got youth on his side. Um, Jeremy's getting a bit older, but Jeremy's so smart, he could break out at any round. So it's sort of just one of them things it'll happen soon. Kogan could be the kid. Um, you know, Deegan Graham's riding really well. So there's some E1, E2, E3 guys that are all looking to jump up, and it won't be long till someone's nipping at their heels.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, definitely. I mean, it's impressive to see what Brock's doing on uh Stark. He was he podiumed again, he's kind of improved as the season's gone on. I know he's battery swapping and bits and pieces in there, but he's still managing to kind of keep it together. Um and Max.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, he's right, he's riding really well on that thing.

SPEAKER_00

He's a dialing assassin. Yeah, pardon the pardon. He is, yeah, and that's impressive because it's you know, he's he doesn't have a team behind him, they don't have a lot of um RD and research into what works and what doesn't work. They're kind of making it up as they go. That bike, obviously, in enduro spec, only got here last year. So um, yeah, that's I think that's pretty impressive. It'd be really interesting to see how he goes, like you said, at some of the longer format uh uh rounds as well. I I haven't seen if he's running the handbrake, but he'd be loving that if he is. Yeah, he would be in these conditions, yeah, yeah, for sure. Um and Max Midwinter, he's he's going pretty, he's a young fellow as well. Um and you know, he's that that's that's a big bite class. And to keep up with someone like Corey, Corey's you know, quite well established now um in Enduro, having won Hatter before, and and I think for him to kind of be up there in the top three and be not far off, Corey, is pretty impressive too. So um yeah, it's it's and like you said, that's the class. If you want to go trophy hunting, it's only there's only six in E3. Um so you know, there's probably a few guys maybe kicking themselves a bit when they picked a bike to ride at the start of the season, either in E2 or probably more importantly, E1, that are thinking to themselves, I should have just got and got a big bike because they could have been on the podium.

SPEAKER_02

No, I think Max too is I think he's a South Australian kid, and I think he's pretty handy in the sand. Okay, so he'll be one to watch at Casterton as well, and for for um Cassitan or Canalplan, whatever one we race later on. So um I've heard that yeah, they'll be they'll be pretty on it from and and that's what I'm saying. They could these kids can break out at any time, really.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

They get around, it suits them, they're feeling well, they've had a good week, the bike's feeling good, and yeah, you know, they'll they put it together and who knows.

SPEAKER_00

It's exciting. Um, E1. Now, this field I felt was stacked on the weekend. If you look at like the top 10 or 5, 6, 7, they're all names we know well, and they're all kind of swapping between round five and round six. It wasn't like a set, here's your first, second, third, fourth, fifth, every single round. They kind of jumbled up. Coop, obviously, Cooper Sido, he was went won both uh days, both rounds. Um, but behind him, and they weren't that far behind, we're talking, you know, 30 to 60 seconds behind. Uh you had Jeremy Carpenter, he he at round six was second. Deegan Graham was second for round five, they switched it around both days. Uh you got Fraser Higlet uh was battling with Stefan Grandquist just behind them. But when I say just behind them, I'm in like five seconds behind them. Um so you know, so so from from first through to or fifth, you've only got a what's that, a two-minute gap, a two-minute difference from first through to fifth. Um, and all those names, Cooper Shido, Jeremy Carpenter, Deegan Graham, Stefan Granchrist, Fraser Higlett, these guys are all names that everyone will be familiar with. You go further down the line, you've got KDM, factory rider Jas uh Jackson Versteegan as well, um, you know, in that class, and and obviously even further back, that's where Max is. So that's that's a stacked field. Are they going are they were they going fast on the weekend? I mean, their times uh, you know, for for the small bike class, they're kind of right behind that top three that we mentioned, Will Giant Um and Corey.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, oh 100%. Like when you look Coopers and Deegan, they're they're a minute uh just over a minute behind. If you break that down per test, it's probably maybe 15 seconds a test if we're doing five tests, six tests. So um you break that down over seven, eight, nine Ks of track, you know, you wouldn't notice too much when they go past. Uh it'd look it'd maybe be one K an hour average speed. Yeah, which and you know, one or two mistakes a test, and that's that was the incredible thing when you look at Jai was you know not that far off. I think maybe one of the days he was pretty close, um outright. 21 seconds over six tests, yeah. Mate, that's that's only three seconds of tests. That's one wheel spin in a corner.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

That's nothing. So it it just shows how close the class is. Um, it's getting closer. It says Cooper's 247 off. Same thing, like he might be 10-15 seconds of test off. It's still not a great deal, yeah. Uh, but then finding that 10 or 15 seconds is where it becomes a challenge.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, no, totally. You think 10 seconds isn't a lot, but it is when you're at their level.

