Hollis and Bewley One Two at AORC Opener

Ballard’s Yamaha Off Road Team rider Chris Hollis won his first Australian championship event today, beating the 240-strong field at the first round of the Yamaha Australian Off Road Championships at Port Macquarie.

Hollis, who lives at Port Macquarie, finished 12.8 seconds ahead after the eight tests, with his team mate Jarrod Bewley hot on his tail.

Bewley beat Hollis in two of the eight tests and finished 16.9 seconds ahead of three-time Australian off road champion, GHR Honda’s AJ Roberts, who rounded off the podium in the outright and Championship E2 class standings.

“I feel sweet as... I didn’t have to be stupid today or pull any moves, I was just smooth,” Hollis said. “I settled into a comfort zone a bit when we switched tracks half way through the day and Bewley started to gain on me, but then I got my finger out and picked it up a bit.

"I won my first ever major event two weekends ago when I won the NSW state round, and now to have my first ever national win is amazing.

"My WR450F is working sweet and I think I have matured a lot as a rider... the bike really suits my riding style and gets traction really easily, especially in these dusty conditions.

"I always used to be so close to winning outright but I never did, always finished second or something, so this is so great. I hope I win again tomorrow and that today’s win is the first of many more."

Bewley said there was "a lot of tension in the team".

"I think it’s going to be a really close season... I am happy with how my speed is and I think that if I can be close to Chris on his home track, I can beat him at another one," Bewley said. "But I am really glad for Chris, we are mates so it’s good to be able to race and be competitive but still get along really well.

"I started off the day slow and then got into a rhythm and started matching [Hollis’s] times and then beating them.

"I was on a real mission on the last lap to try and get him, but he got me by a few seconds." Roberts, who broke his tibia six weeks ago this weekend and said he was told by doctors to give it six weeks to heal, nearly lost his podium spot to new team mate Peter Boyle from Victoria.

This year is Boyle’s first season in off road racing, after spending several years competing in motocross. Boyle won the Championship Enduro 1 class today, he also beat AJ in five laps and finished only 2.4 seconds behind him.

Roberts said on Friday he thought Boyle would be the man to beat this weekend. "I am happy to be here and that I was able to ride and that my leg’s feeling good," Roberts said when he accepted his trophy. "I will certainly be back tomorrow pushing harder and looking to move up the podium."

Motorex KTM Off Road Racing’s Ben Kearney put in a commendable performance today, finishing fifth outright and putting in some blistering times early in the day.

Christensens Yamaha Off Road Team’s Blake Hore also had a good round, landing sixth outright. MSC Kawasaki Team’s Damian Smith, young-gun Josh Green, who is an up-andcomer, and Husqvarna Racing Team’s Darren Lloyd and Jehi Willis rounded out the top 10.

Lloyd also took home the Championship Enduro 3 class win, ahead of Yamaha Queensland Off Road Team’s ‘King’ Kirk Hutton.

Riders will line up again tomorrow morning to battle for the round two honours. Organisers have decided tomorrow’s race will again be run in sprint format, due to dusty conditions.

The AORC are ran over six weekends, with one round on Saturday in sprint format (several laps of the bush/motocross track racing against the clock) and one on Sunday in a crosscountry format (class mass start, championship classes race for two hours flat out).

The championships boast classes for every level of rider, from Juniors older than 9-years to clubman, women, veterans, masters, experts and championship-level racers.

The AORC are fantastic for spectators, with nail-biting action and the chance to get up close and personal with the stars of Australian enduro racing.

Rounds three and four will be held at Conondale in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland on May 17 and 18, rounds five and six at Wonthaggi in Victoria on June 21 and 22, seven and eight at Nowra (NSW) on July 12 and 13, rounds nine and 10 at Broadford (VIC) on August 2 and 3 and the final rounds at Cessnock (NSW) on August 16 and 17.

To enter or for more information please visit www.dirtbikepromotions.com.au, contact Dirt Bike Promotions on 02 63624437 or 0438721024 or email