SPEAKER_02

It isn't, and it is. So it's damn impressive. And Coop's young, he's still riding really well. Um, you know, Kogan's young, Deegan, he's doing his own privateer effort. Used to ride with Will Dennis a lot before Will went overseas. He's improving week to week as well. Um, he's finally learning a little bit more how to set the 250 up. He used to ride a 450 a lot. Yeah, um, Jeremy's he just seems to find have found a bit of bike and fitness this year. I think he's just putting it together. He's had a few injuries the past few years, so he's riding really well as well.

SPEAKER_04

Yep.

SPEAKER_02

Um, probably Fraser's the one that that's impressive. Like, yeah, I don't think Fraser trains much these days. You know, he's just helping out with the trucks and stuff and racing, and yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, he's turned up and racing. Um, yeah, it's uh probably the the standout for me is that Coop has always been on the he's been on the podium at every single round this year, and he holds a 14-point lead over Jeremy Carpenter in that class. But Jeremy Carpenter has missed the podium once, and Deegan Graham has missed the podium twice. Um, so you know that consistency in that class because there are so many guys in that class that can can probably win in that class, right down to Stefan Grandquist. Um, it's you you being on the podium every weekend is going to be the difference, I reckon, but by the time they come to the end of the season for E2, uh E1.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, and for sure. And Coop's done it before, so that's the biggest thing. He's got that experience and that knowledge of what he needs to do, and and he's doing it so far this year.

SPEAKER_00

Do it in that class. Do we know what happened to Ryan Haywood? He's obviously been injured.

SPEAKER_02

Uh, not sure. I haven't heard anything. I didn't get much chance to go around the pits either and ask on the weekend. I was so busy racing myself, but yeah, okay. Um yeah, I'll I'll do some digging. I haven't heard what's going on with him.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, because obviously he won round three and he was on the podium round one and four, and then he obviously wasn't there for the weekend. So um he's unless it's is it it's Ryan Haywood that's also racing Primex, I'm guessing.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so yeah. Maybe he's he he's the one who took out uh yeah, the uh Walshi at uh round two at Canberra.

SPEAKER_00

No, no, that was that round three. That wasn't um that wasn't Ryan, that was um Alex Alexanderson. Oh, sorry, yeah. That was entertaining, but yeah, there you go. I mean he he's he was the only other one that was poding until he missed this weekend. And had he, you know, kind of kept his current streak, he'd be within 10 points of coop. So anyway, we'll uh we'll we'll chase that one up before we get back on the podcast for the next round and find out what's going on so we can kind of keep everyone in the loop. Um the only other person I want to talk about in that class, Max Purvis, uh came coming into the series. He was a bit of a dark horse for us. We thought he was gonna well we thought he was gonna kick us. We're talking to Josh Green on a podcast, and he said, just be you know, watch this guy, motocross background, coming over from New Zealand, the guy's lightning fast. Do you think he why why why do you think he's struggled a little bit so far in AEC this year?

SPEAKER_02

Oh I think you go from a 20 foot minimum wide track to a potentially five foot wide track at times at the widest and even narrower. You have to make some adjustments. The corners aren't the same. You've got to position yourself on the body different. The bike setups a lot softer. Uh he's probably never done many logs until this year, and then Roma probably spat about 30 at him. Um, I've spoken to AJ about it, and he knows that it's going to be a learning year. He said he's similar to what Mitch Payton says, we can work with speed. So um, and it's no different to when you see some of our past competitors, Bo Rolston, Ty Simmons, these other guys who come from motocross, supercross backgrounds into the bush. It does take them a year or two to settle and find their feet and not try and motocross in the bush. Uh, that's the biggest thing. You can't flog a 250 in the bush like you can on a motocross track. Yeah, yeah. You just don't have the room. It's you're trying to minimize errors, and and smooth is fast. Uh so I think he's learning. He's dead, he had some better times, I think, on the Saturday before he had a bit of a fall and uh went out with the rib injury. But man, he he's going to be a bit of a dark horse, I think, in the next round at Casteton. Okay. If he's helpful, if he's healthy, yeah, I think he'll be I think it's his he's gonna be one to watch, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, he did he didn't do round six, but he's pretty far behind now. So if he has hurt his ribs, it's probably not about it to rest him rather than potentially land on him again, especially with Carstadon coming up. It's gonna be open, he's gonna be able to hold the thing pinned and you know use all his motocross skill.

SPEAKER_02

And and it is more of a motocross style track, so it's pretty wide in spots and definitely gets more motocross bumpish um corners, all that sort of stuff. But yeah, also go on and check out his uh Insta because he's been sending some wild jumps in New Zealand lately. Oh, like 200 feet plus. So yeah, I I asked AJ about it. He just smiled and just said he's he's just a nutcase. So it's pretty impressive.

SPEAKER_00

So, in other words, we need he needs some big some big jumps at Casting and if they could put him in, track we'll just put some big ones in. Um yeah, that's awesome. Hey, let's move on to the women's class because Jess Gardner's been dethroned. I mean, she was clean sweeping, like Will was, and she was doing it, you know, not really comfortably, but pretty comfortably. Uh, and we all know how uh good Jess is at riding, but just how cunning she is. She's been doing this for too long to not figure it out. Uh, and so every time, every round she wins, even if she's not necessarily the fastest in every single test, if people are picking tests off her, she still finds a way to win every round. But Maddie Simpson got one back in round five. Um, you were there, you watched it all happen. You mentioned that it was pretty tight, could have gone either way.

SPEAKER_02

Um, I think Maddie actually had the upper hand on the Saturday. I think Jess had a mistake in one test. She looked like she lost 30, 40 seconds it looked like. So I'm guessing she's she's probably just made a bit of a mistake or binned it. And yeah, yeah, Maddie took advantage. So and credit to Maddie, she I think she posted a couple of faster times, she won a few tests, so um, yeah, she's she's done really well there. The Sunday I kind of felt would have played a little more into Jess's favour, just that technical rocky stuff. Um, but Maddie still held her at arm's length even on the Sunday, which is pretty impressive.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, that's cool. Um, and you know what? She's only nine points behind in the championship, even though it feels like Jess is in full control and she's clean sweeping everything bar one round, because Maddie has been second at every other round and pinned one back, she's only nine points behind. And you know, that is absolutely nothing. That's not even a bad round for Jess. That's just one mishap where she's you know fifth or sixth instead of first, and we're back to almost tied points.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, and losing only having one round less um has also sort of held the points a little tighter.

SPEAKER_04

Yep.

SPEAKER_02

But yeah, definitely like you look at Sunday's results, and Maddie was a minute and a bit off, minute 40, I think it looks like, or closer to two minutes. So yeah, I I kind of knew that would go that way a little bit just from Maddie being such a motocross girl, and she flies on a motocross track, so she'll be she'll be good at Casteton. Yeah, um, so looking like I'm not surprised. I think I'm not I haven't really seen Jess ride too much then, but I've seen Maddie ride stand and and she's impressive. Yeah, she'll she'll be going out blazing fast at uh Casteton for sure. Yeah, yeah, they'll be Maddie Healy too will will be up there in that fight as well, I'd reckon.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, okay, but having a motocross background as well. Maddie was third at round six, so she's kind of getting some better results as well. Um, and yeah, uh once you drop back behind Maddie and Jess, Emily, uh Grandquist, Emmy Rupert, uh, and Maddie Healy, they're all kind of within touching distance of each other, so they'll be battling it out in the sand, which is pretty cool. So that final step on the podium is probably one of three girls, I'd say. Um, I know we've still got a few rounds to go, but they're kind of sorting it out already. Um, let's talk about the vets, mate. Let's talk about your class on the weekend. Much, much improved. It was a much improved effort from one Jeffrey Briggs of uh ADB magazine. Um, mate, there was a it was a podium on the cards.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, well, to be honest, like it's been a rough year. I had the first round, um just didn't get much time on the shirko, and then come off that, dumb my knee, as you know, and then didn't ride till dung, raced that, dumb my back, went out to vets, and actually felt pretty good on the weekend, to be honest. I um Saturday I sort of struggled a little bit, just couldn't really find a flow on that track. Um, but then Sunday I I really felt pretty decent and yeah, was running second to the last sprint and got the old apple crumble out and ate it and ended up fourth by two seconds. So uh it is what it is, and yeah, it was my fault. I I made a simple I dropped it, dropped the front, tucked the front on the uphill, um, and then just got into panic mode, tried to push, got up the hill clean all day. This one little rocky, it was like a pinch at the bottom and just straight up to the left, a few rocks in it, a bit of a dusty hill. Hadn't had a drama all day, overrode it, got stuck on it. Then uh another guy caught me, and I could have probably forced the issue and gone in front, but the etiquette and the uh better person than me let him go, and then I was in a dust for the rest of the test. So yeah, it's all good. It's it's good to know that I can at least I've found my old sort of speed back and I can it's uphill from here.

SPEAKER_00

So yeah, it's John Day's been pretty good, but there is that one random bloke called Jeffrey Braco who we're gonna test bikes with tomorrow. That's just it's when you look at the scorecard, it's it's John Day, John Day, John Day, John Day, John Jeffrey Braco just turns up, pinches two rounds off you blokes, and then disappears into the night, doesn't race another round, just comes in to create havoc.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, and look, Braco's won a title in the past, he's got that experience, he knows how to set his bike up, he knows what he's in for every time he turns up. But mate, John Day is lovely bloke, pivot next to him all weekend, and we were just chatting. And Anthony Wilson was another guy. Um and I've been loving the class. There's so many good people in our class, and to be honest, that in the whole in Jiro scene, there's so many good people. The four guys that I've taken away with this year, they've really, really enjoyed each round. I mean, a couple of them wanted to sort of call it quits after Dungo because it was pretty tough. Um, yeah, but they on the weekend, Steve, he said that was one of the funnest events he's ever done. Maca's doing the same. He's saying, Oh mate, like this is awesome. I'm preferring this to Transmodos and in a different way because it's a personal thing. Um, Richard's a hard injury guy, he's enjoying it just because it's something different for him. Uh, but yeah, it's such a good atmosphere. And to be honest, the Vest class is damn competitive still. Like, we're me and Cookie, we were like it's a 10k bloody thing, and he beat me by one one hundredth of a second one test, and I beat him by one one hundredth of a second on the next test. Like, yeah, it's pretty cool that you can be that close to someone fighting for a podium, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Yep.

SPEAKER_02

Um, but yeah, it's been good.

SPEAKER_00

He's gonna look at at the likes of Braco. I mean, he's that guy's racing in your class, and you guys were all competitive at Dungog, and you know, he's arguably an E1, E2, E3 pace still.

SPEAKER_02

So oh, he was um, I think he uh one day he was 18th outright or 20th outright. Yeah, yeah, you know right, like you know, that's you know, so he that's a professional standard, really, in my opinion. Yeah, um, but I I credit to him. Like, I love having Breco there.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so that's the level of the Vets class. There's still lots of guys in vets that can go fast, and um, but I I do admire, I like the fact that it is you can go just as fast, but there is a little it's a little bit more relaxed. There's not the heat. Oh I don't know if it is. Oh, really?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah, everyone's pretty keen, which is good. Like, you want to have a bit of battle and a bit of but there's you come off the track and you shake hands, and you're all you know, you sit down and talk about it all day, and oh, that was an early test. And yeah, yeah, like I it's not competitive to the point where you don't talk to your competitor, which is where I find motocross is a little bit like that, apart from you know, certain people. But yeah, uh it's such a good vibe, and I I really wish more people would just give it a go. Yeah, give it give an AEC a go, see what it's all about. It's a trans motor by yourself, essentially.

SPEAKER_04

Yep.

SPEAKER_02

Um, you go there, you camp with your mates. I'd like to see a little more entertainment at some of the venues and stuff. Maybe they get a band and have something at night and all that just for an hour or two, or live podcasts or some other things. But yeah, they're such good events.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Um, we've got a cool story coming up, actually, for those listening uh with Briggsy's mates that he's attending all these rounds with. It's their the first time they've tried to sp uh uh string together a few rounds of AEC in their life. First time for a lot of them they've ridden AEC.

SPEAKER_02

So yeah, well, the first first race that one of them's ever done. So you know, yeah. A couple of them have done Transmoders, but Steve, he'd never race before, and he I just said, let's do it. Come on, stop being a bitch, and he's um he's loving it, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Well, we'll we've got a story coming up, ADB, but maybe we need to get him on the podcast too at the end of the season and ask him for their thoughts, their honest feedback, how how they feel after a full season under their belt, because they've been doing pretty good. Um okay, so off to the sand next, break uh Briggsy. Now you got uh four weeks to get ready. I know you're coming off the back of a busted back too, but that's now all good. What for for everyone out there who's about to head to Carsidon, what's your recommendation for them to get ready for Castridon? Bike setup and and body.

SPEAKER_02

Uh bike setup. Look, if you're familiar with your bike, you wouldn't change too much. Traditionally, in sand, you want to run a little bit more sag and maybe a slightly firmer fork. Um, we we're not allowed to run a sand tire, so just a new tire would be good. I recommend the AT82s, great tire. Um, but yeah, honestly, the the biggest thing you can do is just get in some sand, train in some sand, find some rough tracks because sand does get traditionally rougher than say a normal track. Um, and then learn to break earlier, accelerate through the corner, and just sit a little further back on the seat. Um, so you're not burying that front. Momentum's your friend. Get off the brakes as much as you can and learn how to roll through the entry corner.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_02

All good involved. So in saying that, I've got to learn how to do it all myself.

SPEAKER_00

I'll send you ride the sand, mate. It's uh it's pretty bloody impressive. I'm sure you'll be good. I'm looking forward to seeing where you vets go out in the sand because you know, like you said, that's where it can really start to split people up because it's so physically demanding on your body riding in the sand. So I think uh I think across all the classes, E1, E2, E3, especially, we're gonna see um who's done the work with the fitness uh coming into the sand round. And uh yeah, it'll be cool to see if the girls can keep up with Jess. We know that how you know crafty she is, but we also know that the other two that are right behind her are motocrosses, and you know, this is gonna it's gonna feed into their um wheelhouse, so it'll be cool to watch.

SPEAKER_02

Um Jess is so good at that longer distance stuff, but too. So I think she just knows how to be efficient.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_02

Whereas I think Maddie may have a cover for speed, both Maddie's to be honest, at Kasterton, um, maybe on the sprint day, but cross country, I think Jess can still she can still do some some decent work out there.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. The last time I raced a sand a AORC was back before it was the 29th, uh, when was it? No, 2014. And um it was it wasn't near Golden Beach in Victoria, but it wasn't it wasn't Golden Beach in Victoria, but somewhere down that way. I can't remember where it was, so like southeast of Melbourne, and um I nearly died after about 45 minutes.

SPEAKER_02

I came well we we had one at uh Mendurin in 23, and uh speaking of motocrosses, Taylor Thompson came out to do it, and she actually won the day at the women's um over Jess, and I think she was a she was a fair way out in front of Jess. In saying that, she kicked my ass too. So, you know, um, but it was a really gnarly sand track and it was sprints, but it does separate. I mean, the top the cream still rises to the top. I still think it'll be a gy-wheel quarry sort of showdown in what order, I don't know. Um, you could throw a Max Purvis in there, um, he might steal a third, you know, overall. So um I think he's gonna struggle on the 250, but in saying that he's only light, and the guy can ride a bloody bike in motocross. So yeah, it's gonna be interesting. Um, I'm really looking forward to Castro Done because I think it's gonna mix some results up. I think it's gonna tighten our series up, and I think it's really gonna keep Bill honest for the rest of the season. I think we come back to Kempsey and and it maybe leans a little more to Will again. Um, but I think anything can happen now, so it's good. I I I I was saying to um Milner earlier tonight, I like all these guys. I just want to see good racing. I don't want to take anything away from any of them. They're all such good guys. We have a really good group of athletes in our sport right now, but I don't want one athlete to have it all their own way. I want to see them challenge. They are the best riders in the world, and and to their credit, they're pushing each other, and it's been really good to watch.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I think it was was it a year before last uh was it Caston or one of the South Australian uh sand rounds that caught oh who was it? One of the top three guys in uh in the pro class. It ended this his season, was uh whoever Milner was battling with. Um so yeah, it can it can really upset the Apple card. And I think um, you know, they'll all have to be on their toes, they'll have to make sure they've done l enough work on the small of their back to survive for that long in the sand, because it's gonna be hard work on the body. Um, but A, also it's also good preparation if they're gonna go from there on to Hatter, because Hatter's only like two or three weeks after Castadon. So uh for any of the guys out there that want to do another race in between uh the what would that be, the the eighth and the um ninth round. Um yeah, it's just uh Hatter could be an option, especially coming off the back of the sand round in Castadon. Uh Briggsie, as always, mate, it's been a pleasure having you on, mate. Um, and really insightful to hear your feedback, but also to have a chance to chat to all the riders on the weekend uh and chat to Will and get him on the podcast. Really appreciate that. Good chance to chat with with Milner earlier uh today. We're gonna ride Jai Dixon's bike tomorrow, which is gonna be lots of fun in the mud and the wet. Um but we have his. We are going to find somewhere dry. We are not trashing a factory KTM. We've got his bike and uh we may not give it back, but um that's that's gonna be lots of fun. But yeah, mate, until Caston and mate, we'll we'll speak to you in four weeks' time.

SPEAKER_02

Yep, sounds good. Thanks, mate.